Gemma Collins tells how her mother was abandoned in hospital as a baby as she searches for her long-lost family and found it “too painful” to contact them in a first-ever music video

Gemma Collins told how her mother was abandoned in hospital as a baby in a first-look clip shared on Instagram on Thursday ahead of her upcoming TV appearance.

Media personality Gemma, 43, will take part in Thursday night’s episode of BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?

The BBC hit is a genealogy series in which famous people trace their family trees.

The show has been airing since 2004 and season 21 began in August with actress Vicky McClure.

Thursday’s episode will see Gemma try to find her mother Joan’s biological family.

Gemma says in the video: “My mother was taken in. Why did they leave her in the hospital? Why didn’t they try to go back for her? She never talks about it. I think it’s too painful for her to go there.”

The video ends with Gemma saying: “It will be nice to know where my mother is from and put it all together.”

Each episode of Who Do You Think You Are? focuses on a British celebrity.

Over its two-decade run, Who Do You Think You Are? has charted the family histories of Adil Ray, Kate Winslet, Jeremy Clarkson, Barbara Windsor, Stephen Fry, JK Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe and many more.

Gemma has already shared her delight at the prospect of being linked to serial killer Jack the Ripper.

Jack, who has never been identified, is Britain’s most notorious serial killer – he murdered five women and terrorised London in 1888, but was never caught.

And Gemma believes she has discovered the identity of Jack the Ripper and is convinced that she is related to him.

She became convinced of the link in Who Do You Think You Are? when she discovered she has ancestors who lived on Dorset Street in East London, where Jack left some of the mutilated corpses of his victims.