Hugh Grant has strongly criticised what he calls the “pathetic” rules around screen time at his children’s “ridiculous posh private schools.”
Speaking at Knightsbridge School in London this week, the Notting Hill star didn’t hold back. “I’m another angry parent fighting the eternal, exhausting and depressive battle with children who only want to be on a screen,” said Hugh Grant, father of five.
He shares three children – John Mungo, 12, Lulu, nine, and Blue, seven – with wife Anna Eberstein, and two – Tabitha, 13, and Felix, 11 – with Tinglan Hong.
Hugh Grant said the “final straw” came when private schools began proudly giving every child a Chromebook for lessons and homework. “That is the last f***ing thing they need,” he said.
He also slammed schools for not letting children play outside if it’s rainy or windy. “It’s pathetic,” Hugh Grant added. “There is space here for a hero school to break the mould.”
Read More: Why everyone’s talking about Mckenna Grace in the new Hunger Games movie
Hugh Grant is now backing a campaign calling for more outdoor play and less tech or screen time in schools. He joined other voices like Dr Jonathan Haidt and actress Sophie Winkleman, who warned about the dangers of excessive screen use.
The event supported the ‘Parent Pact’, a campaign urging families to delay giving children smartphones until 14 and social media until 16.
Grant is among the celebrities backing the initiative, alongside Jamie Redknapp, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Paloma Faith.
Beyond his school concerns, Hugh Grant also recently spoke about a “creepy” moment at Heathrow Airport, where an immigration officer whispered to his children, “Are these your Mum and Dad?” He called it “intrusive, insulting and creepy.”
Though known for keeping his family life private, Hugh Grant has opened up about fatherhood.
“I had them much too old in life,” he shared on the SmartLess podcast. “Then I had children and suddenly I had heart and more layers.”
From romantic comedies to real-life parenting, Hugh Grant is now using his voice to call out the school system and he’s not staying quiet.
About The Author
