GOOD MORNING BRITAIN LAUNCHES 10TH YEAR OF 1 MILLION MINUTES

Today, Good Morning Britain launched the show’s award-winning ‘1 Million Minutes’ campaign for the tenth year, aiming to help tackle loneliness in the UK. 

Susanna Reid and Ed Balls announced the return of the annual campaign live on the show, alongside This Morning presenter Ben Shephard, who helped launched the first campaign in 2016.

Ben Shephard said, “It’s one of the things I’m most proud of what we were able to do at Good Morning Britain. The 1 Million Minutes campaign has been such an extraordinary thing, I think it’s something like 882 million minutes have been donated by people volunteering to help other people. It’s been an extraordinary campaign that has touched so many people’s lives, so I’m thrilled to be here today to explain that we’re launching it again.” 

Susanna Reid added, “We’re all asking for time, not money, that’s the key thing.”

During the show a brand new campaign video was shown for the first time, featuring GMB’s Susanna Reid and a host of famous faces. Ant & Dec showed their support from the I’m A Celebrity jungle, plus Emma Willis, Will I Am, Tom Jones and Kelly Rowland from The Voice and Chasers Anne Hegerty and Mark Labbett, plus Lorraine Kelly. This Morning’s Ben Shephard, Cat Deeley, Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond, Loose Women Kaye Adams, Denise Welch, GK Barry and Jane Moore also appear in the video which urges viewers to “stop” what they’re doing and take a moment to help fight loneliness. 

After watching this year’s new campaign video Ben said, “The impact that we’ve all seen when we meet some of the people that have been helped by volunteering, that have been seriously lonely and then these opportunities with the chatty cafes or the animals that go into care homes, just to share a little connection - the difference that makes in their lives is tangible, it’s palpable…”

He added, “The demands financially on families at Christmas are  huge. But the great thing about this is we’re not  asking for money, we’re asking for time - it’s  the most precious thing that all of us can have. We’re asking people to donate their time and that’s the difference it will make.”

Ed Balls said, “I think lots of us learnt that the loneliness some people were living in the pandemic was also the reality of their lives before the pandemic, and it's the reality of their lives today unless we do something about it. And actually, having seen that you can do small things which have a massive impact upon the people around you - your neighbours in your street an elderly person who’s not going to see somebody, chatting to someone at the tills in the supermarket - those little things which people are volunteering to do make a massive difference.”

Ben agreed, adding: “Little fleeting moments can change how people are feeling about their energy and enthusiasm for that day and what that might mean, and it all starts with a really simple, but massively effective campaign like 1 Million Minutes.” 

The annual 1 Million Minutes campaign asks viewers to pledge their time to help tackle the increasing mental health epidemic that is loneliness. Since its launch, Good Morning Britain viewers have donated a generous 882,594,120 million minutes of time to charities who need volunteers, and individuals who are lonely. This year, Good Morning Britain aims to encourage even more people to pledge their time and fight loneliness. 

Exclusive stats from Age UK have revealed 2 million older people rely on volunteering for company and 2.4 million (one in five) older people often feel forgotten, highlighting that the campaign is more important than ever.

To help launch the campaign, from this evening famous buildings and venues across the country will light up blue for 24 hours in support of 1 Million Minutes. 

Venues taking part include, Edinburgh Castle, Brighton Palace Pier, Cardiff Castle, Titanic Belfast, London Liverpool Street station, Shipbuilders Port Glasgow, Neasden Temple, Tower of Light Manchester, Stamford Bridge, The Royal Liver Building Liverpool and the iconic Television Centre where Good Morning Britain is filmed. 

Daniel Robinson, Editor of Good Morning Britain, said: “In the 10 years since we launched our 1 Million Minutes campaign we have brought together thousands of volunteers, with thousands of people experiencing loneliness and isolation around the UK, and this year feels more urgent than ever, with rising prices in the shops and pressure on families, it’s so easy to feel disconnected. 

“We all know what it feels like to feel lonely. So, whether it’s a family member, a friend, a neighbour or a stranger, pledging just a few minutes of time can really make a difference. Our viewers have been immensely generous with their time over the years and I know this December is going to be something really special”.

Throughout the month of December, Good Morning Britain will also be leading a series of events across the UK with additional ways for people to get involved, help themselves feel less lonely, or just pledge their time to help someone facing winter alone. 

Good Morning Britain’s Talking Tills returns between the 4-7th December. At 493 Morrison’s stores around the country a special till will be manned with staff who scan products more slowly so shoppers can have a chat as they pay. Ed Balls, Ranvir Singh and M People’s Heather Small all took part in a Talking Tills shift and met customers who wanted to natter. 

Good Morning Britain presenter Charlotte Hawkins, soapstar Natalie Cassidy, charity campaigner Scott Mitchell and Lorraine presenter Tyler West  joined forces at St. Pancras International station to launch Tea Time Moments and had a chat with members of the public to highlight the importance of talking to help end loneliness.

And celebrities including Emmerdale’s Bradley Riches, Love Island 2025 winner Cach Mercer, Ellie Leach and Jenny Powell put on their dancing shoes to Dance Away Loneliness at The Trafford Centre to raise awareness of the plight of those struggling. 

As well as supporting ITV's Britain Get Talking campaign, GMB has also teamed up with charities doing incredible work to support loneliness and isolation and will offer volunteering options to those pledging their time to the campaign. Volunteer spots will be available at charities including Alzheimer’s Research UK, Home-Start, Re-engage, Royal Voluntary Service, The Chatty Cafe Scheme, Winston’s Wish and for the first time, Trussell Food Bank.

To get involved with the campaign and start pledging visit the 1 Million Minutes website, itv.com/1millionminutes