Emotional Breakdown on Live TV: Susanna Reid Steps In as Star Cries Over Heartbreaking Tragedy
The atmosphere was charged with emotion on Good Morning Britain as guest Doreen Soulsby broke down in tears live on the show, prompting Susanna Reid to offer her support.
Doreen appeared on the programme on Wednesday (September 18) to speak about the potential release of her daughter Joanne Tulip’s murderer. Steven Ling, who brutally stabbed Joanne 60 times and admitted to raping her during the attack, was never charged with the sexual offence despite his confession.
Sentenced to life imprisonment in December 1998, Ling has now been approved for release by a parole board. However, due to the absence of a rape charge, he was not placed on a sex offender register, leaving future police protections uncertain for those around him.
Visibly overwhelmed by the harrowing discussion, Doreen reached out for tissues while Susanna gently encouraged her: “Tell us about your daughter, tell us about Joanne.” In her first live studio interview, Doreen apologised for her emotional response as Susanna consoled her, reports the Mirror.
While recounting the ordeal, Doreen revealed to the presenters: “He confessed to [the rape], and even in prison he’s admitting he raped. But the judge at the time chose not to put the rape through the trial because murder was the greater offence.”
“[They said] it was an abusive court process and it would upset the family if they’d put it through court. But he’s not a convicted sex offender and the attack was sexually driven.”
Ling has been incarcerated for 27 years, surpassing his original 18-year minimum sentence. Though the parole board has now suggested he has changed, Richard Madeley sought a deeper understanding and confronted Doreen with their assessment.
Her response was firm: “No. I believe it’s the way his head is wired. From the age of 12 years, he was doing funny things in the village and was known as a weirdo, sexual things.”
“You’re saying he had a very warped attitude to women in general, and that was apparent in his behaviour,” Richard inferred, prompting her further claim: “Yes, and the year before Joanne he tried to get in a girl’s house.”