Tom Hollander says being a new dad is "wonderful" after spending years thinking he would never have children.

'The White Lotus' star, 56, became a first-time father last year when he welcomed a baby boy with his partner Fran Hickman, 39, and he's now admitted he spent years thinking he would never have children but he started to regret his decision not to start a family.

Tom opened up about fatherhood in an emotional interview on 'LIVE with Kelly and Mark', revealing he's been enjoying his new role in life. He said: "It's a wonderful thing.

"I sort of spent many years not really thinking that I was going to be a dad or even wanting to be a dad. Laterally, I started to regret that, and suddenly it was ... suddenly he's here so that's lovely."

When host Mark Consuelos declared new babies "make you feel younger", Tom replied: "Well yes younger and ... older."

Tom went on to admit his elderly parents were thrilled to finally have a grandchild. He added: "They are [thrilledf]. They'd long given up on me. And they're in their late 80s ... It is [so special for them]."

Tom has yet to reveal any further details about his new baby, including his name. The actor and his girlfriend were previously engaged but they called off their relationship in 2020, but the couple got back together during the COVID-19 lockdowns

He previously opened up about his thought on becoming a dad in an interview with the Guardian newspaper back in 2011, admitting he just hadn't got around to "sorting it out".

Tom told the publication: "I'd love to be a dad, it's just that I've not managed to sort it out ... Yes, of course [I'd love to settle down]. And I do occasionally think: 'How have I managed not to settle down when I came from such a settled-down family?'"