Emily Andre refuses to let kids use social media amid cyberbullying concerns

15 January 2024 , 11:08

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Emily Andre says she will refuse to allow her children to use social media (Image: ITV)

Emily Andre has addressed her reservations surrounding her kids' use of social media as she prepares to welcome her third child into the world.

The 34-year old doctor already shares Millie, 10, and Theo, 7 with her husband Peter Andre, 50, and the couple revealed she was pregnant again in October. Emily, who has a lot on her plate with baby number three due in the spring, has now revealed how she plans to protect her brood from cyberbullying.

Although it's not an immediate concern due to their ages, Emily knows the issue of social media use is just around the corner - particularly as a lot of Millie's year six classmates "already have mobile phones". And admitting she isn't "thick-skinned" herself, Emily explained she managed to avoid social media until she was in her thirties.

Emily is set to become a mum for the third time in spring (Instagram/ @dr_emily_official)

"It’s a difficult one because Theo and Millie are young enough that I’ve not had to deal with it yet," she explained to OK!. "But I’m concerned it might get to the stage where bullying might occur if you don’t have one [a phone], even though there’s the worry of cyberbullying. I’m stuck between wanting to protect them but not excluding them."

Discussing her own life online, she continued: "Part of me was frightened of what people might say and how it would affect me. I didn’t get it until I finally had the confidence to go, 'I’m OK if someone says something about me because it’s not a true reflection'."

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Emily added: "Thankfully, since getting social media, I don’t get a lot of nasty things but I know that isn’t always the case. It does worry me exposing the kids to something I didn’t feel ready to tackle until I was in my thirties."

Meanwhile, in an update on his wife's pregnancy, Pete revealed last week: "The baby and Emily are both doing great – in fact the little one is kicking like crazy. Emily and I recently did an exclusive photo shoot with OK! magazine, and even in the short time since then, her baby bump has really started showing. The whole family has been talking to the baby to make sure it recognises our voices. Things are becoming very real now."

And GP Emily took to her Instagram account early in the New Year to share a close-up picture of the bump as she relaxed on the beach in a bikini on the family's holiday in the Middle East. "Such a lovely break and now back home, missing the sea and sand already but counting down the next 3 months to meet our little one," she captioned the post - suggesting she is due in April.

Alan Johnson