Richard Madeley has revealed he was ‘badly beaten’ by his father as a child, during a debate on Good Morning Britain on whether it’s ever okay to beat your kids.
Speaking on the morning show, the host, 63, said both his dad and his teachers were violent to him when he was growing up, and he’s still furious about his experiences.
He admitted: ‘I was badly beaten as a child by my dad. When I look back to my childhood, most of my friends, I got the cane several times. And I was seriously beaten.’
He added of his school years: ‘I got three strokes at (school) for throwing a paper dart.
‘The scars lasted six months and I am still angry about it.’
Richard Madeley has revealed he was ‘badly beaten’ by his father as a child, during a debate on Good Morning Britain on whether it’s ever okay to beat your kids
He added: ‘I swore I would never lay a finger on my kids and I didn’t think I did, but I asked them and they both have thin memories of me smacking them on the bottom once or twice and I must have blanked it out.’
His confession came as Good Morning Britain viewers clashed over whether it’s ever okay to hit your child after a woman claimed it’s always ‘completely wrong’ to smack kids.
Journalists and mothers Sarah Caywood, 47, and Sian Griffiths, both from London, appeared on the show today to debate whether it’s ever okay to physically discipline your children.
While Sarah felt it’s okay to lightly hit children if they’re in a ‘dangerous situation’ Sian believes it’s always ‘completely wrong’ to smack children and thinks it should be banned in England. Currently it is banned in Scotland and Wales.
Viewers clashed over the issue, with some insisting that it teaches ‘respect and discipline’ while others felt there are ‘other strategies’ to turn to when your child is disobeying you.
This comes after actor Martin Freeman, 48,admitted he smacked his son, 14, and daughter, 11, and called them ‘little f***ers’ when they were younger, despite it being a rule at home not to do either.
Journalists Sarah Caywood (left), 47, and Sian Griffiths (right), both from London, appeared on Good Morning Britain today to debate whether it’s ever okay to physically discipline your children
Sarah said: ‘I think occasionally when they are in danger, it’s okay to make sure they don’t hurt themselves.
‘I have been guilty when they’re toddlers of grabbing their wrist and having a tap, because you can’t reason with toddlers. So I have thought it is acceptable in that situation.’
Sian disagreed, arguing: ‘I think it’s completely wrong.
‘I mean I’m a parent, I know how difficult it is. But I do think it’s wrong in principle to smack your child.
Currently a vote on GMB in which 20,500 partipated in shows 66% believe you should smack your children
Viewers quickly took to Twitter to share their views, with several agreeing with Sarah and saying there’s a ‘difference between smacking and beating’ and that when in danger, ‘gentle hand isn’t going to kill them’
‘I think England should ban smacking, I think the government should ban smacking right through England, Scotland has done it, Wales has done it 60 countries have done it for a reason.’
She added: ‘There is a lot of research now that shows if you smack your child, if you use that as a form of discipline, your child is more likely to be aggressive, to be antisocial and more anxious. ‘
Viewers quickly took to Twitter to share their views, with several agreeing with Sarah and saying there’s a ‘difference between smacking and beating’ and that when in danger, ‘gentle hand isn’t going to kill them.’
Sarah felt it’s okay to lightly hit children if they’re in a ‘dangerous situation’ and admitted to hitting her own child in the past
Sian believes it’s always ‘completely wrong’ to smack children and thinks it should be banned all across the UK
‘No, never done me or my sons any harm. Correct and timely discipline helps shape a person’, wrote one.
Another agreed: ‘That ‘research’ is easily rubbished. I’m one of five and we were all smacked when necessary.
‘As a result it taught me social conduct, respect and discipline. There’s a difference between smacking and beating.’
A third commented: ‘No I don’t agree with smacking however if there’s danger and child is not listening then a gentle hand isn’t going to kill them instead! I’d rather my child alive then dead by a run over car, depends on situations to! Also I’m the parent not you!’
However many viewers agreed with Sian and felt there’s a double standard when hitting children
However many viewers agreed with Sian and felt there’s a double standard when hitting children.
One wrote: ‘Is it okay for your children to smack you? Then it’s certainly not okay for you to smack them.’
Another said: ‘There’s so may other strategies to use rather than smacking. Smacking is a reaction to poor behaviour not a response that’s considered. So then if your child hits a younger child what do you say?’
A third commented: ‘ Yes – we shouldn’t even be having this conversation. It’s wrong and that’s it!’
Another added: ‘I got smacked many of times and it did me no good just made me a very angry person throughout my childhood. I’d never in a million years think of hitting my kids.’