Celebrity Race Across The World star Dylan Llewellyn supported his mum Jackie as she opened up on the impact of sharing her devastating double bereavement on TV.

Dylan, 33, who is best known for starring in Channel 4 dramas Derry Girls and Big Boys, is currently taking part in the BBC series alongside mum Jackie.

During the series, the mother and son duo spoke movingly about the deaths of two loved ones as they took a swim together in a Panamanian waterfall.

Jackie revealed how her first husband was knocked down and killed by a driver when she was about to give birth to their first child James, who 20 years after his father's death would take his own life. 

Jackie was visibly emotional as she described the moment police came to tell her her husband had been killed while her baby, James, was 48 hours overdue. 

Tragedy stuck again for the heartbroken mother when her first son James was 20, when he died by suicide - Dylan was 16 at the time of his brother's death. 

Ahead of the show's final this week, Dylan and Jackie joined Lorraine Kelly on her self-titled ITV show to open up about the moment they discussed the deaths. 

Footage of the duo embracing while at the waterfall during the BBC show played during their interview with Lorraine. 

'It had me thinking of James,' Jackie said as she spoke about visiting the waterfall. 'It was lovely for Dylan to open up and that experience of talking about it.'

Lorraine heaped praised on the pair for talking about the subject, telling them they 'don't know the impact' it had on viewers at home, encouraging them to open up. 

'I don't know how you're still standing,' Lorraine told her, to which Jackie responded: 'You have to when you have little boys. You have to.

'I am [so proud] of Dylan, I can't believe that he's my son.'

It comes after Jackie has admitted that it has felt like her late son James is taking part in Celebrity  Race Across The World with them, saying he is their 'guardian angel' who is 'racing with us.'

The mother and son team had stopped to swim in Panama as they race for the checkpoint in Colombia. It was in the serenity of those waters that they poured their hearts out. 

She said: 'I was due to have James on December 19 and on the 21st, there was a knock at the door and those two fluorescent jackets.

'They said, "We just want to let you know that your husband has been knocked over by a car and killed instantly".'

She described how her life changed in that moment. 

'I had James and I found it very difficult on my own. I eventually got my act together and got on in life and coped', she said.

Jackie would go on to find happiness again her second husband Barry, with whom she had sons Dylan and Cameron.

'I had three little boys under three. It was absolute chaos', she said.

She said: 'Losing two people very close in my life definitely has changed me as a person.

'When James had gone I'd internalised trying to be brave and put on a brave face for the boys. It took me a while to be strong again, but I've had to be strong as a mother to my boys.'

Dylan, a star of hit show Derry Girls, was 16 when his older brother took his own life.

He told his fellow contestants about the impact on their lives in a moving scene on Race Across the World, where he discussed it with Roman Kemp, his sister Harleymoon, Strictly star Molly Rainford and Ty West.

He confessed: 'Me and my mum lost someone close to us. I lost my brother, and my mum lost her son. His name is James.

'I just wish he could take my place and do this, do all this and travel the world. But he never got to.

'He lived life to the full. He was so popular, he had so many friends. He was my hero… I know he's with us.

Roman Kemp was seen wiping away tears while Dylan's mother Jackie also cried, and said: 'He's racing with us.'

'He's with you the whole time. He'd be sat right here, he'd be laughing at everything you're going through', Roman added.

'My eldest brother James, he took his life when he was 20. I was 16. It just hit us all hard, so hard', Dylan later explained to camera.

'Doing this race is like doing it for my brother and my mum. He would have loved to do something like this. I think she'd like to have that kind of journey with a son.

'James was everything I wanted to be with his confidence. I really want to get out of my comfort zone and support my mum, because I want to look after her on this trip because she deserves it. He would be proud of me I think.' 

Viewers watching at home were very moved by their story.

Taking to X, one viewer wrote: 'I love Dylan and his Mother so much. It has been so moving hearing their story. 

'They are both such lovely gentle souls. It has been a privilege to watch them in #celebrityraceacrosstheworld.'

Another added: 'Poor woman. How strong do you have to be to deal with that?'

A third commented: 'I can't deal with how much trauma and heartbreak Dylan's Mum has been through', adding four crying emojis and four heart emojis.

While a fourth remarked: 'Dylan's Mum had been thru so much heartbreak. They are genuinely lovely people who deserve to do well.' 

Celebrity Race Across The World concludes December 11 at 8pm on BBC One.