Actor Martin Freeman admits smacking his son, 14, and daughter, 11, and calling them ‘little f***ers’ when they were younger
- Martin Freeman, 48, said he carried out the punishments despite ban at home
- Son Joe, 14, and daughter Grace, 11, have both been smacked, he said
- Hobbit actor was speaking ahead of his upcoming series Breeders on Sky1
Actor Martin Freeman has admitted he smacked his son, 14, and daughter, 11, and called them ‘little f***ers’ when they were younger.
The Hobbit actor, 48, said he’d smacked his children Joe and Grace twice and sworn at them more than twice.
The father-of-two also conceded it was a rule at home with his former partner actress Amanda Abbington, 45, not to do either of the actions to the children ‘but you know, I’ve done both’.
Martin Freeman admitted smacking his children even though the punishment was outlawed at home by his former wife Amanda Abbington. They are pictured together at the Los Angeles premiere of The Desolation of Smaug in December 2013
The Hobbit actor pictured in the first film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
‘I know I’m not supposed to do it, but there are so many images about how (parenting) all just has to be brilliant that it makes people feel bad,’ he said in a candid interview with The Sunday Times.
‘Because it’s not brilliant. I mean, it is – it’s the best thing I’ll do. But that doesn’t mean it’s not really hard. This idea you only ever rationalise with a toddler? Genuinely, good luck. If you could do that, God go with you. Amazing.
‘I’m not proud I did that, but I have. I don’t think it’s a policy. And I’ll do it again!’
It is illegal to smack children under The Children Act 2004 unless it amounts to ‘reasonable punishment’.
The Sherlock Holmes actor said he had smacked his children twice and sworn at them more than twice. He is pictured with former wife Ms Abbington at The National Movie Awards, London, in 2010, and on the This Morning sofa in August last year
The NSPCC has called for a complete ban on smacking, saying that it only gives children a bad example on how to handle strong emotion, may encourage bullying, and could cause them to lie or hide feelings in order to avoid the punishment.
Scotland became the first country in the UK to ban smacking in 2019, and Wales will outlaw smacking by 2022 following a vote in the country’s Assembly.
The Sherlock Holmes actor was speaking ahead of his new Sky1 series Breeders, in which he plays an angry father, that will be broadcast on March 12.