EXCLUSIVE: Charlotte Dawson, daughter of comedy legend Les Dawson, shares emotional Father's Day tribute after losing her famous dad when she was just eight months old07:07, 21 Jun 2026Updated 07:07, 21 Jun 2026Father’s Day is always a bittersweet occasion for Charlotte Dawson. While the reality star celebrates fiancé Matthew Sarsfield, 34, who she shares three adorable children with, the special day is also a poignant reminder of the father she lost far too soon.‌Comedy legend Les Dawson died of a heart attack in 1993, when Charlotte was just eight months old. Famous for his mother-in-law jokes and hit shows like Blankety Blank, Les was enjoying a new lease of life with second wife Tracy when tragedy struck.‌While Charlotte, 33, has clearly inherited her dad’s funny bones, often making light of life on social media, she admits Father’s Day is always tough.‌“It’s really emotional and I wish he was here,” she says sadly. “On Father’s Day, it really does hit home.”‌Reflecting on what life was like growing up without a dad, she admits it was painful “not knowing him fully” as she was so young.“I had to get to know him through pictures and videos,” she says. “I’m very lucky, because some people don’t have that. There’s this massive legacy that I’ve got as well, but to be honest, I’d prefer to drop all that and have him back.“The hardest thing is not having a dad there and having that person to go to and talk to. Especially around the kids as well.”‌She has described her mum Tracy as “my icon, my hero, my best friend”. She adds, “My mum is beautiful inside and out and has done an amazing job of keeping my dad’s memory alive while I was growing up. He would be so proud of her.”Meanwhile Tracy, now 75, has spoken of Charlotte’s resemblance to her father, once saying, “I can see Les so strongly all the time in Charlotte. I see him in her mannerisms, the things she says, the way she acts. Like Les, she doesn’t take life too seriously.”Now she has her own family – Noah, five, Jude, two, and 15-month-old Gigi – Charlotte is adamant her dad will live on through her kids.‌She even has a cardboard cut-out of Les in her home. “Gigi puts her hand on it,” she says. “They know all about him. If they see a butterfly they say, ‘It’s Grandad.’”‌Seeing his face in clips makes her laugh and, while he may no longer be with us, she fondly pays tribute to the “warm, loving man that I’m lucky enough to call my dad and the kids can call their grandad”.Former Ex On The Beach star Charlotte’s madcap humour is a reminder the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.Charlotte is famous for making fans laugh with her hilarious Instagram videos, in which she pokes fun at herself and highlights the challenges she faces as a mum to three young children.‌From a video of her crying in the shower eating a chocolate bar, to another where she’s running around in her underwear, grabbing her belly and pulling faces at the camera, her feed is refreshingly unfiltered. It’s no surprise she has more than a million followers on Instagram alone.Sadly, there are the inevitable downsides to putting yourself out there in an online world where everyone has an opinion, and Charlotte says there have been loads of times where she’s wanted to become anonymous.‌“I do have my ups and downs and when I see a negative comment, it does get to me,” she admits. “I’m not all sunshine and roses every day. And you do see the nasty comments more than the positive ones, which is frustrating. But you have to learn to deal with it.”Charlotte receives vile comments about her appearance, but those that hurt the most are the ones attacking her family, including her late dad and son Noah.“They’ve said things about my dad and I’ve had [a picture] of “Noah Dawson” on a gravestone before – my own son,” she reveals. “It was from a fake account. When it is about my kids, it does get to me and sometimes I think, ‘Should I stop showing them?’ But I’m not really like that. I like to show my life and kids.”‌Once, she was even reported to social services by a troll who accused her of giving her son alcohol. “We found out who it was,” she says. “It was hard, because I was getting it [the comments] when I was pregnant with Jude and I went into labour early.“Social services were lovely. They rang the police on this person and told me who it was. It’s crazy how someone can be so obsessed with trying to ruin my life.”Despite Charlotte being wholly innocent, the investigation inevitably took its toll. “I cried and cried,” she says. “I was thinking of horrible things, like what if I got my kids taken off me? It was a nightmare situation, but we dealt with it as a family and realised this person is sick.”‌Now, Charlotte is putting the turmoil behind her and looking to the future. “I want to get back on TV and back on stage,” says the star, who has appeared on Celebs Go Dating . “I’d love to do the jungle and Strictly, because I feel like it’s meant to be for me.“The outfits, the tan… and Blackpool is my hometown. I would like to get into comedy as well and do stand-up.”‌Over the years, Charlotte has battled with her weight, fluctuating from size 6 to size 18. “I’m never going to lose that pouch,” she says, pointing to her tummy. “But I’m not really bothered now. I would love to get my boobs done and my bunions. I’ve got good boobs when they’re in a bra, but when I take it off, they nearly end up next to my bunions.“I’ve started doing spinning and sculpt. It’s nice to get out with my friends, get to the gym, get out of the chaos.“Me and Matthew have said we need to have a bit of time together now. We don’t have a minute to sit down, so we need to get that back.”Article continues belowNot that adding to her brood would be out of the question. “I do love a loud, crazy house,” she laughs. “Three is like having 10 kids, so imagine four!“I’d love another girl so Gigi has a sister, but I’m so indecisive. For now, I’m happy with the dynamic I’ve got.”Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .