'BBC Dad' who reminded every parent to lock the door shares adorable family update

Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 15, 2023. It has since been updated.

Robert E. Kelly, also known as "BBC Dad," shared new photos of his adorable family on March 14 to mark the 6th anniversary of the viral video that made him a household name. The original video—which featured Kelly being interrupted by his young children, Marion and James, during a live television interview on the BBC—became an instant sensation and reminded every parent to lock the door during video calls.

In the newly shared photos, Kelly and his wife, Kim Jung-A, their 11-year-old daughter, Marion and their 6-year-old son, James, are seen together as a happy family. Kelly expressed his gratitude to his followers on social media, who continue to follow him because of the viral video. He tweeted that he and his family are "flattered by the kindness" shown to them.

It all started on March 10, 2017, when Kelly—a professor of International Relations at Pusan National University in South Korea—was discussing the impeachment of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye during a live television interview on the BBC.

Marion, who was only 4 years old at the time, burst into the room with a confident strut, catching the attention of the host, James Menendez. Even as Kelly attempted to keep his daughter at bay, James, who was then only 9 months old, scooted into the room in his baby walker, joining his sister in front of the camera.

Mom Jung-A then flew into the room, grabbed both children, pulled them out of the room and apologized for the interruption. The video quickly gained popularity and Kelly came to be known as "BBC Dad" on social media. In response to the overwhelmingly positive response to the chaos at his house, Kelly wrote a blog post thanking people for their kind sentiments and explained that his family was "mortified" by the interruption.

Kelly also cleared up some conspiracy theories that had emerged, clarifying that the woman in the video was his wife and not a nanny. He also assured the world that she did not use too much force in removing the children from the room. He explained that he was trying to slide Marion behind his chair where there were children's toys and books so that she could play with them for a few moments until the interview ended. Additionally, Kelly confirmed that the video was not staged and yes, he wore pants during the interview.

According to TODAY, the following year, the entire family returned to the BBC for their first proper interview, during which Jung-A explained that she didn't realize her children had joined their dad until it was too late. Kelly elaborated on the overwhelming reaction from parents, saying that many of the comments they received were from parents who had had similar experiences of trying to balance work and life.

Despite Kelly's initial vow that his public statement would be his last, he has humorously celebrated the incident with a social media tribute every year since the video went viral. In 2018, he held an "Ask Me Anything" session on Twitter, during which he answered questions about the video and his family, including whether they had put a lock on the door and whether Marion had watched the video.

In the newly shared family photos, Kelly and his family appeared happy and content, with Marion looking more grown up at 11 years old and James at the age of 6. Kelly's social media tribute to the viral video reminded people of the importance of balancing work and family life while celebrating the laughter and joy that children can bring, even in the most unexpected moments.