Frank Skinner to become first-time father at 55

By Patrick McLennan
( What's on TV )
published

Frank Skinner to become first-time father at 55
Frank Skinner to become first-time father at 55 (Image credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

Comedian and TV presenter Frank Skinner has revealed he is to become a father for the first time, revealing the news on his radio show as he celebrated his 55th birthday. Frank - who recently took over as host of the BBC2 show Room 101, broke the news to his listeners on Absolute Radio on Saturday morning. He is expecting the baby with his long-term partner, agent Cath Mason, although did not say when the new arrive was due. "I have something of an announcement to make," he said, "I'm going to be a father. Co-presenter Alan Cochrane congratulated him but asked him if he was "paranoid" about jokes he had made in the past about older parents. However Frank replied, "David Jason - wasn't he 67? The way I'm seeing it is that I probably won't have to deal with those difficult teenage years. "I've already made certain pledges. It means I'll be up for the show a lot earlier and things like that and what I'm saying to the listeners is - get knitting." As well as Room 101, the funnyman is also known for his long-term partnership with David Baddiel on such TV shows as Fantasy Football League and Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned.

Patrick McLennan
Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.