It’s no surprise that Ant McPartlin’s mum is by his side. No matter how old you are, you should always be able to count on motherly love
When Andy first broke through on the tennis circuit, he got “beaten up a bit” by the media.
I’d pick up the paper to read about how he was a dour Scot or that he had a boring voice – or even that his hair was a mess or he needed a shave.
It’s tough to listen to people criticising your kids, especially when it’s people who have never met them.
He was catapulted into the public eye as an 18-year-old and suddenly his every move was judged and commented on.
Nothing and nobody prepares you for that public scrutiny. It’s not an easy thing to deal with.
We had to take on an expert to help us understand how the media worked and how to handle it.
That’s why I can sympathise with Christine Woodhall, Ant McPartlin’s mum.
She’s been by his side for the past few months, and will no doubt continue to be there as he battles the issues being played out in the public eye right now.
Ant is one half of probably the hottest presenting duo in British TV history, with eight million viewers tuning in every week.
I was supposed to be on last night’s Saturday Night Takeaway but things are rightly on hold – and I’m not sure where that stands at the moment.
Ant is 42 now but regardless of what age you are, you know you can always rely on your mum to be there when you need her. Emotional support cannot be underestimated when your kids are under pressure.
I think I realised this more and more as Andy and Jamie’s careers blossomed.
In tennis, the tougher the situation is, the higher the stakes, the more pressure and expectation there is on you. Grand Slams are the biggest prizes in tennis. You can have all the technical support in the world but in those moments of extreme pressure, what you really need is the emotional comfort of your family.
It might simply be a word of encouragement – or even just a look, a nod or a fist pump – to let them know you’re right there with them.
So to see Ant’s mum at his side is the most natural thing in the world.
What also occurred to me is that parents across the country will be having chats with their children about what’s happening with Ant this week.
He is such a big part of young people’s lives that, when he’s not on the telly, it creates a lot of questions.
Mums and dads will have been sitting down to explain to their children where Ant is, and what addiction is.
It’s a challenge, but that’s what us parents have to do – we’re there to educate and guide our children when it comes to understanding and confronting these challenges and potential problems.
It’s tough to listen to people criticising your kids. I sympathise with his mum Christine