Actor Sam Claflin has said he thinks men should get more paternity leave.
In the UK, fathers are currently entitled to one or two weeks leave following the birth of their child.
Speaking on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio on Wednesday, the Me Before You star, who has two children with wife Laura Haddock, discussed the difficulties of juggling parenting duties while he was filming his latest project, a thriller titled The Corrupted.
“I was a new dad and was trying to chase around gangsters in London,” the 32-year-old told Evans, who then asked him which one he found more difficult.
“Definitely the former, having the baby, being the daddy,” Claflin responded. “It’s definitely a trying time being a new father and trying to go back to work.
1/6 Tom Chappell, 35 from Hindley Green
Tom, who named his daughter Robyn, said of the experience: “I think my priorities will change significantly now that I’m a dad. We only had ourselves to think about before but now everything will be considered with my daughter in mind… and rightly so.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
2/6 Toan Lam, 34 from New Cross
Toan, who named his son Jace, said of the experience: “When my son was born, my outlook on life changed instantly and I knew that I would need to be there every step of the way to see him grow. Becoming responsible for another human being is the most surreal experience; I can’t quite put it into words but I hope the portraits convey the magnitude of this feeling.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
3/6 Pedro Diego Fernandez, 34 from Sydenham Hill
Pedro, who had a son, said of the experience: “The birth was much more overwhelming than I expected but I felt amazing as soon as I held my healthy son and saw him open his eyes. I just want to be the best man for my partner and baby.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
4/6 Hector Adebambo, 32 from Bromley
Hector, who named his son Zion, said of the experience: “For me, becoming a dad just kicked in naturally, it feels right. I’ve been speaking to my son for nine months and he’s finally here.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
5/6 Federico Grillo, 34 from Greenwich
Federico, who named his son Ludovico, said of the experience: “After the birth, as the adrenalin was wearing off, I felt like time had slowed down. I was holding my son and it just felt very peaceful. I know that fatherhood will motivate me to get the best for my family.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
6/6 Andy West, 36 from Forest Hill
Andy, who had a daughter, said of the experience: “I’ve instantly realised that having a child is going to have such a profound effect because I’m always going to be responsible for another person.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
1/6 Tom Chappell, 35 from Hindley Green
Tom, who named his daughter Robyn, said of the experience: “I think my priorities will change significantly now that I’m a dad. We only had ourselves to think about before but now everything will be considered with my daughter in mind… and rightly so.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
2/6 Toan Lam, 34 from New Cross
Toan, who named his son Jace, said of the experience: “When my son was born, my outlook on life changed instantly and I knew that I would need to be there every step of the way to see him grow. Becoming responsible for another human being is the most surreal experience; I can’t quite put it into words but I hope the portraits convey the magnitude of this feeling.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
3/6 Pedro Diego Fernandez, 34 from Sydenham Hill
Pedro, who had a son, said of the experience: “The birth was much more overwhelming than I expected but I felt amazing as soon as I held my healthy son and saw him open his eyes. I just want to be the best man for my partner and baby.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
4/6 Hector Adebambo, 32 from Bromley
Hector, who named his son Zion, said of the experience: “For me, becoming a dad just kicked in naturally, it feels right. I’ve been speaking to my son for nine months and he’s finally here.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
5/6 Federico Grillo, 34 from Greenwich
Federico, who named his son Ludovico, said of the experience: “After the birth, as the adrenalin was wearing off, I felt like time had slowed down. I was holding my son and it just felt very peaceful. I know that fatherhood will motivate me to get the best for my family.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
6/6 Andy West, 36 from Forest Hill
Andy, who had a daughter, said of the experience: “I’ve instantly realised that having a child is going to have such a profound effect because I’m always going to be responsible for another person.”
Tom Oldham, ‘Becoming a Father’
“I definitely feel, and here I am saying this on air, I feel like men should get more paternity leave.”
Evans, who has seven-month-old twins with wife Natasha Shishmanian, concurred, saying “hashtag us too”.
Claflin went on to gush about his two children, Pip, three, and Margot, one.
“I love being a father, I love having two, I genuinely embrace the challenge,” he told the radio host.
“I think every guy should be as hands-on as much as they can be. I think that’s what’s wonderful about our society as it is now, I feel men are willing and wanting to be more involved than they used to be.”
Claflin’s comments come after Bim Afolami MP became the “first father in British parliamentary history” to vote by proxy while he was on paternity leave.
In February, the Conservative MP, who represents Hitchin and Harpenden, announced on social media that he would be taking time off from work following the birth of his third child to help support his wife throughout the “tough, tough nights” and to take their sons to school and nursery.
“You can be busy and ambitious and take paternity leave,” he later told Sky News in an interview.
The Corrupted arrives in UK cinemas on 10 May.
