November 30th 2024.
The upcoming reality show, Meet The Rees-Moggs, has been the talk of the town since the news broke out about it airing on Discovery+ from December 2. For many people, including myself, it's a perfect choice for reality TV entertainment and a clever publicity move for the famous politician, Jacob Rees-Mogg. However, as I watched the trailer, I couldn't help but feel a sense of discomfort when his 15-year-old daughter, Mary, appeared on screen and openly talked about her family's posh accents.
I couldn't help but bury my face in my hands, knowing that this moment would inevitably be turned into a thousand memes. It's not just this one moment, but many others like it that will be captured on camera and shared for the world to see. As a parent, I can't help but wonder about the impact this will have on his children, who should feel safe and secure in their own home. It's a decision that may bring him great publicity, but one that he may regret in the long run.
I can relate to this situation, as I made a similar choice with my own children years ago. Back in 2013, I applied to be a part of a Finnish documentary called Au Pairit Lontoossa, which followed au pairs working in London. Through the production company, I got a free Finnish au pair for six weeks, and it was a blessing for me as a freelance journalist who needed help with my children. The idea of being on TV added a bit of glamour and excitement to my otherwise ordinary life.
With a Finnish au pair named Mira Lepistö living with us, a TV crew came to our house every week to film. My husband chose not to be involved, but my daughters were thrilled and excited about it. The whole process ran smoothly, and the crew was lovely to work with. However, when I watched the final footage, I was shocked to see how my daughters behaved differently in front of the camera. Just like Rees-Mogg's son, Sixtus, who playfully said, "his breath stinks" when asked about his father, my daughters also seemed to play up for the cameras.
It was a great TV moment, but one that I knew would follow them for years to come. I can only imagine the teasing Sixtus will receive from his school friends. In fact, a few years ago, one of my daughter's friends found the documentary online and made a funny video by taking a sound clip of her. While there was no malice intended, my daughter felt embarrassed and confessed to hating the way she came across on TV. My other daughter felt the same and was angry that I had exposed them to unwanted attention.
Watching the first episode of Meet The Rees-Moggs, it's evident that Jacob Rees-Mogg and his wife, Helena, don't hold back in front of the camera. At first, it may seem like they are poking fun at themselves, but it becomes clear that they genuinely enjoy dressing up in black tie attire for Friday evening suppers while the rest of us are having a bargain bucket. In this episode, their eldest children, Peter and Thomas, are safe at boarding school, but they are featured in the show's publicity shots. I fear that along with their younger siblings, Sixtus, Alfred, Anselm, and Mary, they may be at risk of bullying.
While they may have given their consent to be featured on the show, they are too young to understand the potential consequences, such as trolling, bullying, or future embarrassment. Children are not an extension of their parents, and it's the adults' responsibility to protect their privacy. When you appear on TV or in print, a version of yourself is preserved for eternity, easily accessible and ready to haunt you. What if a future employer or partner sees it? This is something that adults can handle, but children are vulnerable and rely on adults to shield them from unwanted attention.
As someone who has appeared on TV, I know how it feels to have a past version of yourself preserved for eternity. I understand the fascination with the Rees-Moggs' lifestyle, and I, too, was shocked to see that they have the same nanny, Veronica Cook, who looked after Jacob as a baby. However, watching their children act up for the cameras made me cringe. Unlike their father, they have not received any media training and don't have the life experience to handle the spotlight. They could end up as collateral damage for their father's PR purposes.
It's great television, but I can't help but think that Jacob Rees-Mogg should have left his children out of it. Let's hope that for his sake, they can forgive him. Do you have a similar experience? I'd love to hear your story. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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