Peter Andre has said he is staying in separate rooms from his doctor wife Emily MacDonagh during the coronavirus outbreak and fears for her safety.
The TV star said she is concerned about a lack of protective equipment for NHS workers during the pandemic and hopes they can keep their children safe.
Andre told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Emily, along with all the NHS staff and carers are now exposed to something… when they come home, their exposure means that we’ve got to be careful, they’ve got to be careful, obviously, so we have to have some sort of distance because we don’t want the kids to catch it. So it’s a little bit difficult at times.”
'He's not smart'@MrPeterAndre's daughter Princess Tiaamii stole the show when she spoke to Piers and Lorraine this morning.
She didn't hold back when it came to her dad's home-schooling skills either 🙈 pic.twitter.com/fMDo0O2RNs
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 25, 2020
He added: “But she’s my absolute hero for doing this, so many people are just stepping up to the plate. This is a really serious issue and I’ve agreed with you all along when you’re telling people, ‘Listen to what’s going on. This isn’t a joke, this is serious’.”
Asked by Piers Morgan if MacDonagh is worried about a lack of protective gear available at work, Andre said: “Yeah, honestly I do feel that. Maybe they just weren’t prepared for this… it’s obvious because you can see the protective gear they’re wearing is just a paper mask which is not going to be that protective.
“Because she’s exposed to the virus quite a lot at the moment in the last few days, it means now at home we’re having to be in separate rooms and the reason for that is because I’m the one who has to have the kids now. So if I’m exposed to it as well, I’m just scared the kids are going to get it.”
Andre also revealed he is home-schooling the children, including son Junior and daughter Princess, who he shares with ex-wife Katie Price, and son Theo and daughter Amelia, who he shares with McDonagh, saying: “My appreciation for teachers has gone way, way high.
“It’s nothing compared to what Emily’s doing and NHS staff and carers up and down the country. What I’m doing is absolutely nothing to that but it’s got its own challenges because I’m not used to it. I’m used to having the kids around but I’m not used to the homework side of it. The kids are starting to realise that I’m not as smart as I thought I was!”
He added: “As most guys would know, we don’t do well with structure, it ends up being destructure, destructing! It’s all a bit of a mess. Yesterday, for example, I tried to make bread in between their homework and us doing things, and I mean the thing nearly exploded.’
Andre said 12-year-old Princess is keeping in touch with her friends on her phone but added: “She’s not allowed her phone in her room but it means she can only be on the phone when she’s downstairs and that’s why, when she’s here, her head’s facing down the whole time.
“But she’s got loads of homework to do. Junior had seven hours of homework yesterday. Personally, I think it’s a bit harsh because the kids aren’t used to being at home and doing schoolwork at home, but I’m not a headmaster, I’m not a teacher, I’m only doing what I’m being told to do – they’ll get marked accordingly.”