Presenters on Good Morning Britain shared a heartwarming update about a beloved guest this Tuesday, explaining his absence was due to ill health following a momentous personal celebration.
A Long-Awaited Honour for a D-Day Hero
Hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls informed viewers that 100-year-old D-Day veteran Don Butt has finally been awarded France's most prestigious military decoration, the Légion d'honneur. The honour recognises his courage during the pivotal 1944 landings. The Good Morning Britain team had been championing the campaign to secure the medal for Don, which was originally pledged by a former French president.
Ed Balls revealed that Don had kept his wartime experiences private for decades. The active push for this recognition began only 18 months ago. A minor administrative error and Don's mistaken belief that he was too young to qualify had caused the long delay.
Celebration in Absence
The veteran was unable to join the live broadcast on Tuesday, 13 January 2026. Ed Balls explained to the audience, "Don is poorly and he is with his family, but his family and so many of his supporters will be celebrating this news."
In his place, his friend John Rawlinson from the Royal Marines Historical Society appeared on the ITV programme. John recounted the joyful presentation, stating Don received the wonderful news on Boxing Day, with the official letter arriving the previous week. "The medal arrived on Saturday," he said, thanking the French authorities for their speed.
A Campaign Culminates in Joy
John described Don's reaction upon finally receiving the physical award as one of overwhelming delight. "It was great to see Don at the weekend and be part of the team that presented the award to him that he deserved for such a long time," John told Susanna and Ed. "It's great now that he's actually received that award."
This was Don's third feature on Good Morning Britain, a show that played a key role in highlighting his story and securing his rightful place among those honoured for their service. The episode served as a poignant reminder of the bravery of the wartime generation and the importance of remembering their sacrifices.
