Manu Feildel: My life as a single dad

The DWTS heartthrob opens up to Katherine Chatfield about his closeness to his son and how he’s open to love again.

It’s 5.10pm and Manu Feildel has packed up his dancing shoes and is rushing to pick up his son Jonti from school. As he arrives there’s a squeal of delight from Jonti and his friends, who are all delighted to see the Dancing With The Stars contestant.

“When I take him to school, all his friends start cheering my name,” says Manu, 38. “He’s definitely not shy about asking people if they know who I am. He’s very proud.” Manu, 38, separated from his partner of 12 years at the end of 2009 and the two share custody of their beloved six-year-old son.

“You just have to split your time and your company,” Manu says of learning to juggle the different aspects of his life. “Jonti is very understanding. He knows what I do. And I share it with him. I come back and tell him what I’ve done.” Despite having been thrust into the limelight when he appeared as the host of My Kitchen Rules early last year, Manu makes a point of trying to keep Jonti’s life as normal as possible.

“When we spend time together we do what dads and sons do,” he shrugs. “We love going to the cinema. Every kids’ movie that comes out, we’re the first ones to go and see it. We go to the park and the beach and all the normal stuff.” Manu says the pair are very alike. “He’s like me in so many ways,” he says. “He’s a clown. Physically he’s like me, and he can be grumpy, which is like me as well. But he’s very loving. We’re best mates.”