Actor Hugh Grant has criticised schools for allegedly restricting outdoor play and has also campaigned for the banishment of laptops and tablets in the classroom.
The Notting Hill star made his feelings clear at a campaigning event at a school in west London, which was also attended by American social psychologist and author, Dr Jonathan Haidt, and King Charles's second cousin, Sophie Winkleman.
The father-of-five lambasted the "kind of ridiculous posh private schools" attended by his children for allegedly restricting outdoor play.
"They're the ones saying they're not going to play outside today because it's raining, or they can't go on the climbing frame because it's windy," Hugh said.
© Getty Images"It's pathetic – it seems to me that there is space here for a hero school, a set of schools to break the mould."
Elsewhere, Hugh, 64, condemned schools for their overreliance on technology and handing out laptops.
As per The Telegraph, the Love Actually star said: "The final straw was when the school started saying, with some smugness, we give every child a Chromebook, and they do a lot of lessons on their Chromebook, and they do all their homework on their Chromebook, and you just thought that is the last [expletive] thing they need, and the last thing we need."
© Getty ImagesDr Haidt is campaigning for phone-free schools, smartphones to be banned for under-14s, and under-16s to be prohibited from using social media.
Hugh and his Swedish producer wife Anna Eberstein share three children together: Blue, six, Lulu, eight, and John Mungo, 12. He also has two older children, Tabith and Felix, from his relationship with Tinglan Hong.
© Getty ImagesWhile the actor rarely shares details about his private family life, Hugh has occasionally shared sweet anecdotes about his children.
During an interview with the Radio Times in 2020, Hugh said of his parenting style: "As children, [my mum] was quite silly with us with lots of silly voices," he shared. "I do that with my children, but I'm not sure they enjoy it. They roll their eyes half the time."
© Getty ImagesMeanwhile, during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Hugh shared: "It is nice… I'm going home tonight, and you know, let's face it, the bit where they jump in your arms. The 6-year-old, you know, she calls it her chimpanzee hug. I quite like that."
Loved-up couple Hugh and Anna tied the knot in 2018 in a private ceremony at the Chelsea Register Office. Following their wedding, Hugh told Reuters: "I still think it's [marriage] a nonsense really and so does my wife by the way. But it just seemed like a nice cozy thing to do."
