Wayne Brady announces he secretly welcomed a son with his ex Tina – as he hopes his little boy will never think: ‘My dad didn’t want me’

Wayne Brady announces he secretly welcomed a son with his ex Tina - as he hopes his little boy will never think: 'My dad didn't want me'

As a lifestyle expert and someone who has had the privilege of observing many families throughout my career, I can only imagine the complexity and emotion that comes with Wayne Brady’s recent announcement of welcoming a new son, Val Henry, with his ex-girlfriend Tina. The timing of this news, coupled with Brady’s public coming out as pansexual last August, adds another layer to an already intricate family dynamic.


Approximately a year ago, Wayne Brady and his former partner Tina quietly welcomed a new addition to their family – a son named Val Henry.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Tina and Wayne had an intermittent relationship. In the beginning of 2022, Tina found out she was carrying his child.

Weeks after the funeral of his grandmother Valerie Petersen, who raised him, the 52-year-old comedian discovered that Tina was pregnant.

After Valerie passed away, he paid tribute to her by giving their newborn son her name – now they have announced the birth of their child to the public.

Wayne expressed his hope to People magazine that Val would never have the feeling of being unwanted or ashamed by him as he grows up, and would not later look back with regret and think, “My dad didn’t care for me, or he was embarrassed by me.”

Wayne Brady announces he secretly welcomed a son with his ex Tina - as he hopes his little boy will never think: 'My dad didn't want me'

Wayne has a 21-year-old daughter named Maile from his previous marriage to Mandie Taketa, who is 48 years old. They were married from 1999 to 2007.

After her divorce from Wayne, Mandie developed a relationship with Jason Fordham, one of his backup dancers, who is 40 years old.

Mandie and Jason, who continue to be good friends with Wayne, currently raise a two-year-old boy named Sundance as a couple.

Way, Mandie, Jason, and Maile reside in close proximity to one another, with each location being a maximum eight-minute drive. They fondly call themselves the “Core Four.”

In his unique manner, Wayne yearns to bond with his newborn, assuring him of the same depth of love I have for Maile, whom I brought into existence through shared creation. Therefore, I felt compelled to put in the effort.

He admitted being taken aback at first when he discovered Tina was pregnant, and at one point even questioned in a naive manner, as many men supposedly have throughout history, “How is this possible?” Come on, you know the answer by now. Move on from that.

Wayne has the flexibility to make daily video calls with his new son via FaceTime and makes visits as frequently as possible, despite not residing close to Tina.

According to Wayne, the way he interacts with Val is extremely affectionate, described as “super sweet, because he’s the little one.” In contrast, when Maile was born, Wayne and his partner shared the role of parents while being together. Now, their co-parenting approach for Val is significantly distinct.

Wayne Brady announces he secretly welcomed a son with his ex Tina - as he hopes his little boy will never think: 'My dad didn't want me'
Wayne Brady announces he secretly welcomed a son with his ex Tina - as he hopes his little boy will never think: 'My dad didn't want me'
Wayne Brady announces he secretly welcomed a son with his ex Tina - as he hopes his little boy will never think: 'My dad didn't want me'

Wayne shared his parenting intentions, expressing, “I will foster his growth and allow him the freedom to be himself.”

He shared that Val may set limits but would always feel free to express himself. I still remember the sensation of being silenced, the feeling of a knot in my chest when I was expected to keep quiet. I hope Val will never experience this unwanted silence.

Jason, being a father of a toddler himself, expresses his eagerness to help Wayne by saying, “I can relate to your situation with Sundance, so I’d be happy to lend a hand.”

I recall him saying, “Go back to the diapers and such. That’s what popped into my mind…. I pondered, ‘Let’s keep these items. Sundance has outgrown them, but another little one is on the way.’ Then, I began thinking along those lines. ‘We already have this stroller.'”

Instead of “had mixed feelings,” you could also phrase it as “expressed a mix of emotions” or “was feeling ambivalent” when she learned about her father’s upcoming new baby.

Wayne Brady announces he secretly welcomed a son with his ex Tina - as he hopes his little boy will never think: 'My dad didn't want me'
Wayne Brady announces he secretly welcomed a son with his ex Tina - as he hopes his little boy will never think: 'My dad didn't want me'

Val’s arrival took us by surprise in many aspects, Maile clarified further, expressing: “I’ve come across the expression ‘if it’s not your circus, it’s not your monkeys.’ I thought, ‘Alright then, enjoy that. I am 21 now, and it’s no longer my responsibility.'”

“I believe we all have a chance to learn and develop during this experience, gaining valuable insights into our own behaviors and reactions.”

Val and Tina are happy to be part of Wayne Brady’s latest reality show, Wayne Brady: The Family Remix, which will air on Freeform, and she is delighted about their inclusion in the family program.

Last August, Wayne made news by publicly identifying as pansexual, meaning he is drawn to people of all sexual orientations, including those who identify as gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, or non-binary.

He additionally revealed that he had completed “every possible treatment,” going so far as to be labeled as having a “love addiction,” according to People.

The regular on Who’s Line Is It Anyway? expressed it this way: “This is a step in my experience. I needed to explore why I had been seeking self-discovery and happiness among so many others.”

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2024-07-25 18:52

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