The 40-year-old Take That star said that Daniel, 11, Emily, nine, and Daisy, two, don't care that their daddy is a pop star, but being an X Factor judge is a whole different matter.
'The reason I did The X Factor is because my kids love it and it's so seldom your kids engage with what you're doing work-wise,' he explained to The Sun.
'My son sits playing Nintendo all the way through my concerts. They're not mad about what I do, but being a judge on The X Factor they couldn't believe it.
'They were absolutely made up.'