'My mum gave me up because of my dwarfism': Paralympian Ellie Simmonds on finding her birth parents

After quitting her sport in 2021, the gold medal winning swimmer was left thinking "who am I", she told ITV News reporter Sejal Karia

Ellie Simmonds says she believes her birth mother gave her up for adoption because of her dwarfism.

The former paralympic swimmer told ITV News her parents were handed a fact sheet by a hospital which described people with restricted growth as "evil" and "stupid," which she found in her hospital records.

Simmonds discovered this information while filming an ITV documentary where she delves into her past and tries to find her birth mother.

Ellie Simmonds sifted through piles of paper work to find information about her birth parents. Credit: ITV
Paralympian Ellie Simmonds reveals she was adopted at birth

Speaking to ITV News, she said: "In a way I always knew that could have been the reason, because of my dwarfism, and now I know that was the case.

"Also the language they use, that was 28-years-ago, that was not that long ago... that's why I'm so passionate now about changing the language of individuals around disability."

Simmonds became a household name following her breakthrough Paralympics in Beijing in 2008, she then brought home two victories during the London 2012 competition.

In September 2021, the 27-year-old retired following the Tokyo Paralympics - her first games without a medal. 

Ellie Simmonds emotional as she talks to the family who fostered her when she was a baby for the first time. Credit: ITV

After quitting her sport she felt she'd lost a "massive identity" and was left thinking "who am I", she told ITV News reporter Sejal Karia.

She always knew she had been adopted and had not spoken to her birth mother until filming the documentary.

But Simmonds does not harbour any resentment and says she "wouldn't be the person she is today" if she had not been adopted by her new family.

Ellie Simmonds as a baby with her foster mother. Credit: ITV

She revealed she did have an emotional reunion with her birth mother.

"Tears were shed.. but then we just burst out laughing, we got on like a house on fire," she said.

Simmonds also hopes the documentary will shed a light on the barriers disabled children face in the care system and in waiting to be adopted.

Ellie Simmonds: Finding My Secret Family is on ITV 1 and STV at 9pm on Thursday.

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