Aston Merrygold Defends Son Against Nepo-Baby Claims

Aston Merrygold has denounced the term '' after revealing his son Grayson Jax has an agent and aspirations to be a singer and actor.

The star, 38, who shot to fame on The in 2008 alongside Oritsé Williams, and in JLS, shares three children, Grayson Jax, eight, Macaulay Shay, five, and Riley Skye, two, with his wife, Sarah-Louise, 36.

Speaking to Daily Mail, the star revealed his eldest child is already eager to follow in his footsteps as he wants to be a singer and an actor.

When asked about being labelled a nepo-baby if he makes it big in the industry, Aston said: 'As long as you're doing yourself justice and you're being true to yourself, who cares, to be blunt, it's got to that point where you just kind of go, who cares?...

'Like it's, you know, you could have, you know, we'll have 101 names for, for everything that we do in every sector.'

Already armed with an agent, Aston is hopeful that Grayson will accomplish his stardom dreams and has already taught him his first lesson. 

He explained that he has told Grayson that if he wants to make it in the entertainment industry, then he must have thick skin.

Aston told the Daily Mail: 'The first thing I was always taught though, was to have thick skin. If you're going to be in this industry, you need thick skin.

'I think that's the best advice I've ever been given, and it was the first bit of advice I was ever given. I instill that into my children very, very quickly.

'We're in an entertainment game. It's a bit like public opinion perception, all of it. It's an opinion. It's what people are going to say. People are going to say probably a hell of a lot worse.'

Explaining the extent of his child's aspirations, Aston said Grayson is ready to pursue a wide range of industry opportunities and wants to explore a range of avenues.

He divulged: 'My eldest, he's got his own agent now and he wants to be a singer and an actor, and he wants to do everything'.

'There's so much stuff that as a performer, you can't control what goes out after a certain point. So as long as we can control that as parents and keep them safe to a degree, that's what it's about.'

Aston and his family have been increasing their brand online as a family and have recently been involving their children more and more in their social media videos.

Speaking about his children being in the public eye, he told the Daily Mail: 'We're at a stage now where we can't hide it. It's a bit of a norm in our house'.

Aston clarified that while, as a family, they have become quite active in the public eye, his children are not pressured into any filming and they are 'free to be kids' whenever they feel like not being on film.

Aston, who is currently working on Bupa Dental Care, has just added a new skill set to his own wide range of industry skills as he voiced the audiobook of The Dentist’s Apprentice.

In a bid to encourage children to be less nervous about dentist visits and brush their teeth more, Aston has been keen to share his parenting tips alongside promoting the new book.

Aston said: 'Brushing teeth can feel like a daily battle in many households, especially when you're trying to make sure little ones brush for long enough.

'At home, I try to keep it fun, using music, brushing together and sticking to routines. Making brushing enjoyable really helps, and it makes a big difference when it comes to visiting the dentist too.'

The Dentist’s Apprentice is available in Bupa Dental Care practices across the UK, allowing children to read the story before or during appointments to help them feel at ease.