The Baby Borrowers

The Baby Borrowers is a British reality television series produced by Love Productions for BBC Three. The series premiered 8 January 2007.[1] 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.

For the American show of the same name, see The Baby Borrowers (U.S. TV series).

The Baby Borrowers
GenreReality television
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series2
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producerRichard McKerrow
Running time50 min
Release
Original networkBBC Three
Original release8 January (2007-01-08) –
19 January 2007 (2007-01-19)
Chronology
Related shows

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.

Criticism

Before being broadcast, the program 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 controversial advice, including letting babies "cry it out". One older baby was refused a clean nappy because he had been potty-trained before the show started.

Episodes

Series 1
Episode numberOriginal airdate [2]
18 January 2007 (2007-01-08)
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".
29 January 2007 (2007-01-09)
The couples are all given a baby to look after. 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.
311 January 2007 (2007-01-11)
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 are fit to care for another youngster. Carl and Kayleigh have a real-life scare of their own as it appears Kayleigh could actually be pregnant, however it appears it is just a scare.
412 January 2007 (2007-01-12)
The couples get toddlers to look after where one is in the middle of toilet training. The nannies 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 who are not talking to each other.
515 January 2007 (2007-01-15)
The 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.
616 January 2007 (2007-01-16)
The couples are given younger teenagers to look after for an entire weekend. Saturday night kicks off with a party and it is 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 does not necessarily get easier as the kids grow up.
718 January 2007 (2007-01-18)
It is the final few days on Archer Close, and the teens are challenged by the arrival of five demanding Old Age Pensioner guests. Kallai and Raiesa's relationship reaches a breaking point - and with 82-year-old Margaret trying to play counsellor they are forced to confront the issues they have pushed aside for weeks. Meanwhile, Fisnik confides in pensioner Sheila and finally opens up about his brutal past.
819 January 2007 (2007-01-19)
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? All five couples are revisited and discuss whether the experiment has had any effect on them.

References
  1. Hills, Sarah (3 January 2007). "BBC 'puts children at risk' for reality TV show". Metro. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  2. Bale, David (6 January 2007). "TV crews made life a misery". Norwich Evening News. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
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