If you know anything about McFly's Tom Fletcher, it's that he's a very talented individual. Not only has he had well over a decade as part of a hugely successful band, but he's now also branched out into writing books, stage shows, and even movies. Last year he released his children's book The Christmasaurus, which is currently being turned into a movie. A stage adaptation is about to open in London and last week Tom even revealed he's releasing a special musical edition of the novel, complete with a brand new 14-track CD featuring the music from the show. Not bad, right?
He's also known as a family man, so it seems pretty appropriate that last week he also announced his wife and sister would be appearing with him in the stage show, as well as two of his close friends – McFly bandmate Harry Judd and Busted's Matt Willis.
So when Tom and Matt popped over to BuzzFeed after making the announcement in London last week, we thought it would be pretty appropriate to grill them about their family lives, and in particular fatherhood. Cue a very funny, honest, and most definitely relatable game of Never Have I Ever: Dad Edition. Here's what went down...
Never Have I Ever...
...told my kid off for doing something bad when I actually found it funny:
Matt: Guilty
Tom: Guilty
Tom Fletcher: [immediately answers] Oh yeah, I've done that.
Matt Willis: I do that daily.
TF: Yeah, that's the hardest bit, isn't it?
MW: Yeah, trying to tell them off and not laughing is the hardest thing.
TF: Or if they're upset about something ridiculous.
MW: [laughs] Oh my god! I'm so pleased you said that.
TF: I feel like such a bad dad when he starts crying about something stupid, like, I don't know, he's got a bit of fluff from a towel. [does impression of his son crying] “It was on my shoulder, Daddy!” Yeah but this is really funny. That's hard.
...put the older child’s clothes on the younger one and vice versa:
Matt: No way
Tom: Guilty
TF: Yeah. [looks at Matt] You must have done that.
MW: I don't think I've ever done that.
TF: Oh, well I've got two boys.
MW: I've got a boy and a girl – and a really little girl – so it's not as easy, no.
TF: I've done that... because you go out and you thought you had spare clothes for that one, and you didn't, and that one's had an accident, or fallen over in a puddle or something.
MW: Oh actually, no, I have done that because I put Isabelle's blazer on Ace all the time. Because they have the same school blazer... Does that count?
TF: Yeah, it totally counts!
...hidden from my child in the bathroom:
Matt: Guilty
Tom: Guilty
MW: Have I ever hidden from my child in the bathroom? Yeah!
TF: Yeah.
[both nod and hold up “Guilty” signs]
...secretly enjoyed eating their leftovers:
Matt: Guilty
Tom: Guilty
TF: I mean, that is the right of every parent. Guilt-free snackage. I think I finish the kids' plates all the time.
MW: Plus it looks quite manky as well when they've finished.
TF: But it's good.
MW: But it's good, it's good, yeah.
...agreed to get them fast food just because I want to eat it:
Matt: No way
Tom: No way
[both think, then hold up “No way” paddles]
...forgotten my child’s name:
Matt: No way
Tom: Guilty
TF: Not forgotten, but do you know what's really weird? When Buzz was first born I kept on calling him Ace, which is Matt's kid's name.
MW: That's so funny because I call Trixie Isabelle all the time.
TF: What is that? It's just fatigue.
MW: But you call them my kids' names? That's weirder.
TF: We kept on doing it. I was like, “That's really weird!”
MW: It's just because it's a little boy that you're just used to saying his name.
...pretended to be asleep so I didn’t have to get up for the baby:
Matt: Guilty
Tom: Guilty
MW: Oh my god [puts up “Guilty” paddle immediately, Tom laughs and follows suit]. It doesn't work! It doesn't work, though. I just get woken up. I just get kicked by my wife.
TF: Yeah, she's like, “You were really asleep last night when Buddy woke up.” I'm like, “Oh, was I? I don't remember that.”
MW: My wife doesn't believe me for a second. She's like, “Get up [pretends to be his wife kicking him], it's your turn.”
...given my kid a PlayStation controller that’s not plugged in to “play along”:
Matt: No Way
Tom: No Way
[both burst out laughing]
TF: I've not done that, but I saw that as a life hack for if you want to play a video game and your kids want to feel like they're involved. My kids aren't quite at that age yet.
MW: It is kind of genius, though.
TF: I will do that.
...sworn in front of them:
Matt: Guilty
Tom: Guilty
MW: I do it every single day. I'm just a terrible father.
TF: Matt swears in front of my kids.
MW: I swear in front of your kids. I'm so sorry. I can't help it.
TF: I can't believe what Buzz said the other day after he popped round. [both laugh]
...forgotten a child's birthday:
Matt: Guilty
Tom: No way
TF: Nooo. [notices Matt pausing to think for too long] Have you?! How have you done that? Haven't you got them tattooed on you?!
MW: I wouldn't have forgotten it, but maybe if my wife didn't remind me. But I'm not sure how quickly I'd go “Oh, obviously that's Ace's birthday.” I'm really bad with birthdays. For everybody. I forgot my dad's birthday this year, and my mum's. That's pretty bad, right?
TF: Yeah that's bad, mate.
MW: That's bad. I don't know when yours is, mate. September?
TF: No. You give good presents, though.
MW: I do give good presents. That's why – I make up for it. Whenever I've remembered. [turns to Tom] July? [Tom nods] Yesss!
...secretly thought my kid is clearly smarter than someone else’s kid:
Matt: Guilty
Tom: Guilty
TF: Yeah. I mean, yeah, you think your kid's smarter. Yeah. [jokes] My kids are way smarter than Matt's kids.
MW: [pulls face] My kids are cool as fuck, though! [both burst out laughing]
...taken two hours to clean my car or do some gardening when the baby was in a bad mood:
Matt: No way
Tom: No way
TF: I don't get away with that.
MW: No, I can't. I wish I could.
TF: Not a chance.
MW: My life has to be quite structured. Because I'm away a lot, when I'm home, I'm fucking home. There's no way I'm going “Can I go and do...” No. Nope.
TF: I maybe take slightly longer toilet breaks. You know, just to check social media.
MW: Trixie walks in on me, though, all the time. She comes in and I'm on my phone. I'm like “Alright?!”
TF: Actually, yeah. Buzz knows how to open all the locks.
...pretended that I didn’t realise the baby had done a poo so my wife had to change it:
Matt: Guilty
Tom: Guilty
MW: Oh my god, I do it all the time. But I'd like to say she does that to me as well! She'll literally be going out and she'll go [sniffs] “What's that smell?” And she'll leave the house!
TF: Yeah it's a two-way street, that one.
...stayed in pyjamas all day and cuddled:
Matt: No Way
Tom: Guilty
TF: Yeah. Well, we try. We've got to that stage where they're not really into cuddling any more.
MW: I could never stay in my pyjamas all day.
TF: Really?
MW: Not in a million years.
TF: I don't get dressed if I don't have to leave the house.
MW: Really? Man, I couldn't stay in my pyjamas all day. No way. Past 9am. I need to be showered, I need to be ready.
TF: Man, if I don't have stuff to do I don't shower, I don't get dressed. I'm a bit of a slob.
MW: Can't do that shit.
Thanks for playing along, Tom and Matt!
