Save up to 26%: As of June 16, several TV models from TCL's new budget

Parenting is hard enough when you only have one or two children. So imagine how tough it can be when you have six kids – which is the case for comedian and television producer Ashley Blaker. Blaker, who’s worked on shows including Little Britain and starred in the Radio 4 series 6.5 Children about his family, has six children aged between nine and 19, two of whom have autism and ADHD, and one, who’s adopted, with Down’s Syndrome. But despite the busy load, he’s keeping a smile on his face – although he wholeheartedly admits that family life for him and his wife Gemma, a headteacher, can be challenging, particularly in relation to caring for their 15-year-old daughter Zoe, who has the mental age of a four-year-old. “We’ve really worked hard to support each other, and to make our family work,” he says. “There have been many, many times that things go a bit wrong. We have so much to worry about, it’s actually often the small stuff that gets us. “Being a parent can put you in a vulnerable place, and it can be the very littlest thing that throws everything awry. When a child has a meltdown or the support you were expecting didn’t arrive or whatever, then it can throw a massive spanner in the works.” Blaker, 48, explains that his eldest son Adam, now 19, was diagnosed with autism and ADHD when he was three – he had speech delay and was completely non-verbal until age six, ate a very restricted diet, and “he was very hard to control, very wild – he had a lot of behaviour issues”, his dad shares. His third son Dylan, now 16, was diagnosed with autism and ADHD at age six, and Blaker says both boys’ diagnoses benefitted the whole family. “It’s been a very, very helpful thing,” he explains. “My third son in particular has a very positive attitude towards his diagnosis – he loves having autism, and his diagnosis has allowed him to navigate his life in a more serene way.” The diagnoses have also helped the boys get extra support at school, and medication, and have definitely been a positive for Blaker and his wife as parents. “From our point of view as parents, it’s allowed us to go – ok, we’re not just inadequate parents,” says Blaker. “It would have been very easy to view ourselves as very bad parents, so getting that diagnosis was a very important and positive step towards being kinder to ourselves.” Despite the undeniable challenges of raising the four children they had at the time, the Blakers decided to adopt Zoe when she was two, when many couples may have shied away from adopting a child with Down’s syndrome. Why did they decide it was the right choice for them? It’s a question Blaker can’t really answer, admitting that he and his wife weren’t even considering adoption – but saw a local council advert about Zoe and answered it. It turned out to a life-changing decision both for her and for them, that they have absolutely no regrets. “She brings us unbelievable joy – she’s the greatest blessing in our life,” he says. “She’s in many ways the most impressive member of our family – probably because she’s the only one who shares none of my genes,” he jokes. “There are many challenges, but there’s such a wonderful innocence about her that sets her apart from most 15-year-old girls. She’s not on Snapchat, she’s not on the phone all night, she’s never made me take her to see Harry Styles in concert. She’s an absolute joy to be with – you can make her laugh incredibly easily, she’s the easiest audience in the world.” But despite the absolute joy Zoe and her brothers and younger sister bring to their parents, there’s no denying the Blakers’ family life is a long way from ‘normal’ – which is one of the reasons Blaker has just written a book about his unusual family, Normal Schmormal (HarperCollins, £16.99). “I really wanted to write the book that I wish I’d read 16 years ago, when my eldest son was diagnosed,” he says. “I read a lot around the subject at the time, and it was very depressing and worrying. I wanted to change the conversation a little bit on the subject of children with special needs, from being something depressing and worrying to something that’s positive, and makes our family who we are. Who wants to be normal anyway?” After Blaker finished writing the book, he was himself diagnosed as autistic with ADHD, at age 48. “Especially now I have my own diagnosis, I feel even more that it’s like: who wants to be normal anyway?” he says. “I’d lived with autistic sons over 18 years, but it was somehow only on writing about them and their hyper-fixations and sensory needs and social awkwardness that I thought I could have been writing about myself. “So I thought I’d like to at least find out – I think everyone, children included, has a desire to understand themselves, to know who they are, and explain certain aspects of their life.” So, how did his two autistic sons react when they learned their dad shared their conditions? “My eldest son was completely disinterested,” he says, “but my third son found it kind of funny. His exact words were, ‘I always knew there was something wrong with your semen’. But I do think that for both of them, it’s deepened our bond.” It’s impossible not to admire Blaker and his wife for their dedication to their family and the decisions they’ve made. Blaker concedes that he’s proud of himself – but “even prouder of my children”. He says being incredibly organised and having set routines – which he points out that kids, particularly those with special educational needs, love – has really helped the family over the years. But have he and Gemma ever had time for a break? In the past they’ve taken holidays without each other, leaving the other parent with the kids, just to get time away, he says. But he thinks taking a break is vital for carers, be they parents or otherwise, which is why he’s supporting Sense, the charity for people who are deafblind or have complex disabilities, with a new campaign highlighting the issue. The charity found 65% of carers are burnt-out or exhausted. “It’s really important to get a break, and it’s another reason why diagnoses can be crucial, because it opens up a wealth of help, like respite care,” says Blaker. “There’s a lot of help out there, but those things often need diagnoses. It’s like the magic key that opens everything up.” Ashley Blaker is supporting Sense’s new Give Carers a Break campaign. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Moschino celebrates 40 years of fashion with spectacular catwalk show From tailoring to florals: 5 key fashion trends to know for autumn/winter Cue the damson decor trend to snug up your space

