Tom Kerridge's Candid Family Admission: 'Monstrous Fireworks' with Son Acey
Celebrity chef and Great British Menu judge Tom Kerridge has offered a brutally honest glimpse into his family life, describing his relationship with his 12-year-old son Acey as involving 'monstrous fireworks' alongside the best of times. The 52-year-old restaurateur, who shares Acey with his wife, sculptor Beth Cullen-Kerridge, opened up in a recent interview, painting a vivid picture of their dynamic.
A Rugby-Loving 'Absolute Unit'
Kerridge revealed that Acey, who still attends a local state primary school, is a passionate rugby player he calls a 'mini me'. The father-son duo bond over motorbikes and cooking, but it's on the rugby pitch where Acey truly shines. Tom has previously labeled his son an 'absolute unit', noting his extraordinary strength—Acey could deadlift 80kg by the age of nine.
'My son is an absolute unit, rugby is his space, rugby is his game, rugby is where he is going to go,' Kerridge said on the Guess Who's Coming to Dinner podcast. 'He suffers from red mist. 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.'
Learning Fatherhood Together
Growing up in a single-parent household in Wiltshire, Kerridge admits he is 'learning to be a dad' as Acey learns 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,' he told The Times. He describes their relationship as more brotherly than paternal, with shared games and laughs, but also frequent fall-outs.
'We have monstrous fireworks but we also have the best laughs,' Kerridge explained. '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.'
Family Dynamics and Hero Worship
Kerridge noted that Acey mirrors many of his own characteristics, which sometimes drives Beth 'nuts'. '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,' he said on the Rugby Lives podcast.
Acey's rugby hero is former England star Joe Marler, whom Kerridge calls 'the greatest thing that's ever been'. This admiration fuels Acey's competitive spirit, with Tom trying to guide his son's fiery temperament. 'I try to control, to enhance it,' he added, acknowledging Acey's 'unnaturally strong' build and passionate nature.
Return to Television
Meanwhile, Tom Kerridge will return to screens tonight (April 3) at 7pm on BBC Two with The Great British Menu. This week's episode features the top two chefs from Northern Ireland cooking a six-course meal to impress judges including Kerridge, Great British Menu Champion of Champions Lorna McNee, and comedian Phil Wang.
Through his candid admissions, Kerridge highlights the joys and challenges of modern parenting, blending humor with heartfelt honesty about raising a spirited, rugby-loving son.
