Russell Brand calls for tickling children to be banned: 'Would you do it to an adult?'

Russell Brand has called for tickling children to be banned, claiming the act violates their personal space.

The dad-of-two says he still feels “dreadful shame” about tickling David Baddiel’s son Ezra in the past. He added he would feel inclined to “punch” anyone who tried to tickle his daughters, Mabel, two, and Peggy, six months, who he shares with Laura Gallacher.

“To recall doing this to Ez fills me with dreadful shame and makes me want to punch myself in the face,” he told the Daily Star. “Which is what I will do to anyone who tickles either of my daughters until they are old enough to decide for themselves whether they want to be tickled or not, which by my reckoning is at 35.”

“Would you do it to an adult? Would you insert your rigid fingers into their belly or their armpits? Of course not.”

He continued: “It is an attempt to subvert the child’s bodily autonomy, to take away their right to their own space and peace.

The topic was also discussed on ‘This Morning’ with Lottie Daley, a friend of Brand’s backing his viewpoint while Vanessa Feltz argued there is nothing wrong with tickling children.

“On the face of it, what’s wrong with a tickle, everybody does it I’ve been guilty of the same until I knew better,” Daley said.

“But when you actually start learning about body autonomy and consent for our children when they become a little bit older, we realise that actually we should be modelling this behaviour from birth.”

Vanessa Feltz disagreed with that argument, saying: “I think it’s an absolute shame to say you can’t tickle.

“You don’t tickle someone you don’t know or a child who doesn’t trust you and start forcibly tickling. But it is the ultimate innocent love, care, fun, physical contact with a child you love and who loves you.”

It seems parents are also divided about the issue, and following the debate many took to social media to express their own views.

Many believed that a ban on tickling children would be taking things a step too far.

But others agreed with Brand that tickling could be a violation of children’s personal space and we need to respect their right to not have someone touching them.

The tickling debate follows a similar discussion about whether or not parents should kiss their children on the lips.

Last month Amanda Holden was forced to defend herself after sharing a photograph depicting her kissing daughter Hollie, six, on the lips.

The television presenter uploaded the image via Instagram four days ago while on holiday in Bahrain and made it clear that she would not pay attention to trolls.

David Beckham was recently criticised after sharing a photograph of himself kissing daughter Harper, seven, on an ice skating rink.

Hilary Duff has also hit back at critics who labelled her “disgusting” for kissing her son on the lips.

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