Good Morning Britain's Richard Madeley opened up about his childhood experiences of being hit by his father, during a discussion with co-host Kate Garraway about the potential ban on smacking children.
While noting that smacking is illegal in Scotland and Wales but legal in England if it doesn't leave a mark, Richard reflected on how common it was for children in the 1960s to be disciplined with a cane.
He shared: "I was, repeatedly and painful! These days, it would've landed them in court, never mind a change in the law now, it was tradition. At school, we all used to change stories about how we'd been hit with sticks."
Kate, intrigued, questioned Richard on the impact this had on him. He responded: "It made me absolutely determined never to hit my own children."
Richard continued, expressing his early awareness of the issue: "I knew, even if the culture said it was ok at the time, I knew as I was growing up that this wasn't right. This was wrong.
"I knew that the fear I used to feel when my father would go and get the cane because I'd done something minor and I was going to get hit three or four times with it; I knew that that was wrong."
The conversation came as Richard, who first became a stepfather before having his own children, Jack in 1986 and Chloe in 1987 with wife Judy Finnigan, reports the Mirror.
Richard emphasised: "When I had my own children, I became a stepfather first and then I had my own children, it just wasn't even an issue in my head."
"Hitting and smacking were certainly not on the agenda. I speak, I'm sure, for the vast majority of parents in this country and I'm sure most parents, these days, don't smack their kids. I actually think the law is catching up."
Today's discussion between Richard and Kate on ITV followed the introduction of new child safeguarding legislation in parliament. During the show, the topic of safeguarding minors was a key point.
At-risk youngsters in England will soon face tighter regulations regarding homeschooling, ITV viewers learned. The legislative change, dubbed The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, coincides with the sentencing of Sara Sharif's murderers.
Sara, 10, had been withdrawn from formal education by her father during the final months of her life, leading up to her tragic murder. Reflecting on the case, Richard highlighted how this removal significantly increased Sara's isolation and vulnerability.
Despite teacher interventions and referrals to social services concerning Sara, Richard pointed out: "This was despite teachers referring her to the social services."
Lorna Shaddick, reporting the news on ITV, elaborated that Sara's school had noticed marks on her face and thus referred her to social services.
Nonetheless, Sara's father obtained permission to homeschool her just four months before her death. In a recent court decision, her father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool were convicted of murder.
Her uncle Faisal Malik was also found responsible for allowing her death. All are awaiting their sentencing later this week.
Good Morning Britain continues weekdays on ITV from 6am.
