On March 19, 2025, Susanna Reid comforted Leanne Ekland, a grieving mother, live on Good Morning Britain. The episode, hosted by Reid and Richard Madeley, turned poignant as they joined Leanne, who is mourning the loss of her son, Max Dixon, murdered as a teenager.
Max Dixon, the youngest of Leanne's four children, was killed alongside his best friend Mason Rist, who was only 15-years-old at the time. The two boys were fatally stabbed by a group of teenagers just a short distance from Mason's home, a fact that adds to the tragic nature of their deaths. During this moving segment, Susanna invited Leanne to share more about Max.
Overcome with emotion, Leanne broke down in tears. To support her, Susanna halted the show momentarily, offering her hand in consolation—an act of compassion emblematic of her role as a host who has often navigated sensitive subjects. "I knew you'd ask this," Leanne said through her tears, yet Susanna assured her that they aimed to emphasize that Mason was more than just a victim. "We can talk about Mason after the show," she offered, holding Leanne's hand as emotional support.
Leanne then recounted her devastating experience of losing her son, openly discussing her grief. "Grief is supposed to bring you together. it's not brought us together. I should never have had to choose my son's coffin; I shouldn't have to go to his funeral," she said, revealing the emotional weight of her sorrow. Also in attendance was another grieving mother, Nikki Knight, who similarly lost her son on that tragic day.
The heart-wrenching nature of the situation was heightened when Leanne shared the moment she discovered her son Max was critically injured. "I said 'no he's not, he's in bed', then it hit me. I just screamed. They took me down to see Max. A lot of people stopped me to start off with, but I managed to get to him and sit down with him. I said, 'Max, Mum's here.' He opened up his eyes. He knew I was there. He knew I was with him. He was so pale; he was cold, he kept saying to me, 'Mum, I want to go to sleep.'" These recollections echoed the pain of a mother grappling with an unimaginable loss.
This isn't Susanna's first time offering compassion in the face of grief. Earlier in 2025, she also consoled Naomi Rees-Issitt, a mother mourning over the loss of her son Jamie Rees, who died three years ago due to a fatal cardiac arrest. Naomi has since campaigned for the inclusion of defibrillators in police vehicles, a direct response to her son's untimely death.
Good Morning Britain airs on weekdays at 6 am on ITV1 and ITVX, where hosts like Susanna Reid illuminate the stark realities families face when dealing with tragic losses. The poignant stories shared by guests like Leanne and Naomi resonate with audiences, offering not only grief but also connection and understanding.
