George Hook breaks down discussing his treatment of his parents on the Miriam O'Callaghan show

Former RTÉ rugby analyst and Newstalk host George Hook showed his emotional side on live television when he spoke about his relationship with his parents in the years before they died.

Hook explained that personal problems, including bankruptcy, meant he neglected his relationship with his parents as they got older.

"I treated my parents so badly in their old age. I can never... not a day passes that I don't think about it," he said in an interview on the Saturday Night with Miriam O'Callaghan show.

He said he didn’t visit them enough in their final years, while he battled personal and professional problems.

Clearly still emotional about the past, he said: "Only a sh*t would do that."

George Hook gets emotional on Saturday Night with Miriam #miriam https://t.co/uTeTlkF2nh

— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) July 30, 2016

Despite the subject matter, there was a positive response to Hook's honesty and sincerity on Twitter.

#Miriam good interview with George Hook.

— Máire 🇵🇸 NiGiollaBhríde (@qualann) July 30, 2016