Don’t Ask Me About My Dad
Growing up with him was like being in my own war zone, living in perpetual fear of when the bombs would fall.
I was terrified of becoming him, and in moments I could feel I might. He still lives within me grimly like some battered demon spright. And I’m fearful of his shadow. The rage, and his blood. There are some moments when he arrives and I want to tear up the whole world with my bare hands, and all I really want is love. I want him away now. Please. Just go.
While growing up in Essex, Tom Mitchelson and his identical triplet sisters routinely witnessed unspeakable acts of violence and abuse at the hands of their dad. They would watch in horror as he dragged their mum around the house, but they never dared breathe a word.
Tom knew his dad was a monster, but it seemed he had nowhere to turn until a kindly teacher sought his company…
Don’t Ask Me About My Dad is an inspirational story of how one isolated young boy overcame the odds and finally found his voice.
Tom Mitchelson started out as the principal writer on BBC Radio 5’s, The Treatment, providing political and showbiz comedy sketches for Rob Brydon. He contributed to numerous BBC Radio 2 and 4 shows over the years, including The Griff Rhys Jones Show and the weekly topical monologue on Loose Ends. He's written two sitcoms on Radio 4 and been a joke writer on prime-time ITV shows. His investigative and immersive journalism has appeared in The Times, The Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Sun. He recently gave his first Ted Talk.