Frank Skinner became a first-time dad at 55: more about his personal life, child, more

Comedian Frank Skinner, 65, who recently received an MBE for services to entertainment, has been presenting on radio since 2009. The West Bromwich-born media personality has made a name for himself since 2001 as a comedian, as a host of Fantasy Football League and for writing the lyrics for Three Lions.

Skinner, whose real name is Christopher Graham Collins, initially thought that the MBE was an administrative error and kept it hush hush until the official list was released at the end of 2022.

The father-of-one, who grew up in a council house, also spoke about how his late parents would have felt about his award.

“You can’t help thinking of that thing of, you know, I grew up in a council house and all that, and my mum and dad who are no longer with us would have been absolutely over the moon about this whole thing,” he told PA news.

His family life

The comedian has been with his partner, Cath Mason, since 2001 and their relationship has not been the smoothest one. They have had an on-off and “very volatile” relationship for the first decade of their relationship.

“I always knew I didn’t want to be with anyone else but we had so many rows that I couldn’t cope and would walk away,” Frank told Radio Times in 2014.

“We once split up because we disagreed about the colour of my hair! So I did two commitment things – I asked her to move in and said let’s have counselling [about six years ago]. I didn’t have much faith in it but it was brilliant.”

He and Cath are still not married despite being together for more than two decades. He said: “Her mum and dad got divorced so she thinks marriage puts a hoodoo on a relationship.”

Late fatherhood

The couple welcomed a child when he was 55 and he was excited for it.

“It’s brilliant if your parent can be your mate as well. So I’d like to think I can be a bit like a mate. Sometimes you have to lay the law down but you want to be close,” he told Mirror.

“I’d like to be the kind of dad you could talk to about anything and that is why I wouldn’t mind him reading my books or watching my DVDs,” he added.

However, he doesn’t want his child, who is now around 10 years old, to be like him.

“I wouldn’t want him to be as solitary, so I make an effort with that, and I never learned to swim, so I’m already taking him for lessons. I’ll try to be an entertaining, funny dad and as loving and kind as I can,” he told the Guardian.

Being a dad is no easy feat, and the comedian - best known for hosting Fantasy Football League - had said that he was tired.

“It will probably take 10 years off my life but if I can get him to university it will be all right,” he told Express UK.

Growing up in West Midlands

The West Bromwich Albion fan was born to a Roman Catholic dad but left church when he turned 17. His father worked in a factory and was terrifying but the comedian loved him greatly. His mother “ lived for her family and would literally give you her last pound”, he told the Guardian.

He was offered a place at King Edward’s in Birmingham but didn’t want to go. “I don’t know if grammar school would have made such funny stuff,” he added.

He started drinking in his teens. “I think the drinking was nurture, not nature. My dad and two brothers, Keith and Terrence, drank, as did every male I knew,” he said.

Eventually, he gave up drinking and went back to the church as well.