Gloria Hunniford, 86, reveals she has become a great-grandmother for the first time and says 'I could weep' in emotional announcement

Gloria Hunniford has become a great-grandmother for the first time.

The presenter, 86, announced her happy news on Loose Women on Tuesday and shared photos meeting her great-grandson, Freddie. 

Gloria said 'there were tears of joy' as she remembered her late daughter Caron Keating, who would have been a grandmother to Freddie. 

Caron, a beloved Blue Peter presenter, tragically died of breast cancer in 2004 at the age of 41, after a seven-year fight. She left behind two sons; Charlie, 32, and Gabriel, 29, and her husband, Russ Lindsay. 

Charlie and his wife Nicole welcomed Freddie on Sunday morning. 

Gloria told the panel: 'I'm very, very happy today because this beautiful boy Freddie was born at 4.30am on Sunday morning. 

'He was born to my lovely grandson, first son of Caron, who as you know died from cancer, so Charlie and his lovely wife Nicole have had a baby.' 

'This is such a joy, the growth of the family and new life. I couldn't be happier and I could weep even now. There were tears of joy.'

Caron was a television presenter who joined the Blue Peter team in the 1980s.

Gloria built up The Caron Keating Foundation in the wake of her daughter's death.

She has previously discussed how Caron's positive attitude had helped her loved ones cope with the devastating diagnosis.

Gloria said previously: 'Caron never talked about losing her battle – she only ever talked about life. 

'Her whole attitude to cancer was positivity. We all tapped in to that, and she became the teacher.'

Gloria previously discussed how she tries to 'keep her alive in spirit' on her birthday and other milestones for the sake of Caron's sons Charlie and Gabriel.

During a discussion about how to deal with milestones in your life after you lose a loved one, Gloria said: 'The first one [milestone] is agonising.

'When we lost Caron, I was determined in my own head, that her children, Charlie and Gabriel would mark occasions like Mother's Day, like Christmas, like her birthday.

'But on the date of her passing I try to keep it quite light.'

As well as Caron, Gloria has two sons, Paul and Michael, from her marriage to Don Keating. 

They were married for 22 years and split in 1992. He passed away five years later.