The Baby Borrowers
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| The Baby Borrowers | |
|---|---|
| Format | Reality TV series |
| Created by | BBC |
| Starring | Various |
| Country of origin | UK |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 50 min |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC Three |
| Original airing | January 8 2007 - present |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
The Baby Borrowers is a reality TV show produced by Love Productions for BBC Three. The show features five couples aged between 16 and 19. They start off attempting to look after a baby for three days, before moving onto toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers and finally an elderly person.
There were also two spin off shows; The Baby Borrowers: Compilation showing highlight moments from the previous week, and The Baby Borrowers: Friends and Family asking what the teenage couples dearest and nearest think.
[edit] Couples
- Alex Carter and Sam Griffiths
- Fisnik and Ava
- Kallai Johnson and Raiesa
- Kayleigh Stratford and Carl Elliott
- Ryan Ireland and Lauren Donaldson
[edit] Criticism
Before being broadcast, the programme received bad publicity as it was seen to be immoral to allow inexperienced teenagers to look after real babies. However, the BBC assured viewers that the parents of the babies had given consent, and that a nanny was on hand at all times to intervene if need be.
In actuality, when the show aired in the UK, few parents intervened even when their babies were extremely upset, and the nannies gave harmful advice, including letting babies "cry it out". One older baby was refused a clean diaper because he had been potty-trained before the show started, even though such a regression is only to be expected when babies are traumatized by separation from their primary caregivers.
[edit] Episode guide
[edit] Episode one (aired Monday, January 8 2007)
The teenage couples settle into their new homes and prepare for parenthood. They go on an afternoon training course and the females need to wear a two stone 'empathy belly'
[edit] Episode two (aired Tuesday, January 9 2007)
The couples are all given a baby to look after. Surprisingly, one of the couples to hand over their baby was Dr Julian Beezhold (a consultant psychiatrist based in Norwich) and his partner. The day starts with the trainee parents dealing with rounds of constant crying, nappy changing, and feeding. The parents of the babies watch via monitors and some have to step in and warn the teenagers over their behaviour.
[edit] Episode three (aired Thursday, January 11 2007)
For the final 48 hours of having their baby, one person from each couple returns to work, leaving a stay-at-home parent to care single-handedly for their baby.
After having their baby taken away yesterday, Ava and Fisnik must prove they’re fit to care for another youngster. Carl and Kayleigh have a real-life scare of their as it appears Kayleigh could actually be pregnant, however, it appears it is just a scare.
[edit] Episode four (aired Friday, January 12 2007)
The couples get toddlers to look after where one is in the middle of toilet training. The nannys have to interrupt due to poor care by the teenage couples. The weekend kicks off with a children’s party, hosted by Kallai and Raiesa - and they’re not talking to each other.
[edit] Episode five (aired Monday, January 15 2007)
Our couples move on to looking after super-charged six to eleven-year-olds. With no manual or nannies, the teens have to discover how to be a parent to a walking, talking child with attitude and opinions. Alex and Sam have two hell-raisers called Aiden and Connor to contend with. These hyperactive kids run them into the ground with their early starts and constant demands.
[edit] Episode six (aired Tuesday, January 16 2007)
In the most explosive episode yet, the couples are given younger teenagers to look after for an entire weekend. Saturday night kicks off with a party and it’s not long before the young teens are giving their new ‘parents’ the run-around. Ryan and Lauren find their rose-tinted view of parenthood is challenged by Jack, a 13-year-old with cerebral palsy. It proves to be a taxing weekend where the couples learn that parenting doesn’t necessarily get easier as the kids grow up.
[edit] Episode seven (aired Thursday, January 18 2007)
It’s the final few days on Archer Close, and the teens are challenged by the arrival of five demanding OAP guests. Having conquered babies’ dirty nappies, will the teens be just as ‘hands-on’ with the personal needs of their new houseguests? Kallai and Raiesa's relationship reaches breaking point - and with 82-year-old Margaret trying to play counsellor they are forced to confront the issues they've pushed aside for weeks. Meanwhile, Fisnik confides in OAP Sheila and finally opens up about his brutal past...
[edit] Episode eight (aired Friday, January 19 2007)
After four weeks of living together and surviving parenthood for the very first time, the experiment is drawing to an end. But have the teens learned anything? We revisit all five couples back at home and see whether the experiment has had any effect on them. Have they taken a step nearer to becoming adults or are they just glad to be teenagers again? And which of the couples are now closer than ever and which have parted?
