Joel Dommett admits he 'fell apart' at 40 as fatherhood takes its toll
The National Television Awards host has confessed that turning 40 left him in a state of panic, while also revealing the unvarnished truth about raising two young sons. Joel Dommett, who will present the NTAs for the sixth time next month, admitted that the milestone birthday in June 2025 was far from the smooth transition he had anticipated.
Speaking to Digital Spy, the comedian, who welcomed his second son Dutch with wife Hannah Cooper in May, opened up about the pressures of balancing a demanding television career with family life. It is a struggle that many British fathers will recognise, even if few have to do it under the glare of the small screen.
What really happened when Joel Dommett turned 40?
Dommett, best known for his role on The Masked Singer, admitted that his confidence evaporated the moment he left his thirties behind. 'I was like, oh, it's gonna be absolutely fine, why would I panic? I was like, you know, all good, and then I hit 40, and my wife would fully attest to this; I absolutely fell apart!'
The presenter found himself consumed by anxieties about his appearance, a pressure amplified by the unforgiving nature of television. 'I was like, What's going on, oh God, am I doing this right? Am I doing this right? Am I exercising? And Hannah was like, I'm pregnant. Can you please just worry about me for a second?'
Why did Dommett launch a skincare brand?
This very concern led Dommett to join forces with This Morning's Ben Shephard to launch their own skincare line, FOR SKIN. It is a venture that speaks to the modern male's growing preoccupation with grooming, a far cry from the stoic reserve of previous generations.
'That's a bit of fun, and that's happening. So we're doing that, and I'm just learning a lot about how to look after myself better,' the comic explained, before conceding that sleep is a rare commodity in his household.
How is Dommett coping with two children and a busy career?
The arrival of Dutch in May, following the birth of Wilde in September 2023, has left Dommett exhausted but grateful. 'I'm hosting Vernon Kay's radio show in the morning, so I'm getting up at a ridiculous time,' he said. 'But it's all good, bless the boys, they are so brilliant. They are amazing, and I love it. I love being a dad, and I love being a husband, and I also love being a comedian and presenter. So I feel very lucky on all of those fronts. Long may all of them last.'
Having recently stepped down from hosting the I'm A Celebrity spin-off, I'm A Celebrity... Unpacked, to prioritise family time, Dommett is candid about the difficulty of finding equilibrium. 'Every day is a different day and trying to figure out what your work-life balance is, is really hard,' he admitted.
'If you're someone who's cracked it, then fair play to you. But I don't think anyone feels like they get it right, and I certainly don't, and I'm really, really trying my best to.'
He added: 'It's just about trying to figure out what's important. When you get to David Attenborough's age, you want to know that you can look back and go, oh, I worked the right amount, I challenged myself the right amount, and I also saw my family enough and the right amount too, and getting all of those plates spinning at the right speed is really difficult. I'm trying to get better at it, and hopefully I am, but it's tough; it's really tough.'
What is the secret to a successful work-life balance?
Dommett's honest admission serves as a reminder that even those who appear to have it all struggle with the eternal question of how to divide one's time. His pragmatic approach, acknowledging the difficulty while striving to improve, is a quintessentially British way of confronting modern pressures. As he prepares to take the NTAs stage, he does so with the wisdom that some things matter more than ratings.