RUSSELL BRAND wants tickling children to be banned, arguing that takes away "their right to their own space and peace."
The comedian made the comments during an interview with the Daily Star in which he expressed “dreadful shame” at previously tickling his friend David Baddiel’s son, Ezra.
The 43-year-old also threatened to “punch” anyone attempted to tickle either of his young daughters Mabel or Peggy.
“To recall doing this to Ez fills me with dreadful shame and makes me want to punch myself in the face,” he said.
“Which is what I will do to anyone who tickles either of my daughters until they are old enough to decide for themselves whether they want to be tickled or not, which by my reckoning is at 35.”
Brand continued: “It is an attempt to subvert the child’s bodily autonomy, to take away their right to their own space and peace.
“Would you do it to an adult? Would you insert your rigid fingers into their belly or their armpits? Of course not.”
The comments follow on from an interview with The Times in which Brand explained his approach to parenting, which includes never changing nappies.
“Not so good on the nappies and making sure they eat food,” he said.
“When I looked after Mabel on her own, she dropped two social classes in an hour. In no time at all, we’re in a coffee shop, she’s just got a nappy on and she’s covered in stuff because I’m not willing to fight any of the battles.”
Brand leaves his partner, Laura Gallacher, to do “all of it”.
“Laura does all of it. It turns out that she is extremely well versed in the nuances and complexities of child-rearing,” he said.
