‘My father is dead to me’: Jimmy Carr reveals he refuses to have his father in his life after not speaking for 21 years
- The comedian, 49, revealed he has not spoken to his father in more than two decades but insisted ‘there’s no bitterness and there’s no anger there’
- Jimmy, whose mother Nora died in 2001, explained: ‘I want the best, I just can’t have that guy in my life’
- He referred to ‘losing’ his mother and father at the same time but added he has ‘enough father figures and mother figures in [his] life’
- The stand-up comic became a father himself in 2019 when he welcomed son Rockefeller with wife Karoline Copping
Jimmy Carr has declared his father Patrick is ‘dead to him’, following the duo’s 21 year estrangement.
The comedian, 49, recently confirmed he is a first-time dad after welcoming a son Rockefeller with his partner Karoline Copping in 2019 and he has now shed light on his own parental relationships in the wake of his bundle of joy.
Speaking on Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe’s Parenting Hell podcast, Jimmy told how he wants to have a healthy relationship with his son as he didn’t have such a bond with his own dad, with whom he has famously frosty relations.
In his candid insight into their lack of relationship, Jimmy said: ‘It’s not a secret, I haven’t seen my dad in 21 years and you know the line, “My mother’s dead and my father’s dead to me” – which sounds very cold, until you meet the guy.’
Candid: Jimmy Carr has said his estranged father Patrick is ‘dead to me’ after not speaking to him for 21 years (pictured in April 2021)
‘It’s a weird thing where I’m acutely aware that things don’t always work out…
‘I’m aware that sometimes it goes the other way and that could be terrible and there’s no bitterness and there’s no anger there. I want the best, I just can’t have that guy in my life.’
Jimmy admitted he sometimes worries what kind of relationship he might have with his son when he grows up.
He said: ‘There’s a bit of sadness there and you worry, “Could something go wrong with my kid?” You want to prevent that, but it’s hard. I think it’s about being a father and being that figure for him but not in any way controlling.’
Strained: Jimmy has not spoken to his father Patrick Carr in 21 years
Jimmy’s mother Nora died in September 2001 and he hinted his relationship with his dad turned sour around this time.
He referred to ‘losing’ his mother and father at the same time but added he has ‘enough father figures and mother figures in [his] life’.
Back in 2012, his father Jim spoke out about their fractious relationship – in which he insisted Jimmy had ‘disowned him’.
The comedian has been in a relationship with Channel 5 commissioning editor Karoline since 2001 after meeting her at an audition.
He said: ‘It’s not a secret, I haven’t seen my dad in 21 years and you know the line, “My mother’s dead and my father’s dead to me” – which sounds very cold, until you meet the guy’
The pair had not previously spoken about whether they would have children together.
In March 2017, he joked to Radio 4’s Desert Island discs that his girlfriend’s first impression of him was ‘one-note comedian with the eyes of a sex offender’.
The star said that even though Karoline wasn’t immediately taken with him, he was instantly smitten, saying: ‘I knew. It felt perfect.’
Family: The comedian, 49, confirmed he is a first-time dad after he and his partner Karoline Copping welcomed their son Rockefeller in 2019 (pictured together in 2020)