Matt Dawson
Former rugby star Matt Dawson talks fatherhood, meeting Jason Donovan on the school run, and trying to do more for the planet…
Sportsman and broadcaster Matt Dawson, 48, has had a year of big changes – not only due to the pandemic. As well as life in lockdown – home-schooling sons Alex, nine, and Sami, seven,
– Matt and his German wife of 10 years, Carolin Hauskeller, decided amicably to divorce last September. The chatty ex-rugby union player, from Birkenhead, opens up about that experience, why he’s so proud of his boys, and doing his bit for the environment…
Matt, how are you – life with young boys must be busy?
It is, but they’re amazing. And very competitive – wonder where that comes from?! They’ve been incredible during lockdown. We’ve all shown such resilience. We’ve lost a lot in the past year, but we’ve also gained. I’ve gained a perspective on my life, kids, friends, what’s important and what’s frivolous. Work’s been ticking along – but having so much time with my boys has been invaluable. I’ve had amazing moments with them that I will cherish.
A lot has gone on for you this past year, hasn’t it?
It has. I went through a divorce in lockdown, but we all get along, we’re co-parenting, it’s a very happy family, but you still worry. How are the kids going to take this, where do we live? Staring that in the face was very daunting. But the boys have been inspirational in how they’ve taken it on board. We’re being honest with them, and them with us, and we’re still having great times. Maybe, pre-lockdown, there’d have been more angst, a faster separation, confusion… There was an inevitability about my divorce but for something I was dreading it has… not been as bad as it could have been.
You can’t sugar-coat things with kids, though, can you?
I couldn’t agree more. Kids are smart. We need to understand how much they ‘get’ – that’s been such a lesson for me! Now, the boys’ mum and I don’t live in the same house, and one day one of the lads came up to me and went, ‘ You know, Dad, it’s fine you and Mummy don’t live together…’ I thought wow, you’ve nailed me, from nowhere! Very rarely is there benefit in keeping anything from your kids.
Tell us about the campaign you’re involved in?
I’m interested to learn new things, to know what I can do, to create a better tomorrow for my kids. And these days lots of people feel the same. If buying a different pack of beer will help protect our coastline, great – 50p from every special edition Carlsberg pack will go to WWF to support the restoration of seagrass on British coastlines, and there’ll be a donation per pint of Carlsberg when pubs are back up and running.
Would you say you’re environmentally conscious?
I thought I was! But I did a questionnaire for this campaign, to find out my carbon footprint. I recycle my waste, recycle clothes, try not to have too much food waste, don’t use the car too much. Anyway, it was awful! I was so disappointed. You get the full breakdown on where you’re bad – travel and food waste were my points of improvement...
Oh no! Well, you’ve got to start somewhere…
Exactly. I’m never going to be an eco-warrior. But I know I’m good at making small changes and them becoming habitual. It’s my sports background, I think. Trying to get better – be it skills, nutrition, workouts – you’re striving every day to do little bits, which add up to a big change. My boys
are seven and nine. At their age, if I saw a plastic bottle on the beach, I’d pick it up, but the ramifications of what that’s doing to the planet weren’t in my mind. My kids are already thinking about all that.
Celeb
Strictly
You did both MasterChef and back in 2006 – would you do another reality show?
I loved them! I get asked to do lots, but my general rule is: I’ll consider it if I can learn a skill. Actually, maybe not Dancing On Ice. Jason Donovan is one of the dads at my kids’ school! I know from him how much time and energy you have to put into it. I’ve also got a job to do…!
What else is in store this year, then?
We’ve got the A Question of Sport ‘ lap of honour’ live tour, with Sue Barker, Phil Tufnell and myself from September to November. That’ll be awesome – and a nice way for us to finish, doing a bit of quizzing and telling stories.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I’d press the need for discipline, to learn. I wasn’t particularly good at school. But when things struck a chord in me, I was into them, whether that was doing a wheelie or climbing trees! I don’t have many regrets– rubbish experiences make you the person you are. But I’d say, don’t burn bridges. There have been moments where I’ve decided to give an opinion and burn bridges when it was unnecessary. I regret that. For the rest, take the rough with the smooth. As I tell my boys, you’ve got to learn how to lose. Especially when Dad beats them in the garden, 10-9, in the final seconds!
Carlsberg partners with WWF and Matt Dawson to help Brits create a better tomorrow for our planet by making a difference through simple, everyday actions.