Alison and her son have started on a new BBC show together (Image: BBC)
Broadcasters, including and , have come under fire recently as stars’ kids have appeared on various shows. In the last week alone Alison Hammond appeared in a brand new travel show alongside her son Aidan, while eldest two sons were spotted on Hollyoaks.
Stacey later took to to explain how the situation had came about, admitting that the opportunity arose after meeting a producer for the Channel 4 soap on the NTAs red carpet. The proud mum shared: “So when me and Zach went to the NTAs, we ended up meeting, on the red carpet, the exec of Hollyoaks and Zach is the biggest Hollyoaks fan.”
She added: “And he was like, ‘Oh my God, I love Hollyoaks!’ and he was talking to her and she was like, ‘Why don’t you come down and see the set?'”
The small roles saw Leighton featuring as a paperboy who was scolded for turning late for his job, with Zachary was in a scene dressed as a Parcel Patrons worker.
However, there has been an increase in online criticism for “nepo babies” lately – a term used to describe children of celebrities landing gigs thanks to their names.
Paul Hennity, partner and employment solicitor at Aaron & Partners, told Express.co.uk that, in itself, nepotism is not “unlawful” but can have a “considerable negative impact” for employers.
He explained: “It can lead to complaints, grievances and ultimately claims for constructive dismissal, if employees feel the decision is so unfair and unjustifiable that it actually breaches the term of trust and confidence which is implied into all employment contracts. There is also potentially a risk of allegations of discrimination, if employees they have been treated less or unfavourably because of or due to a protected characteristic, such as sex, age or race.
“Aside from potential legal claims, employers who recruit or promote based on nepotism will offer have high staff turnovers, low morale and overall a business wide sense of injustice. This can significantly impact productivity, trust in the organisation and has the potential to cause significant reputational damage.”
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Stephen Moore, partner and head of employment at Ashfords, added that nepotism can “lead to legal issues”. He explained: “Employers should be conscious that hiring employees through nepotism may inadvertently result in the disadvantage of other individuals.”
The legal expert went on to explain how employers can protect themselves, saying: “Employers should have policies in place to prevent nepotism in the workplace, such as implementing transparent and objective recruitment practices with an aim to eliminate any bias in interviews.
“Employers should also ensure that any promotion decisions are based solely on merit. Many companies have policies that prohibit the hiring of family members to ensure that hiring decisions are made objectively.
“In addition, if an employer discovers that nepotism has occurred in their workplace it is important to address the situation quickly to avoid any abuse of authority or negative press. Employers should consider educating their employees on the negative impact of nepotism in an aim to establish a transparent, diverse, and fair culture.”