DadTalk

Absent Fathers

Alesha Dixon speaks on growing up with an absent father.

Imagine growing up without a father in your life...Alesha Dixon speaks on growing up with an absent father.

My parents split when I was four. I don't have much memory of them together and given they are so different in character, I can't really imagine them together either. As a result I grew up with my mother and an extended family of half-siblings and step-siblings when all I really wanted was what I call the 2.4 family.

I've always been really close to my mother and now have a pretty good relationship with my father too. But I know for a fact my confidence was definitely knocked for a while growing up without Dad being there on a regular basis. Despite not having him in my life on a day-to-day basis, I always felt a bit lucky (strange as it sounds) as I knew who and where my father was, even if he wasn't living with me.

These days I can't help thinking about those kids - and there are a lot of them - who don't know anything about their fathers, and because of that I decided to make a programme on absent fathers from the child's perspective.

The National Council for One Parent Families says about three million children today have experienced the trauma of their parents separating, and a million of them never see one of their parents again, usually the father.

Look out for the BBC program presented by Alesha: ‘Who’s your Daddy?’ on BBC Three, or via I-player - be challenged Dads!

And for all you Dads with little girls...enjoy ‘butterfly kisses’ by Bob Carlyle - sends tingles up my back every time.