I don’t know about you, but I’ll never forget that BBC video where a man, working from home, signed on for an interview. During, his young daughter – then his son in a walker – adorably interrupted.
That would have been funny enough, but then his wife flew into the room in an attempt to remove the kids, and it’s just so funny, y’all. Watch it, if you haven’t (or go ahead and watch it again if you haven’t, because you know you want to).
"When your kids crash your TV interview"😂 @Robert_E_Kelly was interrupted by his children live on @BBCWorld, and they're adorable! #dadlife pic.twitter.com/sSoePTFOV9
— New City Times (@newcitytimes) March 10, 2017
Now, we’ve got an updated version!
Pandemic expert Dr. Clare Wenham is an assistant professor in global health policy at the London School of Economics. She was being interviewed about the pandemic and England’s handling of it when her small daughter, Scarlett, appeared on the screen.
The child was talking loudly and asking questions, climbing up on her mother’s desk (as kids do). She wanted to know where her mother wanted to put a picture of a unicorn that she’d picked up from a shelf.
Image Credit: YouTube
“Scarlett, I think it looks better on the lower shelf…and it’s a lovely unicorn,” Dr. Wenham said, pulling her attention from the intervew.
Scarlett noticed the man on the screen. “Mummy, what’s his name?”
“My name is Christian,” the interviewer, Mr. Fraser, replied.
“Christian, I’m just deciding where it can go and where mummy wants it to go.”
“I think just on that shelf is great, thank you,” Dr. Wenham told her before turning back to the camera. “I’m so sorry.”
“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
The interviewer was gracious and good-humored, describing the exchange as “the most informative interview” he’d had all day.
No reason to be sorry @clarewenham – a complete gem that has probably made everybody’s day a bit better
— Stuart (@StuartofLeeds) July 1, 2020
The whole exchange is so relatable to parents everywhere who have been juggling working from home with caring for small kids, and the outpouring of support has been heartwarming.
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
I do think it’s notable that this woman didn’t have whoever was supposed to be watching Scarlett attempting to distract the kid so that the doctor could get back to the interview.
@clarewenham managing to parent and simultaneously be clear and coherent about local lock-downs in a live T.V. interview is the new high bar for my adulting aspirations.
— Dominick Tyler (@thelandreader) July 1, 2020
Perhaps he didn’t notice she was gone.
Props to you, Dr. Wenham. We all feel your mixture of pain (being interrupted at work) and pleasure (being home to answer questions about unicorn pictures) that’s become the norm these days.
Keep on.