World media reacts to Neve interrupting Jacinda Ardern's Facebook Live

  • 11/11/2021

What started as a fairly typical Facebook Live from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has become a viral video which has gone global, featuring on some of the world's most well-known news websites.

Ardern was providing her followers on Facebook with an update on the Government's COVID-19 response, including when Aucklanders will move to the traffic light system, when she was interrupted by someone up past her bedtime

"Mummy", the Prime Minister's three-year-old daughter Neve can be heard saying off-camera.

"You're meant to be in bed darling," Ardern said, turning to speak to her daughter. "It's bedtime darling. Pop back to bed, I'll come and see you in a second."

Ardern's mother came and took Neve back to bed, with the Prime Minister proclaiming the situation a "bedtime fail" before returning to talking about the COVID response again. 

But Neve was holding the Prime Minister to her promise to come and see her, returning and leading Ardern to end her Facebook Live.

The moment has now gone global, with a number of media outlets picking up on the sweet interaction. 

"Working from home can be tricky for parents, even when you're the Prime Minister of New Zealand," began NBC with a story about Ardern's interruption. The US media outlet compared it to the famous instance when political analyst Robert Kelly was interrupted by his child while on a live video call with the BBC.

The Daily Mail Australia said Ardern's "adorable daughter" had "stolen the show by staying up past her bedtime to gatecrash her mum's COVID-19 briefing". 

The story was picked up by wire services Reuters and Agence France-Presse. 

The Reuters version described Neve as a "tiny gatecrasher" who had "twice grabbed centre stage". The three-year-old was also labelled "unabashed" for returning to interrupt a second time.

CNN wrote that Ardern had faced "unexpected comments as she addressed the nation, not from the opposition, or from an angry citizen, but from her daughter". 

"The Prime Minister's struggle no doubt struck a chord with parents around the world who have battled to balance working from home and childcare."

It's the first time in recent weeks that Neve has made headlines. Late in October, she caught attention after being "told off" by Ardern for "sneaking out of the house to use her new trampoline" while dressed as Wonder Woman.