Alex Batty: 'I spent years emotionally preparing for my escape'

Alex Batty said he doesn't want his mum to go to prison in his first live TV appearance since his return to the UK. The 17-year-old told hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley he spent years 'emotionally preparing' to leave his mother and grandfather, adding that he 'knew it was time'.

He was found by a delivery driver walking along a road in southern France on December 13. When asked if he thought he would ever see his mother or grandfather again he said he probably wouldn't, but added it was 'okay' as 'they know I'm alright and I know they're alright'. Try MEN Premium now with our amazing New Year offer...

just click here to give it a go. Speaking on the ITV breakfast show, Alex told hosts he was 'actually quite happy' to be in France 'for the first few years' as he hadn't been living with his mum in England, but that over the last few years he had realised he was 'isolated' from his peers with only books and films to keep him company. "There was a moment this all got too much, a couple of years ago," Richard Madeley asked. "What plans did you start making?" Alex replied: "It wasn't really physical but more emotional plans to try and big myself up for leaving my mum and my grandad because of course that was putting them at risk," he replied. "I had thoughts of coming back to England at 14 and I talked to them [mum and grandfather] about leaving when I was 16. "For my mum it was an absolute no go for her." When asked if he had any 'second thoughts' about walking away, the 17-year-old said he was 'certain', describing the day he chose to leave as 'just a normal day'. "I just realised it was time," he continued. "It was around 7pm when I realised I have got to go.