Embarrassing moment Sylvia Jeffreys' cousin name drops her as he tries to fast-track his return to Australia in time for Christmas - claiming she'll even help him get on A Current Affair (but makes it clear the show is NOT his first choice)
An Australian father stranded in the UK with his family has raised eyebrows after name-dropping his Channel Nine presenter cousin Sylvia Jeffreys in an attempt to fast-track his return to Australia in time for Christmas.
About 25,000 Australians are stranded overseas after the government capped the number of international airport arrivals in July to ease the pressure on hotel quarantine programs introduced since the COVID-19.
Teacher Edward Swanwick - who has worked at the elite Clifton College private school in Bristol in the UK's south-west - said his situation was 'desperate' and claimed his famous cousin had urged him to contact A Current Affair to 'help keep the pressure on the Federal Government'.
A deputy head teacher at an elite British private school has name-dropped his TV presenter star cousin Sylvia Jeffreys and shared a photo of them together in a bid to get back home faster as the COVID-19 pandemic slows down international travel
Deputy head teacher Edward Swanwick said his situation was 'desperate' and claimed Jeffreys had urged him to contact A Current Affair with other families trying in vain to get home
'We’re a family of five Australians wanting to return home from the UK,' he wrote in a hotel quarantine Facebook group.
'My cousin is Sylvia Jeffreys, from Channel Nine, who has suggested I find a few individuals or families who are in a really desperate situation, so she can pitch a story to A Current Affair.
'While our situation feels desperate, I’m sure we are not in as desperate a situation as others.'
Mr Swanwick - whose LinkedIn page also lists one of his previous positions as a senior boarding housemaster at The Scots College in Sydney's eastern suburbs - admitted ACA was not his 'program of choice'.
'But it’s the one that Sylvia thinks will be most interested and it has a really good viewer base,' he said as he called on other members of the group to share their travel woes with him to the current affairs show.
Britain is struggling with a second wave of coronavirus cases with more than 6,000 cases of the deadly respiratory illness recorded nationally on Wednesday.
On September 14, the country's government banned more than six people from meeting together to stem the virus' spread - through a rule dubbed the 'Rule of Six'.
Mr Swanwick also shared a personal picture of himself with Jeffreys at her wedding to fellow journalist Peter Stefanovic as way of proving his family connection.
However, other members of the group were quick to doubt whether he was actually the man in the photo.
Other members of the group questioned whether Mr Swanwick was actually the man in the photo - with one even asking for '100 points of ID' to prove the relationship with the Today Extra host
Mr Swanwick shared a picture of him holding up Wednesday's copy of The Times newspaper to prove his identity
'Sylvia might be legit but how do we know that is you?' one person asked.
Another joked he needed to show '100 points of ID' to prove he is in fact her cousin.
In an astonishing response, Mr Swanwick then shared a selfie holding up Wednesday's copy of The Times newspaper with a mask hanging off his ear to show he was in fact the person Jeffreys had her arm around in the wedding photo.
In another Facebook post on Thursday morning, Mr Swanwick claimed he was speaking to Jeffreys about alternative ways of getting his story out to the world.
'She says if ACA don't pick it up, she'll try Nine News and if that fails she will at least write an article for 9news.com.au,' he wrote.
In response, one user said: 'Good on you for trying and pulling strings - hope it helps.'
Jeffreys is the co-host of Today Extra with David Campbell and recently welcomed her first child, Oscar, with husband and Sky News presenter Peter Stefanovic.
In a separate post, the teacher claimed he was speaking to Jeffreys about alternative ways of getting his story out to the world
Jeffreys pictured right alongside her Today Extra co-host David Campbell. She is married to Sky News presenter Peter Stefanovic
His LinkedIn profile lists his most recent role as deputy head at the elite Clifton College in Bristol in the UK's south-west
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Swanwick, Jeffreys and Channel Nine for comment.
Last week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed arrival caps preventing Australians from coming home will be increased in stages.
From 28 September New South Wales will take an extra 500 people per week and Queensland and Western Australia will take an extra 200 per week.
On 4 October Queensland will take an extra 300 per week and on October 12 WA will accept an extra 300.
The Board of Airline Representatives of Australia have estimated 87 per cent of 30,000 seats on flights into the country were empty in the first week of September.
About 25,000 Australians are struggling to get home amid widespread limits on arrivals into the country. Here a child plays in the completely empty economy section
Mr Swanwick has previously worked at The Scots College - an elite private school in Sydney's eastern suburbs
Caps on overseas arrivals
Sydney – limit of 350 passenger arrivals per day;
Perth – limit of 525 passenger arrivals per week;
Brisbane – limit of 500 passenger arrivals per week;
Adelaide – limit of 500 passenger arrivals per week;
Canberra, Darwin – passenger limits on each flight to be discussed with jurisdictions on a case-by-case basis;
Hobart – no international flights
Melbourne - International flights suspended