‘The Kardashians have me on speed dial!’
Supernanny Jo Frost is back on our TVS after eight years – and it turns out she’s been very busy behind the scenes!
Forget Mary Poppins, there’s only one nanny we’d take advice from and that’s the legendary Jo Frost! And we have good news... the child-taming icon is back on the box, with a brand new series of Supernanny USA resurrected after eight years. E4 will be airing the show, which sees Jo head into homes to deal with naughty toddlers, warring parents and sullen teens, as she helps families navigate the trials and tribulations of raising kids.
Now based in the US with her husband Darrin, Jo – known for popularising the ‘naughty step’ as a disciplinary technique – spends her time helping celebs as well as ordinary people, who rely on her decades of expertise.
We got her on the phone to find out all about the new series, which was interrupted thanks to – you guessed it – Covid-19, but discover she’s been as busy as ever away from the camera. She also tells us about the celebrity children she’d like to see on the naughty step and why fans won’t stop bothering her at the gym!
Jo! First and foremost – where have you been?!
I’m safe! I’m alive! I’ve been living in the US for years now and I’ve actually been working behind the scenes, what with the pandemic. I was filming Supernanny and then I made a firm decision to shut up shop, keep everyone safe and do my work by providing service over the phone instead. I’ve been quietly making hundreds of calls all over the world, helping families navigate this crisis – something that’s completely new to all of us.
And to think, some people assume you’re just a TV figure! Nope, this is my real life, this is my vocational work. This is what I do for a living. I don’t live a grandiose celebrity life – while some stars might be on social media knocking up chocolate eclairs, I’m aware there are real families lining up for hours at food banks. I’ve been calling, Skyping and emailing parents, trying to help them.
Good for you! Add to that the return of Supernanny USA and it must have been quite the few months for you?
Indeed! I know a lot of people have been really excited about the show returning after so long. I’m always getting messages from fans wanting it back, and the reception I got when I revealed that Channel 4 had bought the US season was wonderful. People were so excited. And it’s the right time to bring it back now.
But what about another UK version?
It’s not something that’s been presented to me by Channel 4, but I’d be open to bringing Supernanny
back to the UK if they wanted that conversation. I know people love it still.
The show has a moral compass and we’re not seeing much of that elsewhere. It’s an iconic TV programme and it’s important to me that people realise just how real and impactful it is. It’s not scripted reality, it’s factuality. It’s as real as it gets. In the season you’re about to see, one couple chuck me out of their house! It gets hot.
Yikes! How did you deal with that?!
Well, I wanted viewers to see exactly what goes down in this series, so I said right from the start, no matter what happens, keep those cameras rolling. And when that couple told me to leave, it was reality. The situation was raw. It’s compelling yet
educational TV. For me, it’s about showing that truth and integrity. And that’s been the case since I started Supernanny
16 years ago. Now we have this brand new season at a time that’s so important and I’m really thrilled it’s back, especially so people back in the UK can watch it!
Are there any celebrity parents you’d like to get your hands on?
All of them! We all have people who know people that can pick up the phone. For instance, I don’t personally know the Kardashians, but I know some of their friends and so they have me on speed dial if they need me. I’m up for helping any family, whether they’re celebrities or not. I actually do help a lot of famous people, though.
Can you tell us who?
It’s not my business to share that information, just because that’s private to those people.
But a lot of celebrities do want my help. Sometimes it’s for big issues, sometimes it’s just for general parenting advice. Some are vocal about it and some are not. Chrissy Teigen and I have exchanged tweets publicly – I love how open she is. I’m very happy to help them or anybody needing advice, and I’d go about it in the same way as any family.
Does being a celebrity yourself ever get in the way of your work?
Absolutely. If the family are huge fans of the show, the children get all overwhelmed – it’s so cute. It can be incredibly difficult in the first 10 minutes to ground a family, but then it’s, “Let’s get to work.” I remember by season four in the US, hundreds of neighbours would show up on the gardens of the houses I was filming at, and we had to find a way to keep them quiet, which was a challenge. Obviously you’d go over, say hello and be polite, but then you go back into the house and continue helping the family you’re with. I do that instinctively – grounding the situation quickly is needed when I feel any ‘showbiz’ creeping in.
Do you get a lot of people recognising you?
Oh yeah, I get people coming up to me in the supermarket going, “What are you doing here?!” Er, same as you, getting my shopping! That always makes me laugh. People always come up to me at the gym, too. I’ll be out of breath and sweating on an elliptical machine, saying hi to fans! But they are respectful and I really am given so much love. People are genuinely so kind to me and I really do appreciate that.
Catch Supernanny USA on Mondays at 9pm, E4