Dan Walker took to Twitter on Wednesday evening to share a different side of him that fans never expected.
MORE: Dan Walker defends Strictly's Shirley Ballas following barrage of online abuse
The former BBC Breakfast host shared his own story of brotherly rivalry following shock headlines about Prince Harry's forthcoming book 'Spare'. The Duke of Sussex has claimed this week that a physical altercation took place between him and his older brother, Prince William, at Nottingham Cottage in 2019.
WATCH: BBC Breakfast's Dan Walker gives rare insight into family life in new video
Strictly star Dan, 45, tweeted: "I got asked today what is the worst thing I ever did to my brother… I once threw a rugby ball up the stairs to him. It went through his hands, hit the loft catch and the ladder came down at great speed and knocked him clean out!"
RELATED: Princess Anne's Olympic accident that left her 'unable to remember'
READ: Peter Andre's doctor wife shares invaluable tips for children's first aid
© Photo: InstagramDan posted this photo of Prince William and Prince Harry as he reflected
Dan tagged the post #SiblingDamage which has been trending online since Wednesday when the alleged fight became a hot topic worldwide.
Dan quickly clarified that his sparring with siblings has not caused damage, but the confession was only the tip of the iceberg in a series of escalating family incidents involving a boisterous young Dan and his brother requiring crutches. "I should add that plenty was done back to me," Dan hasted to add.
READ: 5 life-saving first aid tips for parents to know
DISCOVER: Dan Walker divides fans with surprising home update
One mischievous childhood prank that went badly wrong regrettably ended with one of Dan's siblings ending up recovering for weeks after a quick trip to the hospital.
"The low point came on the day I was sent to bed early after an argument. I put drawing pins through the carpet by our bedroom door and he stood on them when he came in. One got stuck and had to be cut out at A & E." Dan recalled the incident vividly and illustrated the anecdote with a 'nauseated face' emoji. "…The poor fella was on crutches for weeks" Dan added remorsefully.
Dan's supportive fans 'liked' his tweets, which left many reminiscing. "Oh the scraps me and my brother used to get into!," one fan wrote, while another replied: "Oohh dont get me started on the fights we had being one of 8 we could really fight too."
Some of the star's fans couldn't believe how cheeky the clean-cut family man used to be, with one joking: "Blimey Dan. You'd never know it to look at you!"
© Photo: InstagramDan's familiar smile lit up the dance floor on Strictly Come Dancing
In a scene like something out of the family film Home Alone, the pranks just kept coming: "There was also the time that I separated the loose electrical connection and put it inside the fantasy book he left down the side of his bed to read at night… it gave him… a big shock," the journalist, wrote, adding lighting strikes and a flushed face emoji for effect.
READ: Kate Middleton talks sibling rivalry between Prince George and Prince Louis
MORE: Drama for King Charles – just hours after he hosted royals at Christmas lunch
All is well these days and Dan assured fans once again that he shares a loving bond with his siblings. His final tweet read: "In all seriousness… I’m very thankful that all 4 of us get along really well despite all the #SiblingDamage over the years."
While Dan admitted that he had "laughed his head off" at reading fan stories tagged #SiblingDamage, he shared positive wishes for families experiencing struggles, without directly addressing the royal origin of the social media interest. "It’s incredibly sad to see any family struggling to get on. I hope they can sort it out," he wrote.
Like this story? Sign up to our HELLO! newsletters to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
