Emotional Sarah Kennedy denies breaking down in tears live on air - then starts crying again

The 58-year-old broke down on both occasions while discussing the bravery shown by a British soldier who has been awarded the George Cross.

Yesterday, she denied crying during her BBC radio show the previous day  -  only to start weeping again just 15 minutes later.

After dismissing reports that she had become tearful on Wednesday as false, she became emotional when she spoke again about the case of Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher, who smothered an explosion to protect comrades.

She told her listeners: 'I'm in The Independent today. They're saying "A wave of patriotic emotion overtook Sarah Kennedy yesterday... it all proved a little too much for Kennedy who began to have a little on-air blub..."

Sarah Kennedy, pictured left after collecting an MBE, denied breaking down when reading a story about hero soldier Matthew Croucher - then started crying again

'You were with me yesterday. I did not have an on-air blub. Nevermind, that's the press for you.'

But a quarter of an hour later, Ms Kennedy said: 'The George Cross... we've had quite an amazing response to this and I'm completely oblivious about it...

'It's the wonderful story of Matthew Croucher who I've invited on the show, and I really hope that he will come because, as I said, they don't give out George Crosses that easily.'

She then became slowly more and more upset as she read out a message from a listener: 'Jackie says: "I understand why you became emotional when talking about the incredibly brave marine who risked his life to save his colleagues... I too had...tears in my eyes as well when I read the article. It's altogether too common to hear and read about all the thuggery and knife crime that's going on nowadays, so Lieutenant Croucher's bravery is so overwhelming.  His family must be so proud of him."

'Well, I couldn't agree with you more. Our troops are doing such a fine job...'

At this point Ms Kennedy could barely talk for crying.

She did manage to say. 'How wonderful to be able to trust your life literally to a colleague. I think he was just such an incredible boy.'

She then put a record on.

Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher stepped on a trip-wire which triggered an exploding grenade device during a night raid on a Taliban compound in Afghanistan.

Realising that three other members of his patrol would be killed if he did not act, he launched himself forward to smother the explosion, managing to twist on to his back to let his rucksack take the full force of the blast.

The explosion hurled him across the compound leaving him stunned, bleeding profusely from the nose and almost deaf.

His rucksack was shredded and burning shrapnel from the kit he had been carrying was scattered around the area, with pieces found embedded in his helmet and body armour.

Miraculously the 24-year-old Marine survived and within minutes was on his feet, refusing evacuation and demanding to be allowed to stay with the patrol. He helped set an ambush and shot dead a Taliban insurgent in the ensuing gunfight.