Robert E Kelly: 'BBC dad' who went viral after children crashed live TV interview shares heartwarming family update
LONDON, ENGLAND: Robert E Kelly, popularly known as 'BBC dad', marked the sixth anniversary of the viral video that made him a household name with an adorable family update. Kelly was hilariously interrupted by his children Marion and James during a live interview on the BBC and the clip became an instant internet sensation.
Kelly, who reminded parents to lock the door during video calls, shared new photos of himself with his wife Kim Jung-A, their daughter, Marion, 11, and their son, James, 6. The heartwarming photo showed them together as a happy family while Kelly expressed his gratitude to their fans on social media.
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Taking to Twitter, Kelly wrote that he and his family are "flattered by the kindness" shown to them by their loyal followers.
Some BBC Dad content since the 6th anniversary of the original video was last Friday.
— Robert E Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) March 14, 2023
Marion had a singing performance this past weekend, so we got some nice family pictures.
Thanks again to all of you who follow me bc of the video. My family and I flattered by your kindness. pic.twitter.com/1SWVtJME5e
Children gatecrash TV interview
On March 10, 2017, Kelly, who teaches International Relations at Pusan National University in South Korea, was offering his two cents on the impeachment of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye during a live television interview on the BBC. Marion, aged 4 at the time, strutted into the room with absolute confidence, catching the attention of BBC host James Menendez. Kelly was trying to keep his daughter at bay when James, aged 9 months at the time, followed his sister into the room in his baby walker. The sensational TV moment ended with mom Jung-A flying into the room, pulling both children out, and apologizing for the interruption. The clip, however, quickly made waves on social media and Kelly was ultimately dubbed 'BBC dad.'
Overwhelming response
Kelly responded to the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the chaotic scene in a blog post, thanking the public for its kind sentiments while insisting that his family was absolutely "mortified" by the interruption. The contributor also addressed some bizarre theories that came with the virality, clarifying that the woman in the video was indeed his wife and not a nanny. He also assured his followers that she did not use too much force while removing the children from the room. Kelly also divulged that he was trying to slide his daughter behind his chair where there were children's toys so she could play with them for some time until the interview concluded. Additionally, he confirmed that the video was not staged and clarified that he was indeed wearing pants.
The entire family returned to the BBC the following year for their first proper interview. Jung-A explained she didn't realize her children had barged into their dad's room until it was too late. Kelly responded to the overwhelming reaction, noting how many of the comments they received were from parents who had had similar experiences while working from home.
Kelly had vowed that his public statement would be his last on the incident but has continued to celebrate it with a 'BBC Dad' social media tribute every year. He even held an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Twitter in 2018, when he answered questions about the viral video and his family, including whether they had put a lock on the door and whether his children had watched the clip.