Barney Walsh: My delight that Dad Bradley, 63, and I have helped to heal rifts between fathers and sons with hit travel show Breaking Dad

Their ITV series Breaking Dad saw Bradley and Barney Walsh become the most famous father-and-son duo in Britain.

The programme, which sees the pair take on adventurous challenges while travelling the world in a campervan, explores their bond and shows them larking around.

But Barney, 25, has revealed that while the series has been a hit with viewers, there has been another, unexpected but very welcome outcome – their on-screen antics have helped to mend broken relationships between fathers and sons across the country.

He told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The reaction to Breaking Dad has been so lovely. I’ve had lots of messages from families on social media saying they’ve fallen out with their father and they haven’t spoken in years, but they’ve watched the show and they want to reconnect with their dad.

‘For example, they say that they have booked a holiday with their dad or son, and they are going to go off and do something like that. It is so lovely.

‘If myself and dad have done that for one family – managed to rebuild that relationship – then it was a job well done and makes it all worth it.’

Barney and Bradley Walsh on Breaking Dad. The show, now in its fifth series, sees the pair travel across America and Europe

The show, which is now in its fifth series, has seen the pair travel across the States and Europe, and was watched by an average five million people per episode.

Barney, who currently stars in the long-running BBC One medical drama Casualty as nurse Cameron Mickelthwaite, will once again team up with his father, 63, for the forthcoming reboot of the popular 1990s game show, Gladiators.

While there have been accusations of nepotism following the announcement that Barney would be joining his showbusiness stalwart father, he insists that the BBC chose them to front Gladiators as they could attract a full range of age groups to watch the show, which was previously aired on ITV.

He said: ‘It was a situation where the BBC was aiming for older generations and younger generations coming together. Gladiators was absolutely huge back in the day, and a lot of the young people who were watching it when it came out have grown up and they’ve now got kids of their own.

‘It’s a generational thing. We want the parents who grew up watching Gladiators, after their parents showed them it, to then show it to their kids.

‘That’s why myself and my dad are doing it. Father and son, family show, bringing it all together.’

Bradley Walsh has plenty of experience presenting game shows, having hosted Wheel Of Fortune in the 1990s and ITV quiz show The Chase since 2009. He also presents the revamped game show Blankety Blank, following in the footsteps of Terry Wogan and Les Dawson.

Barney 25, revealed that the hit show which attracts an average of five million viewers per episode, has helped fathers and sons across the country mend their relationships

Alongside his presenting, Bradley is an accomplished actor, with stints in Coronation Street and Doctor Who. Bradley was joined by his son for 2021 ITV series The Larkins – a reboot of 1990s favourite The Darling Buds Of May.

But Barney says that starring alongside his dad doesn’t feel like work at all.

‘He’s my father but he’s also my best mate,’ Barney said at the Inside Soap Awards last month. ‘I can talk to him about anything and he can talk to me about anything, and we’ve got each other’s back. That’s what family is for. There’s no stronger relationship than blood.

‘The best bit of advice my dad has given me is to be yourself, to have fun and do what you love – because if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.’

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