Stephen Mulhern has broken down in tears as he paid an emotional tribute to his late father, Christopher.

The presenter has teamed up with popular hosting pair Ant and Dec for a fresh ITV programme.

The new show, Accidental Tourist, sees Stephen venture beyond his usual boundaries as Ant and Dec send him to South Korea, where he'll sample unfamiliar cuisine and challenge himself in a bid to expand his experiences.

The show's synopsis reads: "In an effort to help to test his resolve and push his boundaries, Stephen will encounter epic locations, exotic cultures and cuisines, incredible people and places and exhilarating activities he would never have chosen for himself."

Speaking previously, Stephen remarked in a statement: "Travelling and adventures have never been on my list of favourite things, so to say I'm nervous would be a huge understatement! This project sort of feels like the world's worst bucket list!" reports Wales Online.

During Sunday's episode (December 14), the presenter grew visibly upset whilst honouring his father, Christopher, who died earlier this year.

Before embarking on his journey, Stephen shared with cameras: "If I was to tell my dad this, my dad passed away at the start of the year."

He subsequently needed to halt the conversation as emotions overcame him, offering an apology with: "Sorry." Stephen continued: "[My dad] wouldn't believe it. I hope he would be proud."

Upon reaching Korea, Stephen was presented with a letter from his mother, which stirred further emotion.

"My darling Stevie, when you read this letter you will be in Korea. Since you were small, you have always loved magic. From the bottom of my heart, I hope you see the magic in this trip," the touching message began.

Visibly moved, Stephen carried on reading the letter, which continued: "Give it your best shot like you always do. On that note my darling, me and daddy will be with you every step of the way. Get back quick. Love you forever, mum and dad."

ITV audiences found themselves equally moved by the poignant moment, with one viewer posting on X (formerly Twitter): "Omg, I didn't know his dad passed away at the beginning of the year."

Another expressed: "I don't want to see Stephen Mulhern crying on my TV. Why is ITV doing this to me. Stop [crying emoji]," whilst a third simply wrote: "Aww, Stephen."

A fourth admirer reflected: "When he cried I just wanted to jump in the TV and hug him," with another offering praise: "I wanna applaud @StephenMulhern for #AccidentalTourist. He's overcoming a lot of fears and absolutely smashing it!!! His dad would absolutely be so proud of him!"

Throughout his Korean adventure, Stephen sampled prawns for the first time, experienced a traditional naked Korean massage, and even joined the legendary Haenyeo sea women to dive for abalone and pineapple fish.

Accidental Tourist is available to stream on ITVX