Aitch appears on The Assembly tonight (April 22), with the rapper – real name Harrison Armstrong – opening up about his close bond with sister Gracie and why he believes her Down Syndrome is “a blessing”.
Gracie, 16, was born with Down Syndrome, but Aitch has always spoken positively about the condition – and tonight’s episode sees him reflect on how she’s shaped his life.
Aitch on why he wanted to appear on The Assembly
During tonight’s episode, Aitch tells the team of neurodivergent interviewers that he’d never actually watched the show before signing up.
However, he admits there was one very personal reason for taking part – his sister.
Speaking ahead of the show, he said: “The Assembly experience for me was absolutely unreal. It was a breath of fresh air and it gave me faith in humanity. It was one of the most fun things I’ve done in a while. I didn’t really know what to expect and I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into. But after I’d left the building, I wanted to do it every day for the next two weeks!”
Aitch – an ambassador for the Down’s Syndrome Association – added that he wanted to appear to “raise awareness and educate people to have a more positive view of people with disabilities”.
“Another reason was to make the people who are on The Assembly feel equal and just have some vibes with them lot. I wasn’t going on it with the sole intent of showing love to the Down’s Syndrome Association; it was more just showing love to everyone with a disability.”
Aitch says sister Gracie’s Down Syndrome is ‘a blessing’
Gracie – who is a twin – has Down Syndrome, but Aitch has long insisted it’s something to celebrate, not feel sorry about.
Speaking previously, he said: “I don’t want anyone to be like disheartened or feel [bleep] if they do find out someone in the family’s got Down Syndrome. It’s a blessing.
“You’re going to have the best time of your life as long as you’re spending it with that person. My main thing, really and truly, is because I don’t want Down Syndrome to be seen as a negative thing. And I don’t want anyone to have the reply of: ‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,’ because it’s just definitely not the case. They’re the best people in the world.”
His emotional comments on abortion laws
At the time, Aitch also spoke candidly about current abortion laws relating to Down Syndrome.
He said: “I’ve just learned certain things over the years that make me a bit sad. In terms of you can be a day before giving birth, and if you find out your child’s got Down Syndrome, you can still have the option to terminate it.
“Whereas in another situation, if your kid doesn’t have that, you’ve only got a certain amount of time before you can abort.”
How Gracie ‘changed his life’
Gracie rose to wider fame after appearing on screen with Aitch during I’m A Celebrity, with their bond quickly winning over viewers.
Opening up about her, he said: “It’s not even about how to handle it, it’s about how you view it. They’re the best people in the world. Obviously, everyone would say this about their siblings but forget that she’s my sister, she is the sickest person I’ve ever met!
“I’ve heard different stories over the years of how kids with Down syndrome get treated and that and it just makes me feel sick.”
He has also credited her with shaping the person he is today.
“I wouldn’t even be half the person I am if she wasn’t here. And she actually teaches you lessons that you don’t even realise until after. She changed my life.
“She used to grab my face before I went to bed and say: ‘Harrison, don’t be afraid.’”
He added: “It’s taught me, and this is going to sound bad, but it’s taught me more to treat everyone the same. And to understand that everyone is a human.”
Read more: Shona McGarty on why she wouldn’t say no to I’m A Celebrity co-star Aitch
The Assembly is on ITV1 at 10.05pm tonight (April 22).
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