Rishi Sunak describes going without SkyTV growing up in controversial new interview

The prime minister has shared his experience of growing up without premium TV as he revealed he went without “lots of things” as a child.

The controversial new interview has led to ridicule from some viewers as Rishi Sunak discussed the sacrifices made by his parents in order to afford his private education, including the lack of Sky TV in the household.

Sunak studied at the private boarding school Winchester College in Hampshire and now the 44-year-old has an estimated fortune of £651 million with his wife Akshata Murty.

Rishi Sunak had to grow up without Sky TV (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

He made the comments during the filming of The Leadership Interviews: Rishi Sunak which airs at 7pm tonight on ITV.

Interviewer Paul Brand asked Sunak: "When you are wealthier than the King, what do you do day to day to make sure you stay in touch with the kind of struggles ordinary people face? Have you ever gone without something?"

Sunak initially responded by talking about his family emigrating to the UK before being pushed for an answer on what he didn't have while growing up.

The PM replied: “There’ll be all sorts of things that I would’ve wanted as a kid that I couldn’t have. Famously, Sky TV, so that was something that we never had growing up actually.”

He then went on to say: “What is more important is my values and how I was raised. And I was raised in a household where hard work was really important … service to your community was important.

“And my parents worked very hard for what they had and they wanted their kids to have a better life.”

The prime minister has been ridiculed by some viewers (Stefan Rousseau/POOL/AFP)

The comments haven’t gone down well with many viewers, with some taking to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts.

One user posted: “I literally don’t know anyone who had Sky growing up and I’m the same age as Sunak. He should just stop pretending, it’s so embarrassing.”

A second joked: “I have a confession. My parents scrimped and saved and worked hard to send me to a comprehensive school. They did make sure we had cable TV though.”

Another said: “I did without Sky TV as a child. Mainly because it didn’t start until 1989.”

While a fourth added: “Sky…tv. That was his big sacrifice growing up. Going without Sky…. Tv.”

The full interview will air tonight but it’s fair to say that many of the British public are unimpressed with his comments so far.