Ian ‘H’ Watkins is having a major career boost right now. Just off the back of Here & Now – the Steps musical, he’s also getting into major galleries with his artwork, and is currently fronting a viral campaign.
Beyond all of the career highlights however, H, 48, is a dedicated dad above all else. He became a father to twin boys Macsen and Cybi in March 2016, and now has running a busy household on top of his list of things to do.
Managing a household is the focus of his latest project with Tesco Mobile, aptly named 5, 6, 7, Freeze after the iconic Steps song. You may have seen it all over TikTok, with H leading the way as countless people have made the most of the spring weather to get out and about and dance – while remembering to save a few pennies.
“I am a dad, a very busy dad,” H said to the Mirror of his motivation to head the campaign. He explained: “It’s basically a little dance to remind you to check your contract, switch smartly, and remind you to enjoy the freeze.”
“When you’re a busy parent and you’re looking for things to entertain your children, you engage and remember through creative learning. What’s brilliant about this is that if you have a Tesco Clubcard contract then your prices remain frozen. It’s about educating and raising awareness in a fun way.”
The unique way to remember to check contracts has been a hit, and Dancing on Ice alum H enthused: “The TikTok dance is out, it’s done amazingly well – everybody’s getting involved and stuck in. We had people doing it at work, at school, in their homes – everybody’s getting involved, it’s lovely!”
Alongside getting on top of bills, which H admits can be “really tricky”, the star also shared how he manages to make some savings at home while still having fun with his young children.
“For me, from a dad’s point of view, when the weather is good there are so many free things that we do,” he said. “We have a rule; if the weather’s good, we’re out. We play in the garden, we go to the beach, we take the dog on long walks, we go fossil hunting! So there are things that don’t cost money that you can do as a family and create memories – and they don’t cost anything at all.”
H travelled the world with Steps, but decided to move back to his native Wales when he gained a family of his own. Compared to his hectic life on stage, the singer gushed over raising his kids with the opportunity to get plenty of love from their doting grandparents.
He shared: “I always wanted my children to have what I had, which was the most amazing childhood. We saw our grandparents four times a week, we spent long weekends with them.
“I purposefully moved back to Wales so that my children had that relationship, and that’s exactly what they have now. They help me with school pickups, we go away together on holiday. It’s an amazing thing – we have three generations now and it’s what I always wanted.”
Right now, H and his sons are gearing up for Easter, and he opened up about their exciting – and budget-friendly – plans. Asked if he had any traditions with his family, the Late Night Lycett star happily exclaimed: “We do! We’re going on a bit of an outdoor experience – we’re going abseiling, and rock climbing, canoeing, paddle boarding, orienteering.
“These are things that we’ll join in with friends, and they don’t cost anything – it’s equipment that friends have. So we just go out and do stuff, and we create lovely memories.”
Like H, many people are juggling work, bills, and parenting – and the star admitted that he’s still learning along the way. Asked about the biggest learning curve he’s experienced as a dad, he shared: “Funnily enough I was having this conversation this morning! It’s okay to say ‘I don’t know.’
“Because as a parent, you’re looked to to know all of the answers. But my children are now at the age that I can say, ‘Do you know what, guys? This is a first for me, we have to work this one out together.’ And it’s okay to do that, it’s okay to not have all the answers.”
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