Jacinda Ardern’s live Covid-19 update didn’t exactly go to plan after her daughter adorably gatecrashed her video - proving that even the New Zealand prime minister struggles with bedtime.
The incident took place while Ardern was using Facebook Live from home to provide an update on cabinet changes amid the easing of the Delta outbreak in the country. Easing will begin in Auckland from Wednesday while, in the coming weeks, lockdown restrictions are set to be phase out.
But the briefing was quickly derailed when, a few minutes into her live video, Ardern’s three-year-old daughter Neve could be heard calling “Mummy.”
“You’re meant to be in bed darling,” Ardern tells her as she looks to the left off her screen.
“It’s bedtime darling, pop back to bed, I’ll come and see you in a second,” she added. “I’ll come and see you in a minute, OK? Nanny will take you down to bed.”
Neve is then taken to bed by her grandmother - Ardern’s mum.
After the unplanned interruption, Ardern apologised to viewers.
“Sorry everyone, I thought ‘here’s a moment, I’ll do a Facebook Live, we’re nice and safe,” she said
“Does anyone else have kids who escape three or four times after bedtime? Thankfully, my mum’s here.”
But just when Ardern thought she was in the clear, Neve returned to interrupt her mum for a second time to ask what the delay was in wishing her goodnight.
“I’m sorry darling, it is taking so long, okay,” Ardern responded.
After the two interruptions, the prime minister decided to wrap the brief up, telling viewers she hopes to do a “extended, uninterrupted version” within the next few days.
“I’m sorry everyone, I’m just going to pop Neve back to bed because this is way past her bedtime,” Ardern explained.
Ardern welcomed her daughter Neve Te Aroha in June 2018 with her partner of eight years Clarke Gayford. She is only the second female leader to give birth while in office - the first being Benazir Bhutto back in 1990.
