# Supernanny

Supernanny is a British reality television programme about parents struggling with their children's behaviour, mealtime, potty training, etc. The show features professional nanny Jo Frost, who devotes each episode to helping a family where the parents are struggling with child-rearing. Through instruction and observation, she shows parents alternative ways to discipline their children and regain order in their households. Frost is a proponent of the "naughty chair" theory of discipline and is strictly opposed to spanking.
The programme aired on Channel 4 from 7 July 2004 to 8 October 2008. A follow-up programme titled Jo Frost: Extreme Parental Guidance ran from 9 February 2010 to 5 August 2012. Supernanny has been adapted in other countries, including an American version (also with Jo Frost).

## History

Supernanny was originally broadcast in the UK on Channel 4 on 7 July 2004, following the success of Channel 4's Cutting Edge programme "Bad Behaviour". Supernanny is one of Channel 4's most popular shows, reaching nearly 5 million viewers in the first series, with consistently high ratings throughout the series.
The premiere episode for the third series attracted 3.1 million viewers with a 14% audience share. These values are half of those from the previous two series.

## Reception

In their book Handbook of Psychological Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Treatment, Children and Adolescents, Michel Hersen and David Reitman state, "With considerable skill, Super Nanny Jo Frost implements standard, evidence-based contingency management procedures, as well as heavy evidence of creating alternative positive activity structures." The show has had its critics, and not all child-care experts agree with her approach. Some people find that the children's right to privacy has been violated and that children are embarrassed when put on the "naughty step". Newcastle University media and cultural-studies lecturer Tracey Jensen believes that the format results in the mother being "shamed before she is transformed".
The show, viewed by six million people in its first year, was an "instant success." Shows were created in 48 countries by 2014 that were tailored after Supernanny.

## Home media

A DVD release of Supernanny entitled When Little Kids Cause Big Headaches was released in the UK on 12 April 2010.

## Episodes

Supernanny series overview :
| Series | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Series | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 July 2004 (2004-7-7) | 21 July 2004 (2004-7-21) |
| 2 | 12 | 12 | 5 April 2005 (2005-4-5) | 5 October 2005 (2005-10-5) |
| 3 | 6 | 6 | 29 August 2006 (2006-8-29) | 3 October 2006 (2006-10-3) |
| 4 | 5 | 5 | 29 August 2007 (2007-8-29) | 26 September 2007 (2007-9-26) |
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 24 September 2008 (2008-9-24) | 8 October 2008 (2008-10-8) |

## International versions

Supernanny has been broadcast or slightly adapted in other countries.
| Country | Title | Network(s) | Other networks |
| Australia | Supernanny | Nine Network (2004–2013) GEM (2011–2013) | Lifestyle Home (2011–2013) |
| Belgium | Supernanny | vtm | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Brazil | Supernanny | SBT | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Croatia | Superdadilja | RTL (2006-????) | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Czech Republic | Superchůva k pohledání Chůva v akci | Prima televize | No other foreign networks applicable |
| China | 超级育儿师 | Anhui Satellite Channel (2014-2016) | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Finland | Supernanny Suomi | MTV3 | No other foreign networks applicable |
| France | Super Nanny Les Nannies | M6 TFX TF1 | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Germany | Die Super Nanny (2004-2011) Mission Familie (2014) | RTL Television Sat.1 | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Indonesia | Supernanny | MetroTV (Sunday noon) | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Israel | Supernanny | Channel 2 | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Italy | Supernanny | NOVE, Discovery+, Real Time | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Lithuania | Super Auklė | TV1 | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Malaysia | Supernanny | NTV7 | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Netherlands | Eerste Hulp Bij Opvoeden | RTL 4 | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Poland | Superniania | TVN | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Portugal | Supernanny | SIC | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Romania | Supernanny | Prima TV | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Russia | Суперняня | REN TV | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Singapore | Supernanny | MediaCorp Okto | No other foreign networks applicable |
| Slovakia | Pestúnka | TV Markíza |
| Spain | Supernanny S.O.S. Adolescentes | Cuatro | TV3 ETB 1 |
| Sweden | Supernanny Sverige | TV3 | |
| United States | Supernanny | ABC (2005–2011) Lifetime (2020) | Nine Network Channel 4, E4 W Network, Twist TV TV Markíza, Markíza Doma TLC United States Up TV |