Richard Madeley discusses being ‘really badly bullied’ at school when he was 12 years old

Richard Madeley has spoken about being ‘really badly bullied’ at school when he was aged 12. 

The TV presenter, 65, said that he ‘felt a sense of shame at being targeted’ during the difficult time when he was at Grammar School.  

Speaking on Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain alongside Susanna Reid and Ranvir Singh about online abuse, he said he was happy he grew up without social media. 

He said: ‘I was at school long before social media and I got really badly bullied through the first two years of my Grammar School, when I was about 12 and 13 years old.

‘I dread to think had we been online as well, it just would have been a nightmare.’

He added: ‘I didn’t report it. It was a sense of shame, not a sense of fear, that I was being targeted.’ 

Richard previously discussed his experience on Loose Men, a special episode of Loose Women to mark Mental Health Awareness in May. 

Honest: The TV presenter, 65, said that he ‘felt a sense of shame at being targeted’ during the difficult time when he was at Grammar School

He said: ‘I was the victim of quite severe bullying at my first secondary school, it was an all boys Grammar School in the East End of London.

‘I didn’t really fit in. I was an outsider, and that’s very quickly picked up on when you’re in school. The bullying happened quite quickly and became quite intense. It was physical. It would be in the cloakroom and somebody would punch you in the face.

‘I’ve still got a broken nose from one blow that I had when I was about 13… I let it happen to me. I was ashamed that I was being picked on. I didn’t know how to deal with it.’

It comes after Richard clashed with Susanna and Dr Hilary Jones on air on Monday as they stated the case for mask-wearing post freedom day on July 19. 

Defiant: It comes after Richard clashed with Susanna and Dr Hilary Jones on air on Monday as they stated the case for mask-wearing post freedom day on July 19

The presenter argued that he ‘doesn’t like them and isn’t comfortable’ with continuing to wear masks when restrictions loosen.  

In the two against one debate, co-presenter Susanna, 50, said that she will continue to ‘wear a mask in any enclosed environment, like the supermarket’ because infection rates are still rising. 

Richard started off the show by saying: ‘This is the first show I’ve come in thinking we’ve basically got nothing but good news – the football, the 19th […] we can relax and celebrate a bit.’

Susanna said: ‘Infections are going up. You know that? Hospitalisations are going up.’ 

Mask-wearing: Susanna said that she will continue to ‘wear a mask in any enclosed environment, like the supermarket’ even after freedom day 

Dr Hilary, 68, had to step in with some statements saying, ‘we’ve got cases 74% in a week 56% hospitalisations in a week. […] Vaccines don’t give you 100% protection.’  

Richard then argued that using percentages was ‘a bit misleading’ and said, ‘it sounds a lot but in real numbers it’s not.’ 

The doctor hit back with the fact that millions of Brits are still yet to be vaccinated, and that if restrictions are lifted we open up opportunity for new variants which may be resistant to the current vaccines.  

He continued that the nation should ‘exercise restraint’ when it comes to freedom day, and that when entering places with poor ventilation and big crowds people should continue to wear masks. 

Susanna chimed in with the fact that she believes that ‘people’s attitudes have changed’ and that she will be wearing a mask in the situations the doctor mentioned.  

Richard continued with his side and said that he ‘doesn’t want to wear a mask anymore. I’m not comfortable, I don’t like it.’ 

The presenter concluded the debate by saying that he will ‘read the vibe’ when it comes to mask wearing. 

New variants: Dr Hilary Jones said millions of Brits are still yet to be vaccinated, and that if restrictions are lifted we open up opportunity for new variants which may be resistant to the current vaccines