A mum who stars in a viral video where she catches eggs thrown at her by her son has revealed the heartbreaking story behind it.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain, Carol Keith explained that her son Jamie started the prank to provide some light relief after her husband was diagnosed with cancer.

Video courtesy of Good Morning Britain

Jamie filmed the footage over two years, and put together the video in January. His dad died in February, when the video was released.

The video, which has been viewed more than 35 million times, features Jamie randomly throwing eggs at his mum, who catches them with aplomb.

Carol's catching skills may run in the family, as she explained to GMB her father was former England Cricket captain and record-breaking catcher Colin Cowdrey.

"It was a gene that was passed on", she said.