New Zealand minister’s TV interview interrupted by son brandishing phallic carrot

Carmel Sepuloni is New Zealand’s minister for social development

A cabinet minister in New Zealand has become the latest high profile interviewee to be publicly embarrassed by their child on video call.

Carmel Sepuloni, New Zealand’s minister for social development, was in the middle of a live Zoom TV interview with Radio Samoa when her son burst into the room, appearing at the back of the shot brandishing a phallic carrot.

Ms Sepuloni’s son had apparently discovered the unusually shaped vegetable among the groceries and decided to make an appearance on live TV waving the carrot in the air.

His mother attempted to snatch the vegetable off him, but he lifted it out of reach before the live footage cut.

Writing on Twitter Ms Sepuloni said: “That moment when you’re doing a LIVE interview via Zoom & your son walks into the room shouting & holding a deformed carrot shaped like a male body part.

“Yes, we were almost wrestling over a carrot on camera, and yes, I’m laughing about it now but wasn’t at the time!”

New Zealand is currently in a level four lockdown, where schools are closed and all but essential workers must remain at home.

Ms Sepuloni gave a Twitter shout out to other parents juggling homeschooling and remote work, writing: “A big ups to all our parents working from home and parenting at the same time – I see you!”

“Note to self: I will never buy the odd shaped carrot pack again.”

Scenarios such as this, where a child bursts into a live TV video call are becoming increasingly common as the pandemic has meant many people have been forced to work from home.

Other famous examples of similar interviews interrupted by children include that of Prof Robert Kelly, whose children wandered into the interview as he was live on the BBC and Sky News foreign affairs editor Deborah Haynes when her son appeared and demanded two biscuits in the middle of her live report.