JLS star JB Gill has revealed that he and his 11-year-old son Ace have had some “honest” conversations about life in the public eye as Ace shows signs of following in his father’s footsteps. Ace, who has a CV “better than most actors at professional level,” according to JB, is already doing voiceover work and acting in dramas, while also playing football for an academy.
Proud Father Discusses Children’s Talents
JB, 39, who also has a seven-year-old daughter Chiara with his choreographer wife Chloe, said: “He’s got a CV better than most actors at professional level. Who knows what the future’s going to hold. He loves it, and it definitely comes very naturally to him.” The singer-turned-TV presenter added, “It’s early days, but we’re incredibly proud of them for what they’re achieving. It’s incredible that at their age they’re already doing it. If I think back to myself at 11, I wasn’t doing half of what Ace is doing.”
JB’s Rise to Fame and Family Life
JB became a household name in 2008 when he competed on the fifth season of The X Factor with JLS, finishing as runners-up to Alexandra Burke. The group scored No1 hits including “Everybody In Love,” “The Club Is Alive,” and “She Makes Me Wanna.” He met Chloe on The X Factor, where she was a backing dancer. The couple moved to a farm in Kent, married in 2014, and now have two children.
JB and Chloe have been open with Ace about the realities of fame, including the potential for negative media treatment and social media challenges. “We believe honesty is the best policy. Same with his acting work,” JB said. “He’s very protected, and probably in the best family for it, because both Chloe and I come from that industry.”
Navigating Social Media and School Transitions
JB noted that conversations about social media are ongoing in their household, especially with the debate about banning under-16s from platforms. “It’s important to have those conversations because sooner or later, someone’s going to teach him, and we would much prefer it to be us,” he explained. Seeing Ace ready to start secondary school in September has been emotional: “It’s crazy because as far as I’m concerned, he literally just started the other day.”
Life on the Farm and New Ventures
JB has developed a passion for food and farming, having appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2014 and hosted the award-winning kids show “Cooking With The Gills.” He balances his career with family life on their 11-acre farm, where everyone mucks in. “No two days are the same, but we love it. This is our sanctuary,” he said.
JB recently partnered with Tesco for its Giant Fruit & Veg Challenge, which encourages children to submit imaginative recipes for school menus. “When it comes to teaching kids about the importance of their food, where it comes from and how to have a healthy balanced diet, as far as I’m concerned you can never start too young,” he said. The winning recipe is now available on the Tesco Real Food website.
