Jake Humphrey recalls lasting trauma and 'loneliness' of childhood bullying that forced him to leave school and says 'I'm almost 50 and still remember the feeling'

Jake Humphrey has recalled the lasting trauma and 'loneliness' of his childhood bullying that forced him to change schools.

In an emotional interview, the sports presenter, 47, admitted that although he's almost 50 years old, he could 'still remember the feeling' of being taunted by his peers as he revealed the long-lasting impact the bullying had on his life.

Opening up to Davina McCall on her Begin Again podcast, Jake shared: 'Like the if anyone has been bullied, they will relate to the fact that you can be almost 50 as I am and still remember the feeling. Like the loneliness like is hard, isn't it?'

The presenter then asked how he 'coped' with his bullying, with Jake commenting: 'I don't think I coped with it very well, apart from just sealing myself off.'

Jake then went on to recall the horrifying moment bullies forced him naked into the playground as he was getting changed after swimming, and the shocking action his head teacher took. 

He explained: 'One time we were getting changed after swimming and as I took my swimming trunks off, the guys pushed me out of the changing room with no clothes on and no towel, but out into the school car park where there were classrooms sort of all looking. 

'So, I'm standing there with like just trying to preserve my own dignity, covering off the bits I could with the hands I had. And when that happens, it becomes like a whole school thing.'

He continued: 'My mom spoke to the head teacher at the school I was at and they decided to ask me to stand up in assembly and announce to the school that I was being bullied and it had to stop. Can you imagine what that did?'

The broadcaster admitted that as a result, he spent his break times hiding between two coaches and went back inside school once everyone had left, with Jake noting how 'heart-breaking' that was. 

Jake then confirmed that in the end, he had to change schools, explaining: 'I basically had to leave. So I did two years at that school and then I left for another school and it was so much better.'

He went on to add a teacher in his new school had suggested that the issues had stemmed from Jake's 'emotional intelligence' and that the bullies were likely 'threatened by his ability to be real'.

He continued: 'I do think that that's probably what's given me the career that I've had. And I think totally Yeah. What I would like people to understand is that if you're being bullied right now or your child is being bullied, it's always because they're finding a point of difference...

'I can't tell you how important it is to not allow those bullies to knock that part of you out of you. Because as you get older, as you leave school, as you embark on a career and a life, the thing that gives you the most magic in your life is the thing that is making you different to everybody else. 

'And I think if you lose that at school, it's a real tragedy because the real world will reward you for being unique and for being different and having a different point of view.'

Back in March, Jake recalled how he felt 'desperately unhappy' and 'total loneliness' during his childhood where he suffered extreme bullying.

The TV presenter described his younger years as 'physical, mental and general humiliation' in an extract from his new memoir for the Sunday Times magazine.

Jake revealed he would hide in the school car park from cruel bullies, who on one occasion pushed him out onto the playground while he was naked.

Admitting the devastating experiences have stayed with him as an adult, Jake said 'that stuff never leaves you' and taking his own children to school brings it all back.

After moving to Norwich age eight due to his father's job, Jake said: 'That was the first time I remember feeling desperately unhappy. I was quite emotionally aware but rubbish at the things kids assign value to, like sport. I had zero friends, it was total loneliness. 

'At lunchtime I’d hide in the car park between two school buses because that was better than being bullied. It was physical, mental and general humiliation. Getting changed after swimming once, the lads grabbed me before I’d got my pants on and pushed me into the playground. I stood with one hand over my k***, the other over my bum with every kid laughing at me. That stuff never leaves you.'

Jake's mother Elizabeth, who is a retired teacher, spoke of his 'enormous emotional intelligence as a child' and told how the bullies have since tried to befriend Jake.

She said: 'The bullying affected Jake hugely, and he has carried those experiences all his life, but he’s turned them into something positive. When he moved back to Norwich from London, now quite a well-known face, some of those who made his life a misery wanted to buy him a drink. He’d say, "No, you’re all right, mate".

Jake explained that he still suffers the same feeling of hurt when he receives trolling on social media as an adult due to the impact his childhood experiences had.