All political leaders feel the need to lay bare the details of their private lives . But Nigel Farage may have taken it too far , with a TV interview in which he discusses his love of skinny-dipping in the icy waters of the English Channel as a boy . The 51-year-old also discussed his battle with testicular cancer , keeping his children out of the public eye and how he plans to go on and on as Ukip leader - until 2030 . Scroll down for video . Leaning on a seawall in Deal , Kent , Ukip leader Nigel Farage told ITV 's Julie Etchingham about his childhood , family and his plans to go on and on . Mr Farage resisted the temptation to let the ITV cameras into this home , perhaps after Ed Miliband 's problems with his second kitchen . Instead he was interview by the Tonight programme 's Julie Etchingham on the seafront at Deal , where he grew up . Mr Farage revealed that as a schoolboy he 'always questioned authority ' He described his childhood of 'youthful excess ' but gave few details . Asked if he had enjoyed some lively nights out in the clubs of the Kent town , he replied : 'Oh gosh , absolutely no comment haha . ' Asked if his high jinks included the sea , he confess : 'Well I did a bit of skinny dipping and a few things like that in the middle of the night , yes . 'Youthful excess . It got very cold , erm . It does need some parameters and some boundaries ; I probably had fewer than most . ' As a boy he enjoyed more 'freedom ' than children today . 'Kids were allowed out you know with sandwiches and a bottle of water and a bike and off you went and did things for the day . ' He would go out and collect things , including 'pot lids and bottles and old clay pipes and all sorts of things ' . He admitted : 'As I got older and into my teens I got more and more difficult . I always questioned authority . I guess a bit of a wind up merchant really . ' This schoolboy trait has now become part of his political persona . 'Well , being in the European Parliament was an extension of being in school and questioning authority , yes . Look you know to have a healthy vibrant democracy you need people that question authority . ' In the programme , to be broadcast tonight , Mr Farage also discussed the impact of his father leaving home when he was just five . 'Well these things happen , he got over it and made a success of his life . We had some problems when I was a kid but not that bad , ' he said . Mr Farage resisted the temptation to let the ITV cameras into this home , perhaps after Ed Miliband 's problems with his second kitchen . He reflected on his own mortality when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in his early twenties . ' I was very emotional about it . Well my memory is that I was 21 years old and I had testicular cancer and one of my thoughts through that period was that perhaps I won ’ t be able to have children , then having children , first child was a very big moment . I was very emotional about it . ' I ’ ve been very lucky . I 've got four - two boys , two girls , they 're fit and healthy . You 're not going to see pictures because I ’ m keeping them out of the public view . But they are all doing well in life and I am pleased about that . ' He discussed how he says prayers 'sometimes ' , most recently for his family after they became trapped in a pub surrounded by a gang of protesters . 'The only prayers I would ever say actually would be which after last Sunday ( when his family were scared by protesters during a Sunday lunch ) perhaps is more appropriate you know would be for my family , to be well and to be happy and be strong and I do sometimes think that what I am doing is making their lives a bit difficult . ' As a hobby , Mr Farage would go out and collect things , including 'pot lids and bottles and old clay pipes and all sorts of things ' He said that being Ukip leader did not necessarily prepare him for the level of interest , and opposition in recent months . 'Well you see if I got into the Conservative Party , one of the big parties and became an MP and was on a career path , perhaps you could have anticipated longer term what some of the costs might have been , because this was you know a little rabble army that suddenly became quite a big political party , so it 's , some of it has come as a bit of a surprise yeah . ' But he insisted he has no plans to quit , despite suggesting in earlier interviews that he would stand down if he does not win the target seat of Thanet South on May 7 . ' I have decided I will stand down before the 2030 general election , ' he said with a laugh . ' I have barely started . '
Ukip leader discusses childhood , his father leaving home and cancer . Insists he will never use his own children in party political stunts . Says he has no plans to quit , and could go on until the 2030 election . Tonight : Spotlight – Nigel Farage is on the European Parliament at 7.30pm tonight .