About being the 'default parent' in a family

Rob Beckett's wife Lou has landed a book deal. 

The former teacher – who regularly features on the Parenting Hell podcast with her husband and fellow comic Josh Widdicombe – is writing  a ‘candid, humorous and deeply relatable’ parenting guide.

 Lessons From A Default Parent: Surviving The Front Line of Family Life (Without Losing Your Sh*t) will be published by DK Red on February 16..

She married Beckett in 2015 and they have two daughters, aged about seven and nine. Earlier this year the comic said he’d be stepping back from live work once his current Giraffe tour is over to spend more time with his family. 

The publishers  say Lou’s book ‘delves into the unseen realities of modern family life, providing a candid, humorous and deeply relatable look at what it means to be the "default parent".

‘From assumptions surrounding who is going to stay at home with the kids to the never-ending list of school admin, being "the default parent"  rears its head in a plethora of ways.’

They add that the book is ‘written with warmth and humour’ and speaks directly to the parent who takes on the lion’s share of organising and emotional labour in a family.

A plethora of comedy stars have provided quotes for the book’s cover including Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe, Jo Brand, Michael McIntyre and Josh Widdicombe

McIntyre joked: ‘Lou is certainly an expert on all things parenting; not only has she raised two wonderful children she has also put up with her husband Rob, who has been teething for 38 years.’

 Lessons From A Default Parent can be ordered from Amazon, priced £17.49 in hardback or £9.99 on Kindle  – or from uk.bookshop.org, below, which supports independent bookstores.

Published: 30 Sep 2025