Father-of-six Jason Manford rules out ever having more kids

Starstruck judge Jason Manford has ruled out having any more kids, saying he needs a ‘spreadsheet’ to organise his six children.

The comedian, 41, opened up about family life during an exclusive interview with MailOnline, where he also admitted taking his young family on a long-haul flight solo is not as hard as people would imagine.

He explained the secret to managing children is having as many as possible, so they learn to look after each other, though he’s definitely reached his limit at six. 

Jason said: ‘I took a flight and flew with all six of them by myself.

‘It was a bit mad, but people think it’s harder than it is. You get to a certain point where they look after themselves.

‘My eldest are nearly 14, they’re twins, I have a 12, a 10, a seven and a four-year-old.

Starstruck judge Jason Manford has ruled out having any more kids, saying he needs a ‘spreadsheet’ to organise his six children

The comedian, who returns to our TV screens on Saturday for the latest instalment of ITV series Starstruck, admitted taking his young family on a long-haul flight solo is not as hard as people would imagine

Jason shares his eldest four children with ex Catherine and his youngest two with TV producer wife Lucy Dyke, but the couple refrain from publicising the identities of their family on social media

‘I think one child is harder because they need your attention the entire time.

‘I was alright, I read my book, I watched Bullet Train. You just need to have so many that they look after each other… that’s the aim.’

Jason admits being a father of six comes with its difficulties and ‘there’s a lot of social lives to keep track of,’ which is a big reason for the spreadsheet.

But he has no desire to add to his brood with TV producer wife Lucy Dyke, who is mother to his two youngest kids — the eldest four he shares with his first wife Catherine.

Jason added: ‘I wouldn’t have anymore, absolutely not. 100 per cent no.

‘Even now I’m with my sister, her partner and their baby and even after about five minutes of holding my nephew I’m like nope… I don’t miss this bit. I don’t pine for it at all.’

Jason is returning to our TV screens on Saturday for the latest instalment of ITV series Starstruck, dubbed the modern-day version of classic show Stars In Their Eyes.

However, his preparations for the first episode were overshadowed by concerns over his beloved 99-year-old grandmother Leah who was rushed to hospital this week.

This week Jason shared his concerns over his 99-year-old grandmother Leah being hospitalised but has shared an update with MailOnline, saying she’s thankfully on the mend

The comic said Leah, who he’s shared videos with online before, can’t wait to turn 100 in December and will do whatever it takes to reach the milestone age

Despite Jason and his family fearing the worst, the comedian says she’s now on the mend and will return home in days.

He explained: ‘She is doing much better.

‘They get to a certain age, and they stop eating and drinking so we just had to get her in and on a drip but she’s feeling much better.

‘She’ll be back home in the next couple of days. It was a real turnaround, it didn’t look like it was going that way. She turns 100 in December and she’s desperate to get there so it was a bit worrying.

‘I stayed up all night with her in the hospital and they were great, they looked after her so well and she is a million times better, thankfully.’

The Salford-born funnyman will be joined on the Starstruck judging panel by Beverley Knight, Adam Lambert and new signing Shania Twain for this year’s series.

Jason was a judge on Christmas special Britain Get Singing alongside his Starstruck co-star Adam Lambert, Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon and The Voice coach Will.i.am

The Salford-born funnyman is joined on the Starstruck judging panel by Beverley Knight, Adam Lambert and new signing Shania Twain for this year’s series 

And it’s fair to say he believes the country legend will be a huge hit with viewers, saying she ‘brings so much joy to the show.’

Jason explained: ‘I didn’t know what to expect and I thought, ‘Is she going to be a diva?’

‘She has every right to be. I was like, ‘Will I not be able to look her in the eye or have to speak to her people?’ but she was so down to earth and straight in.

‘There are some clips where even during filming breaks they would whack on one of her songs unbeknown to her and she would be up, get the microphone, be in the crowd, singing.

‘She absolutely loves that people know her and know her songs.

‘She comes from a humble background and she’s someone that’s worked incredibly hard doing the clubs in Canada and worked her way up. She’s a goddess.

‘She is absolutely incredible and to be sat next to her and spend time with her and her husband Fred was a real treat for a few weeks while we were filming. It was a privilege.’

This week it was revealed that two TV shows fronted by presenter Paddy McGuinness have been axed, Catchpoint and I Can See Your Voice.

Jason says finding the winning formula for Saturday night TV isn’t as straightforward as it used to be.

He explained that producers target a younger audience, who don’t necessarily watch live television and instead use streaming platforms to catch their favourite shows. 

‘People’s taste change. It’s difficult because you have a lot of TV people still trying to make telly for young people,’ he said.

‘They aim everything at people who are under 25 and unfortunately, other than Love Island and the odd show here and there, those people aren’t watching telly as much anymore.

‘It’s streaming and its catchup, it’s not live Saturday night. To get everybody on the sofa you’ve got to get something like The Masked Singer or Starstuck and get those sorts of shows that get people talking. 

‘People like things you can watch as a family together… like Michael McIntyre’s show for example is a great show because you can sit your nanna and your 10-year-old, and all enjoy it and that’s what Saturday night TV needs to be.’

He admits hosting his own Saturday night show one day would be a dream come true or his equivalent of a ‘Wembley cup final’ though says he’s completely satisfied with touring and his career as it stands. 

‘I would love to front my own Saturday night show’, Jason said.

‘We’ve had a dabble over the years and gameshows and things like that so yeah that’s your Wembley cup final is Saturday night ITV or BBC so I would certainly have a go at it.

Jason is working alongside Quaker Oats who are providing over 2.5million breakfasts to people who need them in the UK, as well as supporting over 45 ‘warm hubs’ across the country for those who want to pop in and have a cup of tea

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Jason visited his local hub in Stockport where he served up some warming porridge after new research from Quaker Oats found that 47 per cent of the nation are skipping breakfast because they can’t afford to eat

‘I’m one of those people though, it’s not that I’m not ambitious but I’m happy with what I’m doing so I don’t necessarily think I need to do this next and that next, I just think this is alright and I’m happy here. 

‘If something comes along then brilliant but there’s not a lot of room for everybody so you have to pick your projects.’

Jason is working alongside Quaker Oats who are providing over 2.5million breakfasts to people who need them in the UK, as well as supporting over 45 ‘warm hubs’ across the country for those who want to pop in and have a cup of tea.

He said: ‘Children going to school without a decent breakfast in them is the saddest thing.

‘Hopefully it’s not a long term thing and we will get through this tough period but in the meantime it’s important for big, well known companies who we have known throughout our lives to step up like Quaker have.’

Jason visited his local hub in Stockport where he served up some warming porridge after new research from Quaker Oats found that 47 per cent of the nation are skipping breakfast because they can’t afford to eat. 

He added: ‘Incredibly, we live in a country now where one in three parents aren’t eating breakfast to keep costs down. You just don’t think it can happen here.

‘I went to a warm hub near where I live in Stockport and hung out there for a few hours and it was great. While I was there a couple of dozen people came in to spend time together. It’s been a tough time for a lot of people.

‘There are some children going to school without a decent breakfast in them, which is the saddest thing.’

• Jason Manford is working with Quaker Oats as part of its Share the Warmth campaign, which sees the brand donating up to 2.5 million breakfasts to those in need through FareShare and Magic Breakfast, and supporting 47 warm hubs across the UK through Groundwork