What we know about Jacob Rees-Mogg's new reality TV show
The series is expected to follow Rees-Mogg and his family
Jacob Rees-Mogg is swapping parliament for a reality TV show that he’s joked “may be a bit more Fawlty Towers than Downton Abbey”.
The former Tory politician – who lost his North East Somerset and Hanham seat to Labour in last week’s general election – is going to be starring in the show alongside his family. Filming on the "Keeping Up With The Kardashians-style" docu-series has started already.
So far there aren’t too many details but when HuffPost UK asked Rees-Mogg what it would be like, he teased: “Aha, wait and see. Wait and see.”
So what will it be about? We have a look at what we know – and what we don’t know – so far.
Meet The Moggs
The programme is called Meet The Moggs and will include five episodes, and it’s promised that it will “lift the lid on the man behind the public image”. It will follow Rees-Mogg but also his family.
The 55-year-old has been married to wife Helena since 2007 and the couple share six children – Peter Theodore Alphege, Mary Anne Charlotte Emma, Thomas Wentworth Somerset Denton, Anslem Charles Fitzwilliam, Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius and Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher. They range in age from eldest Peter, who was born in 2007, and youngest Sixtus, who is seven.
The Rees-Moggs live in a 17th-century home in Somerset and the family will be filmed in their country pad as well as out and about.
What will the show be about?
Speaking as the show was confirmed, Rees-Mogg quipped: “Animals, children, an election, and a film crew. What could possibly go wrong?"
"This everyday story of Somerset folk is fun to film but may be a bit more Fawlty Towers than Downton Abbey," he added.
The series will look at the run up to the general election, which saw the Conservatives defeated in a Labour landslide. But it seems it will also offer viewers an insight into his family life.
His reference to Fawlty Towers – which followed hapless hotel owner Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) and his many catastrophes – suggests the odd blunder might be included and that the series might be more light-hearted than many would expect.
Jacob Rees-Mogg filming
Cameras have already been spotted trailing Rees-Mogg and as rumours about a reality show swirled, the sight of film crews sparked speculation that filming was under way. As we now know that the series will cover the run up to the election, it’s safe to say the crews were gathering footage for the fly-on-the-wall programme.
A crew was seen filming when the family attended a church service in Somerset, and they have also been seen while Rees-Mogg was out and about canvassing.
So far, an air date has not been announced, but the Rees-Moggs will be hitting the small screen some time this year. The programme will be on Discovery+.
Can politicians become reality TV stars?
Rees-Mogg certainly won’t be the first politician to try reality television. In recent years, viewers have tuned in as the likes of Nigel Farage and Matt Hancock tried to show different sides of themselves on TV.
Farage was an I’m A Celebrity camper last year, finishing third. Former health secretary Hancock went into the jungle in 2022, and was slated for doing the contest as an elected MP while Parliament was sitting.
He also signed up for SAS: Who Dares Wins, which sees celebs going through tough military training exercises.
