CNN reporter Zain Asher cries on-air after brother Chiwetel Ejiofor earns Oscar nomination

The British12 years A Slave star is up for Best Actor at the 2014 Academy Awards in February

Asher said the news was 'unbelievable'

CNN's news item on the Oscar nominations proved surprisingly touching this year, with correspondent Zain Asher able to report that her own brother had been nominated for an Oscar for 12 Years A Slave (scroll down to watch the video).

"I'm sorry, I've never cried on TV before!" Asher said to many "awwhs" back in the studio, as she explained how much the Academy Award nod meant to her family.

Ejiofor will be vying for Best Actor at this year's awards ceremony, facing competition from Christian Bale (American Hustle), Matthew McConaughay (Dallas Buyers Club), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf Of Wall Street) and Bruce Dern (Nebraska).

It was clearly a very emotional day of press for Asher, who also misted up in a separate news segment in which she discussed her family's move to the UK from Nigeria.

She explained how the nomination would be particularly 'unbelievable' for her mother, who grew up without running water, and added: "It is a kind of sad day as well because my father isn't alive anymore, so he can't see this.

"When Chiwetel was twelve years old, he was in a car accident with my father and everybody in the car died apart from Chiwetel," she explained, fighting back tears. "So he has that chance he was given... he really has gone on to make the most of it."

Brits had a good haul with this year's Oscar nominations, with Steve Coogan's Philomena also being recognised along with Gravity, much of which was produced in the UK.