Olly Murs shares heartbreaking family decision that 'changed everything'

Olly Murs has shared the poignant tale of his family's past, revealing why his great-grandmother chose to leave her family during World War Two.

The father-of-one recently journeyed to Latvia to delve into his ancestry for One's popular genealogy programme Who Do You Think You Are?

During his exploration, discovered that his great-grandmother Veronika was a trapeze artist in a travelling circus and is believed to have had an affair with Eduard Murs Sr, Olly's great-grandfather.

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Eddie, Olly's grandfather, was born in 1932 before Veronika made the heart-wrenching choice to give him up to his father and his wife Katrine.

In 1944, they travelled to a refugee camp in Germany before finally settling down in Essex in 1948. Meanwhile, Veronika remained in Latvia and never saw her son again, reports .

Speaking last year to TV Times, Olly revealed: "My grandad's relationship with his mum wasn't great. Dad told me that Eddie felt she'd abandoned him.

"But her decision to say goodbye to her son changed everything for our family. Without her bravery, my grandad would never have had the life he did in the UK and the wonderful family he created."

The singer, who hails from Essex, found out that Veronika attempted to reconnect with her son through letters in the 1960s and 1970s. However, Eddie decided not to respond, a choice he reportedly regretted later on.

Veronika died in 1988 and was buried in an unmarked grave by the state. "She cared about Eddie. And it saddens me that she had a son, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at the time of her death, but there was no family around her," he said.

Olly Murs, who celebrates his 41st birthday today (Wednesday, May 14), has joyfully revealed he's expecting baby number two with his wife Amelia Tank. The singing sensation, who first found fame on The , shares a daughter named Madison with his wife, born last April.

The announcement came via an post on Good Friday, where Olly gushed: "We're so egg-cited to share this, another baby Murs on the way."

Their social media update showcased a video clip of the family strolling, with Murs hoisting little Madison – donning a 'big sis' tee – onto his shoulders while Tank displayed ultrasound pictures.

Last month on , the Troublemaker singer confessed to co-host that leaving his infant child for a tour with brought him to tears. He said: "It was really hard for me because I actually had to leave."

Olly added: "So, two days after the baby was born, I had to leave and go on tour with Take That, and I didn't really process it at the time.

"And then about a few months later, me and Amelia were chatting, and I just sort of broke down in tears, because I was just like, I never got a chance to actually get to know this little baby."