has leapt to the defense of older women having children after Hilary Swank was trolled for.
The former Richard & Judy host, 66, discussed the Million Dollar Baby star’s bliss at becoming a parent to a boy and a girl for the first time in her 40s after it was cruelly criticised online.
Guest Esther Falana claimed that women having children aged 35 or over are ‘deemed high-risk pregnancies’ and can have more problems with fertility.
‘I think those are fringe arguments,’ Richard countered. ‘I just think fundamentally you are completely wrong. I’m not being rude I’m just saying you’re wrong. We’re having a debate.’
The broadcaster explained that his wife Judy Finnigan, 74, had their daughter Chloe Madeley, 35, at the age of 39 and was nursing her aged 40.
‘And that was in 1987,’ he continued. ‘And in the following year Judy and I launched This Morning and that was a big deal.
‘It took a lot of energy. She had plenty of energy to do a major network news show and get up early every morning and coming home and looking after a growing toddler.’
Richard later said that the ‘growing thrust of disapproval’ aimed at older women having children ‘is something to do with this awful judgementalism that women have to put up with.’
Hilary announced she and her husband Philip Schneider had expanded their family earlier this week on Instagram.
She wrote: ‘It wasn’t easy. But boy (and girl!) was it worth it,’ she shared on Instagram. ‘Happy Easter! Posting from pure Heaven.’
Other older stars to have become mums include Naomi Campbell, who , and Halle Berry, who had two children in her 40s
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
