anchor bravely shared his harrowing childhood experiences of physical punishment, amid discussions on about outlawing smacking in England. The seasoned host reflected on a time when the punishment was rife, noting it’s illegal in Scotland and Wales but legal in England if it doesn’t leave a mark.
Richard recalled his childhood days in the 1960s being hit, commenting: “I was, repeatedly and painful! These days, it would’ve landed them in court, never mind a change in the law now, it was tradition. At school, we all used to change stories about how we’d been hit with sticks.”
Prompted by co-host Richard opened up on the personal effects of such discipline: “It made me absolutely determined never to hit my own children. I knew, even if the culture said it was ok at the time, I knew as I was growing up that this wasn’t right.
“This was wrong; I knew that the fear I used to feel when my father would go and get the cane because I’d done something minor and I was going to get hit three or four times with it; I knew that that was wrong.”
GMB’s Richard Madeley details personal vow after opening up on childhood ‘fear (Image: ITV)
As a doting father to Jack, born in 1986, and Chloe, who arrived a year later in 1987, Richard expressed how his upbringing shaped his parenting approach, reports .
Richard added: “When I had my own children, I became a stepfather first and then I had my own children, it just wasn’t even an issue in my head.
“Hitting and smacking were certainly not on the agenda. I speak, I’m sure, for the vast majority of parents in this country and I’m sure most parents, these days, don’t smack their kids. I actually think the law is catching up.”
In another conversation during the show, Richard and Kate discussed the new legislative steps being taken in parliament aimed at child protection.
Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan With Their Children (Image: GETTY)
ITV audiences learned that under the new regulations, highly vulnerable children in England will no longer be automatically entitled to home education. Dubbed The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the legal shift coincides with the sentencing of young Sara Sharif’s murderers.
Sara, only 10 years old, was withdrawn from school by her father shortly before her life ended in tragedy. Richard noted the decision left the young girl extremely isolated and exposed to danger.
He went further to mention: “This was despite teachers referring her to the social services.”
Sara Sharif’s father Urfan Sharif, 42, and stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, have been found guilty at the Old Bailey of the 10-year-old’s murder (Image: PA)
News reporter Lorna Shaddick updated viewers that Sara’s educators had reported seeing injuries on her face when they referred her case to social services.
Nevertheless, her father was permitted to remove her from school mere months before she met a cruel end. This month witnessed her father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool convicted of her murder, while her uncle Faisal Malik faced conviction for allowing her death. Sentencing for all three is expected to occur this week.
Good Morning Britain continues weekdays on ITV from 6am.