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Easy to make, full of fresh flavour and healthy, tomato salads are perfect whether you’re looking for a light side dish, to jazz up your packed lunch or something super simple for dinner. British Tomato Fortnight (29 May-11 June) is a great excuse to try out some of our favourite tomato salad recipes. Putting together a Buddha bowl, which is infinitely adaptable to whatever you’ve got in the fridge, is a great place to start. The one below uses whizzed up cauliflower in place of rice, for an extra health kick. The roasted tomato, asparagus and feta salad is all about quality ingredients and simplicity, which make a real feel-good dish. Lastly, combine roasted tomatoes with some of the freshest flavours of spring to make a warm salad with purple-sprouting broccoli, halloumi and anchovies. Delicious. Tomato Buddha bowl Using fresh Piccolos, we’ve created this deconstructed “fajita” Buddha bowl featuring “rice” made from whizzed up cauliflower. Delicious. Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 red onions 2 red peppers Olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 x 400g can black beans 2 tbsp cider vinegar Generous pinch smoked paprika 1 red chilli, halved Lime juice, to taste 2 corn on the cob, halved 1 cauliflower, chopped 1 heaped tsp cumin seeds 350g Piccolo cherry tomatoes To serve: 1 avocado, sliced 4 radishes, sliced Small handful coriander leaves Lime wedges Chipotle paste (optional) Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Cut the red onion into wedges and slice the red pepper into quarters. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. Heat some oil in a pan and add the garlic. Fry for a few minutes over a low heat. Drain the black beans, retaining a little of the water they came in. Add the beans to the pan with the cider vinegar and smoked paprika. Add the halved chilli to the pan. Cook the beans for about 15 minutes, adding a splash of the retained can water if they start to dry out. Add a splash of lime juice at the end of the cooking time. Meanwhile, cook the corn in a pan of boiling water for about five minutes until slightly soft but not completely tender. Drain and dry the corn. Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it looks like grains. Dry fry the cumin seeds in a non-stick frying pan and then remove from the pan. Add a dash of oil and the cauliflower and fry until toasted. Add the cumin back to the pan. Keep warm.Heat a griddle pan and griddle the boiled corn on the cob halves until nicely charred. Set aside the corn and then char the Piccolo cherry tomatoes in the griddle pan. Serve the cauliflower in bowls, topped with the black beans. Arrange the red onions, red peppers, sliced avocado, radishes, coriander leaves, sweetcorn, lime wedges and Piccolo cherry tomatoes on top. Serve with a dash of chipotle paste if liked. Roasted tomato, asparagus, and feta salad This salad is all about quality ingredients and simplicity. Roasted Piccolo cherry tomatoes and asparagus flecked with fennel seeds, lemon zest and feta make a real feel-good dish. Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed 400g Piccolo cherry tomatoes, still on the vine Extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, finely sliced 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 sprigs rosemary 30g feta 1 lemon, zest of 1 lemon, and dash of the juice Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Method: Preheat the oven to 190C/170C/gas 5. Place the asparagus and Piccolo cherry tomatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Scatter over the garlic and fennel seeds. Lay the rosemary sprigs on the side. Roast for about 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is cooked through. Remove from the oven and crumble over the feta. Add the zest, lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with a dash more olive oil. You may not need to season with salt as the feta will bring salt to the dish already. Warm salad of roasted tomatoes, purple-sprouting broccoli, halloumi and anchovy Combine roasted Piccolos with some of the freshest flavours of spring to make this easy salad with the addition of chopped anchovy in the dressing. Time: 45 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 200g whole Piccolo cherry tomatoes, off the vine 1 whole garlic bulb 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Few sprigs thyme 250g new potatoes, or ideally Jersey Royal, halved 250g block halloumi, sliced 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 4 anchovies, finely chopped 200g purple-sprouting broccoli, broken into small florets Small bunch fresh mint, chopped Freshly ground black pepper Method: Heat the oven to 170C fan/gas 3 (fan). Put the Piccolo cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin, break the garlic bulb up into cloves and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Nestle the thyme sprigs in with the tomatoes and roast for 20 minutes. Drain off the liquid to set aside for the dressing. Once cool enough to handle, pop the garlic out of each clove and set aside. Boil the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through - this will depend on the size of the potatoes. Heat a griddle to hot and griddle the sliced halloumi until nicely browned and cooked through. For the dressing, measure out 2 tablespoons of the reserved Piccolo cooking liquid into a small bowl, add the two tablespoons of vinegar, four tablespoons of olive oil and the chopped anchovies. Whisk together. Heat another tablespoon of oil in a pan or wok and add the broccoli. Cook for a minute, then tip in the drained potatoes, once they are covered in the oil, add the tomatoes and garlic to the pan and stir. Remove from the heat. Arrange the warm salad on four plates, top with the halloumi and pour over the dressing. Finish with a little freshly ground black pepper and the chopped mint. Serve warm. Learn more about British Tomato Fortnight at britishtomatoes.co.uk/british-tomato-fortnight Read More These recipes will keep you hydrated on hot days Try one of these pasta recipes this British Tomato Fortnight Uncorked: How do I keep my wine cool at a picnic? Banging brunch recipes worth getting out of bed for Think pink: Three ways with rhubarb to make the most of the season ‘Indian food is so much more than rubbish chicken tikka masala’

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