Louise Thompson apologises for podcast comments on child toilet training

Louise Thompson has apologised after she and Ryan Libbey faced criticism for comments they made about potty training on their podcast He Said, She Said. The couple discussed a report in The Guardian that cited a survey of teachers. The survey found that about one in four children starting reception in 2025 were not toilet-trained, and 28 per cent could not eat and drink independently.

" Libbey added that a large number of children in reception wear nappies and cannot feed or drink themselves. Thompson laughed at the remark.

They noted that children with special educational needs and disabilities may still wear nappies at that age. Thompson later apologised. She clarified that the statistics did not refer to children with special educational needs or disabilities. "What this has taught us is that we should have considered those other groups of children and this is an area that is so under-discovered," she said.