Sam Claflin wants longer paternity leave


Sam Claflin thinks men should get more paternity leave.
The 32-year-old actor - who has son Pip, three, and daughter Margot, 15 months, with wife Laura Haddock - admitted it was a "trying time" when he was juggling shooting his new movie 'The Corrupted' with parenthood and admitted he wished he'd taken more time off work to be with the youngsters.
He said: "I was a new dad and was trying to chase around gangsters in London."
Asked by Virgin Radio's Chris Evans which was more difficult, he replied: "Definitely the former, having the baby, being the daddy. It's definitely a trying time being a new father and trying to go back to work.
"I definitely feel, and here I am saying this on air, I feel like men should get more paternity leave."
The DJ - who has 33-year-old daughter Jade with former fiancee Alison Ward and Noah, nine, Eli, six, and seven-month-old twins Walt and Boo with wife Natasha Shishmanian - agreed: "Hashtag us too.'"
While Sam found the early days as a working dad tough, he admitted he relishes the "challenge" of being a hands-on parent.
He said: " I love being a father, I love having two, I genuinely embrace the challenge.
"I think every guy should be as hands-on as much as they can be. I think that's what's wonderful about our society as it is now, I feel men are willing and wanting to be more involved than they used to be."
In 'The Corrupted', Sam plays criminal Liam, who has just been released from prison, and he found working out for the role helped ease some of his "anger".
He said: "I did a lot of boxing training, I had never punched before so this was a whole new learning cure.
"I think the anger of being a tired new father was released in the boxing gym.
"There's one scene in particular where I'm looking around for my ex partner and child and I did actually fall asleep standing up, I was so tired."