In a shocking turn of events, Theresa Dawes, a Zimbabwean nanny, finds herself at the centre of a storm after being abruptly fired just three days into her job with former UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s family.
Dawes, a 59-year-old nanny from Zimbabwe, was thrilled to join the Johnson family at their Oxfordshire mansion, Brightwell Manor, to help with their newborn, baby Frank Alfred Odysseus.
However, her excitement was short-lived when she was given only 15 minutes to pack her bags and leave after a single encounter that changed everything.
The Mirror reported that Dawes disclosed, “It’s been a complete nightmare.”
Her firing occurred just 36 hours after she shared a glass of rosé with the ex-PM to celebrate baby Frank’s arrival.
Johnson’s explanation? According to Dawes, he said, “Carrie was ‘hormonal… it’s out of my control’.”
Dawes is now contemplating legal action to claim the thousands of pounds she believes she is owed for her agreed three-month contract and severance pay.
However, the Johnsons vehemently deny Dawes’s allegations.
Johnson, who has been earning millions from speaking engagements since leaving office, maintains a £115,000 (about R2.6-million) annual allowance as an ex-PM.
Despite this, Dawes remains determined to seek justice.
Dawes insists that nothing inappropriate occurred between her and Johnson during their encounter. “I know he’s had three wives, however many kids. But I’m not interested; he’s not my type,” she clarified.
She suspects that the real reason behind her dismissal was Carrie’s mother, Josephine, witnessing her wine-sharing moment with Johnson.
Dawes, who had travelled from Zimbabwe for the job, had previously mentioned a former employer’s celebration of Johnson’s political woes.
Still, she believes that her dismissal stemmed from the wine incident.
The dramatic shift in Carrie’s behaviour was evident when she returned home the following afternoon.
Dawes described her as “extremely rude” and recalled her saying, “Where’s my mum” upon arrival. Carrie’s abrupt change of heart left Dawes bewildered.
Despite the disappointment and financial loss, Dawes simply wants to be paid what she is contractually owed so that everyone involved can move on.
The Johnson family’s spokesperson labelled Dawes’s account “totally untrue,” emphasising that she had fabricated the story for financial gain.