British dad with 180 kids won't get Christmas presents – but will get to the pub

25 December 2023 , 17:34

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Referring to himself as the "angel of the north," the man has different relationships with his children, with the mothers deciding how he fits in (Image: Jam Press/Joe Donor)

A man who fathered more than 180 children has said he doesn't get a single present at Christmas, and will have dinner at Wetherspoons.

Sperm donor "Single Joe", who uses a pseudonym, has had intimate experiences with more than 200 woman and even got some pregnant without ever meeting them. Despite that, he only sees around 10 of his children per year.

Joe, who has donated sperm across America, Argentina, Italy, Singapore, The Philippines and the UK said: "The holidays are often so hectic with travel but I do have a few children that live fairly close to me so I do plan on doing something with them."

"It might be like getting a Christmas picture together. It's nice for the smaller ones to have that memory. Even if they can't remember they’ll have a photo at least."

The father, who does not get paid for his services, said he won't get any Christmas presents, and will probably have dinner in Wetherspoons with one of his children. Referring to himself as the "angel of the north," the man has different relationships with his children, with the mothers deciding how he fits in.

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A donor shortage, coupled with the high cost of going private - as much as £2000 for a single artificial insemination (AI) cycle using donor sperm, or £7000 for IVF - has pushed thousands of women to find help through social media.

Sperm donor "Single Joe" who uses a pseudonym has had relations with more than 200 woman and even got some pregnant without ever meeting them (Jam Press/Joe Donor)

He told The Sun : "As an infant, the mums are very protective but then kids go into nursery and they see other kids have fathers. The kids want to have one because others have them. Once they realise their family situation isn't the regular they ask their mums 'who's my father?'"

With the price of IVF going up, Brits are taking desperate measures to fulfil their dreams of having kids - such as going abroad. Couples desperate to have ­children are travelling for cheaper treatment as private prices soar – with Greece hailed as Europe’s new fertility hotspot.

World-class IVF costs there are a fraction of those in Britain as clinics can charge just £2,000 for one cycle compared with up to £15,000 here. Figures show 63% of couples struggling with infertility have to go private and 95% suffer financial worries.

And the NHS is accused of running a “postcode lottery” for IVF by insisting women conform to different criteria from area to area. Those who have gone to Greece for treatment say it is not only far cheaper but better than their experiences of going private in the UK.

Kate Burgess, 38, was eligible for IVF on the NHS in London but moved to Hampshire – where she was barred due to her age and BMI. She said the £8,000 she has spent so far on two rounds of IVF in Greece is far less than in the UK, adding: “The way they individualised my care and made sure I’ve always seen the same doctor is very important.”

Zesha Saleem