Jeremy McConnell has appeared on This Morning in his first TV interview since ex Stephanie Davis gave birth to their son, Caben-Albi.
It was revealed during the chat with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that Jeremy had taken a DNA test and the sample was now waiting locked away in a lab for Stephanie to do her part.
The hosts gave Jeremy a grilling as they asked him about stepping up to the plate to be a good dad – if the baby turns out to be his.
Holly certainly didn’t mince her words when she said:
“All this nonsense, there is now a baby, little Caben was born on 13 January and you don’t know if you’re the dad, but she says you are.”
TUNE IN NOW for @JezzaMcConnell's one and only TV interview about @Stephdavis77 and baby Caben-Albi, and that DNA test… #ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/OqLYSXXYY6
— This Morning (@thismorning) February 8, 2017
Read more: Stephanie Davis has baby news!
The Irish model became emotional as he replied:
“I’ve never said once I’m not the father. I’m not fame hungry, I’m not coming on to TV to talk about it, I’ve been offered all this before and now I just want to set the record straight.
“It shouldn’t be dealt with like this, but when she [Stephanie] makes it public, it has to be dealt with.
“When someone’s so public, people think I’m a bad person and I’m not owning up to my responsibilities and that’s not true. I want to sort it.”
Talk then turned to a contract that Stephanie has asked Jeremy to sign.
Although they weren’t able to reveal what the document stated, the presenters revealed This Morning and their legal team had checked it out, and Phil felt it was “unreasonable” and would have “an impact on [Jeremy’s] entire life”.
“I can’t sign that, no man would sign it,” Jeremy replied. “With the build up to the pregnancy, I’m not being unreasonable if I’m asking questions.”
Phil then revealed Jeremy had, in fact, undergone a DNA test at the This Morning studios today.
A clip was shown of a nurse taking his sample before Phil revealed it was to be held privately in a lab and the ball was now in Stephanie’s court.
“It could have been dealt with privately from the start,” Jeremy sighed.
As the interview came to an end, Phil asked him:
“Would you like to be a dad to your son?”
“Maybe my silence was seen as weakness,” Jeremy replied. “I just don’t feel like I need to come on and say my every move. I would always do the right thing, I’d never let my own flesh and blood away like that.”
In a complete turnaround for the story, fans immediately took to Twitter to express their sympathy for the new dad:
“Just watched @JezzaMcConnell interview. Guy seems pretty genuine to me???” tweeted Ang Martin.
https://twitter.com/Angmartin2/status/829283587581157377
Samanturr tweeted Jez direct and said: “Don’t know if you will see this tweet but what you just did was really brave.”
https://twitter.com/samrhodes211/status/829283564940300288
And Stephdavisfanpage1 said: “I’ve got a lot of respect for @jezzamcconnell good interview you’ll be a good dad [sic]”
https://twitter.com/stephdavis4Page/status/829283560825683969
Kyleigh added: “If @Schofe thinks that contract is unreasonable then it probably is. It’s bad someone needs a contract for a baby [sic]”.
If @Schofe thinks that contract is unreasonable then it probably is @JezzaMcConnell it's bad someone needs a contract for a baby 😴
— S3 (@xx_5andro) February 8, 2017
But some people are still sceptical of Jeremy’s story with ABIROSE tweeting:
“I didn’t believe anything that came out of @Jezza McConnell mouth in that interview!”
https://twitter.com/abiroseking/status/829283137142276097
And Anna Charles saying: “He actually believes he’s done nothing wrong and nothing is his fault what an idiot [sic]”.
Whoever’s at fault, we hope Jeremy and Stephanie can resolve this soon and be the best parents they can to little Caben-Albi.