Jeremy Paxman reveals feeling 'passionate hatred' towards his estranged father
FORMER Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman revealed he felt “passionate hatred” towards his estranged father at times.
Jeremy Paxman has revealed that he felt 'resentment to passionate hatred' towards his father
The 66-year-old has spoken in detail about the impact his late father Keith Paxman’s decision to cut himself off from the rest of the family and move to Australia had.
Paxman, who was a 24-year-old BBC trainee at the time, revealed he had mixed feelings towards him.
In his book A Life in Questions, he said: “Did I love my father? My feelings ranged from resentment to passionate hatred.”
He tells in his memoir of the moment that he was introduced by his father as “one of those homosexuals communists from the BBC.”
Paxman added: “I was concerned I was becoming my father. I didn’t want to live my life as he lived his life.”
He took the step of visiting Australia 10 years after his father moved.
The ex-Newsnight presenter made the revelations about his dad in his new book A Life in Questions
“I was astonished by his lack of curiosity. I mean, there were grandchildren he’d never seen, spouses he’d never met,” he said.
Did I love my father? My feelings ranged from resentment to passionate hatred
“It seemed as if we were part of a life he’d put behind him.”
He said his journey was inspired by his curiosity as a journalist along with a need for answers.
Paxman, known as the Grand Inquisitor, said: “Both of those things, I think. I wanted to see if he was all right and I was slightly concerned in case I was becoming him.
“I think everyone is scared to some extent of becoming their parents and I suppose that would have been the case.”
Paxman claims feeling like he and his family were a part of his dad's life 'he had left behind'
He said he didn’t make the revelations so he would win public sympathy.
The broadcaster also talks about how he was at his mother’s bedside when she died and also lifts the lid on his battle with depression.
“I didn’t exactly have a breakdown,” he said. “But it was pretty like one.”
The presenter recently revealed that he suffers from depression
Jeremy Paxman discusses depression on Newsnight
He also said his public persona was nothing to what he was like privately.
“I know that I will always be Mr Rude or whatever,” he said. “But I know that’s not me. It’s a small part of any human being.”