Jason Manford reckons he's perfect Children in Need host as he had same experience growing up

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Jason Manford is a successful stand-up comedian, TV star and singer but his childhood was a world away – as he grew up in poverty hiding from bailiffs and only going on one holiday which he later found out was charity-funded.The 41-year-old father of six hopes to bring “an awareness” of the struggle many kids in Britain endure when he makes his debut hosting next month’s Children in Need.He said: “My childhood is the childhood that Children in Need helps – below the poverty line, trying to do your best to get through things and just needing a little bit of help.“Although my life has changed, I hope I’ve got an awareness of what that’s like and remembering what that’s like.”BBC Children In Need – which takes place on November 18 – is an annual fundraiser to raise money for disadvantaged children.Jason was one of five kids living in Salford with his parents who both worked but struggled with debt.He said: “The bailiffs called all the time.

I remember coming home from school and the sofa had gone. Another time, the telly had gone.”Jason sometimes didn’t see his mum Sharon for weeks as she worked as a nurse and would be out before her children were up and only get back when they had gone to bed.His dad Ian worked by day for the NHS, in sterile supplies, and in evenings at a pub.

When he lost his NHS job he had to tell his children there wouldn’t be any Christmas presents that year.Years after Jason had made it as a stand-up, he did a charity gig in Manchester for the Lord Mayor’s fund.

His mum told him that when he was a child the family had gone to Butlin’s in Wales and that it had been paid for by the same charity.The funnyman understands poverty and has already told viewers who are dealing with the cost of living crisis