Sir David Jason said 'my hands were shaking' after reading long-lost daughter's first letter to him

Sir David Jason was left stunned after receiving a poignant letter from Abi Harris, his long-lost daughter. In the heartfelt letter, Abi apologised for reaching out, stating she was "so sorry" as she sought to uncover the truth about her paternity.

Abi explained that she had been grappling with the uncertainty surrounding her parentage, but was hesitant to pursue the matter for fear of upsetting her late father or making her mother, Jennifer Hill, feel guilty. Nevertheless, her desire to learn the truth about her biological father led her to ask Sir David if he would be willing to take an anonymous paternity test.

In the letter, Abi wrote: "For considerable time, I have wrestled with the unsettling discovery that my paternity is uncertain."

"I don't want my mum to feel guilty. I didn't want to 'betray' my late father and I have worried endlessly about how on earth to approach you. However, I would really like to know."

She continued: "Please would you agree to take an anonymous paternity test so that I can finally know the truth and let the matter rest. Obviously, this remains entirely between you and me.", reports the Express.

"I'm sorry if this sounds rather abrupt but I am trying desperately hard not to waffle."

Sir David, 84, described the letter as the "most astonishing" he had ever received, revealing that he had a brief relationship with Abi's mother while filming Under Milk Wood in 1973. The revelation that Sir David was Abi's biological father came as a shock, necessitating the difficult conversation with his wife Lady Gill White and daughter Sophie about his newfound daughter and her son Charlie.

He said: "You will be unsurprised to learn that my hands were shaking by now. What had I just read? I had to go back and read the whole thing again. And then I had to read it again. And then again after that."

Yet, Sir David has expressed that his family received the news positively. In a 2023 interview with The Mirror, he shared: "My wife, Gill, and daughter, Sophie, have been very supportive and understanding and have embraced Abi and welcomed her and her young son into her now wider family."

Abi's suspicions about Sir David being her father arose after piecing together her mother's history with him and noticing their similar nose shapes. Sir David commented on the discovery, saying: "To say it was a surprise to find out I had a daughter from years ago is an understatement."

He continued, reflecting on his feelings about the situation: "However, on settling with the news, I am delighted that I am now able to get to know Abi and so we meet up when we can."

Abi, who has followed in the acting footsteps, frequently visits Sir David at his Ellesborough home in Buckinghamshire. It's reported that he even brings his grandson Charlie into his cherished workshop to share his passion for model rockets.