Chris and Rosie Ramsey have defended comments they made about their own children in their hit podcast after listeners raised concern.
The comedian, 38 and children’s author - who tied the knot in July 2014 - first launched podcast Sh**ged Married Annoyed in 2019 and routinely speak about the stresses of family life, including how sons Robin, 8, and Rafe, 3, irritate them.
Listeners of the award-winning show, which has been downloaded 170 million times since its inception, have long questioned the couple over the negative way they talk about their sons, but the Ramseys say they are not bothered and insist it is character-building.
Speaking to The Times, Ramsey said people who have a problem with him joking about his sons’ bad behaviour “obviously don’t get us”.
He explained: “We love our kids more than anything. But it’s that thing: I can slag my kids off, you can’t slag them off, just like I can slag my partner off but my mates can’t.”
Rosie added she’s “not worried” and doesn’t “have any regrets” about the stories she’s told on the podcast, including detailing Robin and Rafe’s toilet habits.
She told the publication: “I’d like to think everybody loves their children more than life itself but it’s really hard,” she explained.
“I hope us talking about parenting might make somebody feel a little less guilty about feeling that way.”
When drawn on how the boys might feel if they listen to the podcast when they are older, Chris insisted it won’t be an issue as “I’ll tell them how annoying they were long before that”.
He added: “I’ll say ‘You were a nightmare, mate. Your mam and I couldn’t have a conversation without you screaming and shouting.’
“You can’t grow up just being praised non-stop, you have to have the piss taken out of you. [Praise] is definitely not the way to develop a good sense of humour. The best kind of comedy is self-deprecating,” he added to the publication.
“I feel you’ll get really well-rounded, funny kids if they’re well loved but they also know that sometimes they’re not the most perfect thing in the whole world.”
