ITV Loose Women star in tears over 'heartbreaking’ schooling decision following son's dyslexia diagnosis

Lydia Davies
Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:04:27 +0000

Frankie Bridge became tearful during her latest YouTube vlog as she opened up about her 10-year-old son's deteriorating dyslexia and the difficult decision she faces regarding his education.

The 37-year-old former Saturdays singer disclosed that Carter's condition has significantly worsened since he was first diagnosed last year, with a recent assessment confirming he is now severely dyslexic.

The Loose Women panellist, who also has a 12-year-old son, Parker, with ex-footballer husband Wayne Bridge, confessed to feeling "trapped" by the situation.

"I just never know what to do, what's best for him," she said, adding that she no longer knows "what the right thing is for him anymore" after leaving him at school in tears due to his ongoing difficulties.

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In her vlog, Ms Bridge explained that she had visited a specialist dyslexic school as a potential option for Carter's secondary education, which begins in September next year.

She admitted: "If I'm honest with you, I kind of wanted to hate it... I guess it's the fear of putting a kid in something different."

However, the former pop star found herself impressed by the facility, noting that every pupil there has dyslexia and all classes are specifically designed to accommodate their learning needs.

The school presents significant practical challenges for the family, being located a considerable distance from their Surrey home.

"It's not an ideal scenario for us because it's far away and it's really f***ing expensive," the singer said.

Specialist dyslexic secondary schools in the UK typically charge between £15,000 and £40,000 annually for day pupils, with boarding options potentially exceeding £60,000.

Ms Bridge broke down while recounting how she had dropped Carter off at school that morning, with the youngster in tears over mathematics, which she described as "his hardest subject by a mile."

"There'll be so many parents out there, I know, that have to drop their kids off, crying at school every day. I just feel a bit worn down by it now," she said.

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The mother-of-two expressed feeling stuck because her son must attend school, yet has already been moved between multiple institutions.

She also reflected on the contrast with her elder son's experience, explaining that Parker received additional support when younger and now manages well academically.

"When you've got one kid that it just comes easily to, and you can see how, for most people, that's how it is, it's just very hard," she added.

Carter's dyslexia was officially confirmed when he was eight years old, though his parents only became aware of his educational struggles when they were informed he would need to repeat his reception year.

At that point, he was considered too young for a formal diagnosis under the system's guidelines.

The former girl band member previously wrote in The I newspaper that confidence was the primary concern, as Carter recognised he could not do things his classmates managed easily.

The family has moved him between several schools in an attempt to find appropriate support, with these transitions affecting his self-assurance according to assessors.

When first revealing the diagnosis last year, Ms Bridge described a "battle" to secure help at his previous school, sharing that Carter had "cried for an hour" about attending and repeatedly requested homeschooling.