- Tags:
- bbc
- Sky News
- Social media viral
- uk
Dr Clare Wenham’s daughter Scarlett climbed on the desk as she was talking about lockdown amid the pandemic. (Source: BBC News/ Twitter)
Two children are now internet sensations after they barged in during live broadcasts in which their respective mothers were participating. Many have commented that there’s nothing to be embarrassed about given it is the ‘new normal’ on social media.
In the first instance, Dr Clare Wenham was was being interviewed by the BBC on the issue of local lockdowns in the UK when her daughter Scarlett turned up and started talking to her. The girl was seen waving a picture of a unicorn, and appeared undecided on where to place it on a shelf behind her mother.
The assistant professor of global health policy at the London School of Economics tried to keep talking, but Scarlett continued to try to get her attention, finally climbing on the desk waving her artwork. Wenham eventually lifted her and put her down but Scarlett then walked to the back of the room to try find a spot for the picture. But what really won hearts online was the presenter at the studio sharing his opinion on where the photo should be placed.
Seeing BBC presenter Christian Fraser was trying to talk to her, she asked her mother twice, “Mummy what’s his name?”
“Mummy what’s his name?”
Dr Clare Wenham, we understand your struggles of working from home and looking after children 😂https://t.co/vXb15EQatL pic.twitter.com/4f3PODtJWA
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) July 1, 2020
Soon afterwards, a similar incident took place on Sky News. The channel’s foreign affairs editor, Deborah Haynes was interrupted by her son during the interview when he walked into the room and asked for biscuits.
Haynes apologised on-air for the interruption and told her child he could have two. However, unlike in the case of BBC, her interview was cut short. The camera cut back to news anchor Mark Austin who said, “We’ll leave Deborah Haynes in full flow there with some family duties,” adding “that’s what happens during lockdown.”
The little boy’s clever cameo was appreciated by many on social media, and Haynes later tweeted to everyone’s delight that her son’s “high-stakes negotiating skills netted him two chocolate digestives”.
Thank you for the lovely comments after my son’s impromptu appearance mid-live-broadcast. I can confirm that his high-stakes negotiating skills netted him two chocolate digestives https://t.co/OQRGiMNih2
— Deborah Haynes (@haynesdeborah) July 1, 2020
The two videos were shared widely and many said they were familiar with the challenges of working from home while dealing with children. And while there was praise for the BBC anchor, some criticised the Sky News anchor’s remark.
😂😂. Ah purely lovely. Laughed at pure professional attitude of the interview ( with a lovely human aspect). Well done
— WanderingSoul (@Wanderi15011358) July 1, 2020
This is how real life looks like 😂👏🏽
— Little Pink Hair Lady (@littlepinkhairs) July 1, 2020
This has been my life (and that of thousands of other parents, I guess) for the last 4 months 😅 ♥️
— Flavio Boubli (@FlavioBoubli) July 1, 2020
This is normal everyday conference calls where I work. A few seconds talking to a child didn’t alter the main purpose of the interview.
— 🕷ɥsoɯ 🇪🇺 (@_mosh_j_) July 1, 2020
I love this. It shows the fact that we don’t have to be formal and ‘robotic’ always, we are humans and unexpected things happen the ways we deal with it matters. The situation would have been awkward if the interviewer didn’t adjust to the situation. Kudos to @BBCNEWS team
— Bello Abdultoyyib (@BAbdultoyyib) July 1, 2020
This relaxed and realistic view of remote working etc should be our new norm… be in the present ❤️
— Matt A Collins (@mattacollinseng) July 1, 2020
Wonderful to see the realities of homeworking for parents. And thank you to the presenter for making it OK and for talking to the child too.
— Heather de Gruyther (@revheatherdg) July 1, 2020
you had absolutely no need to be embarassed- it brightened my day and a lot of other people’s too! I’m glad he got his biscuits and shame on sky for feeling the need to cut away- reporters can be mums it’s not embarassing or something that needs to be hidden!
— saz (@sarahlostctrl) July 1, 2020
How professional of Scarlet to ask the name before engaging in a conversation! Lovely!
— Hassan (@_hali_) July 1, 2020
He knew what he was doing – gaining leverage in the snack negotiations. If mum hadn’t been on the telly, he’d have ended up with a piece of fruit. Two biscuits – great result.
— Barnaby Patchett (@barnabarian) July 1, 2020
Poor showing from @SkyNews. No need to cut her off.
— Ashley Theophane (@AshleyTheophane) July 1, 2020
What a miserable and rude response from the news anchor @SkyNews
— Dr Jane Monckton Smith (@JMoncktonSmith) July 1, 2020
The clips also prompted many to recall the case of Professor Robert E Kelly’s BBC interview in March 2017 that was interrupted by both his children and became a sensation globally.