The Great British Menu judge Tom Kerridge has shared an insight into life with his rugby-loving son Acey, describing the youngster as a ‘monster’ and an ‘absolute unit’
Tom Kerridge has shared an insight into his married life(Image: Dave Benett, Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Tom Kerridge says he has “monstrous fireworks” with son Acey as he shared a candid family insight. Tom, 52, shares 12-year-old son Acey with wife Beth Cullen-Kerridge.
Beth is a sculptor by trade and last year took part in two shows in the United States. While Tom says rugby-loving Acey, who still attends the local state primary school, is like a “mini me”.
The two share a love of motorbikes and a passion for cooking. Tom has previously described Acey as an “absolute unit” and revealed he could deadlift 80kg by the time he was aged nine.
Tom, who grew up in a single-parent household in Wiltshire, says he is “learning to be a dad”. It comes as he opened up about his relationship with young Acey.
Speaking to The Times, Tom said: “We have monstrous fireworks but we also have the best laughs. The best way I can describe my relationship with him is I am like his big brother, just with money.
“So we will play the same games. We’ll do daft things. And then we’ll fall out like brothers as opposed to a father and son relationship.
“I grew up in a single-parent family so I’m learning to be a dad at the same time as he’s learning to be a son. I haven’t got anything to base it on so we’re both learning as we go along. And I think so far we’re doing all right.”
Tom has previously explained that Acey found his “space” on the rugby pitch. Although the chef says he has a “red mist” and “hates losing,” taking inspiration from former England star Joe Marler.
Speaking on the Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner podcast, Tom said: “My son is an absolute unit, rugby is his space, rugby is his game, rugby is where he is going to go. He plays number one, number three.
“He suffers from red mist. We have a conversation about it quite a lot, he can be the most gentle, wonderful human but he’s also got this streak of, he hates losing, he has a temperament that explodes and I love that, I try to control, to enhance it.
“My son is unnaturally strong, he’s nine years old but he can deadlift 80 kilos, he’s a monster and Joe is his hero. Joe is the greatest thing that’s ever been.”
Tom also says that his arguments with Acey drive Beth “nuts”. On the Rugby Lives podcast Tom disclosed that young Acey mirrors many of his characteristics.
When questioned if his son ‘takes after him’, Tom responds: “Yeah, in a lot of ways, he does massively and it drives my wife nuts because sometimes just like, two of us. And we do fall out quite a lot because we argue about the same thing and it’s almost like having an argument with yourself and then afterwards we both laugh about it.”
Tom will return to screens from 7pm tonight (April 3) with The Great British Menu on BBC Two. This week’s episode will see the top two chefs from Northern Ireland cooking a six-course meal in a bid to impress the judges, including Tom, Great British Menu Champion of Champions Lorna McNee, and comedian Phil Wang.