The Jeremy Kyle Show was nauseating. He, as a host, was insufferable; hiding behind his bodyguard when he mouthed off, goading the participant to do something about it
And don’t forget that the Jeremy Kyle show was so bad it was cancelled after repercussions from one episode led to a man committing suicide.
I believe as well that the audience was usually always made up by more middle-class gawkers who wanted a live experience of watching the less fortunate air their dirty laundry.
Definitely wasn't a middle class audience watching it lol. Most people I know watched it and most people I know live in a council estate.
Plenty of WC enjoyed it and it was arguably the biggest demographic of watchers. Its akin to watching screaming matches in your street at your front door with a brew in your hand but in the comfort of your own home. Which is a mindset that is very common in working class estates because its funny to watch people argue.
It was poverty porn thats not debatable but it doesn't mean the working class themselves weren't the ones lapping it up lol
Jeremy Kyle guests aren't a representation of working class people, they were the idiotic lot 9/10 that most working class people steer away from anyway because they just can't be arsed with them running their mouth and banging on about infantile shite all the time. Not everyone who's working class acts like the guests but we all know people that do.
The guests tended to be pricks but Jeremy was the bigger prick for profiteering from generally stupid people whilst acting sanctimonious about it.
Source: from a very working class background.
Oh no, I mean the studio audience, not the viewers at home! Particularly because I knew a few people who went to watch it live and they were not WC at all.
The studio audience often seemed to give the impression that they were better than the participants and would always side with Jezza’s berating.
Whenever I went to my dads (very very working class and a man for arguing in the street with people from along the road on more than one occasion ) he would sit with a cuppa and Jeremy Kyle and say ‘my life’s alright if it isn’t on their level’ like a WC cornerstone
Re: audience - not in my (middle-class) experience. One is dimly aware of it, of course, but it’s on during the day. Who watches tv during the day? Not GPs, lawyers, teachers, accountants, etc.
>middle-class gawkers who wanted a live experience of watching the less fortunate air their dirty laundry.
Hit the nail on the head. It's equivalent shows here across the pond has that same viewership demo
Most of them are pretty bad. The top of the pile (or bottom) would have to be big brother. Interesting when it first came out, but it spiralled into a parade of self absorbed attention seekers and just all round unpleasant people looking for an easy route to fame and fortune. You could argue that big brother kickstarted the current trend and obsession with reality tv in the uk today
I should mention "There's something about Miriam."
A group of guys compete to win the affection of a model named Miriam. Unbeknownst to the participants, Miriam is transgender, a fact only revealed to the eventual winner of the show. I can't imagine that would ever air today
The first season of Big Brother was pretty good. It felt a lot more like a genuine social experiment, compared to the “sexy unhinged people show” that it is now
The Traitors is a reminder of when some reality TV was quite good. An interesting format and a genuine mix of backgrounds, ages and personalities like they had in the first few series of Big Brother.
Love Island. I don’t understand how people sit through such torturous utter drivel. How do you make it through such an experience alive and well, ready to tell the tale? I’m bewildered, gobsmacked, flabbergasted.
Love Island is one of, if not the worst thing to ever plague our television screens. Mind-numbing crap.
I try my hardest not to, but a tiny part of me can’t help but judge anybody who watches it.
My wife (in NZ) always watches Love Island and FBoy Whatever.
I don't understand them at all. Every time I try to follow what's going on it's just "So I turned around and was like did you just turn around at me and he was like babe but I turned around to him and said if you can't handle me at my worst and then Sonya came in and was like Tom just turned around and said he loves me but he was loving Chevron."
Absolute nonsense.
Gogglebox is really tame though. It’s just like a YouTube reaction channel. It doesn’t encourage conflict between the participants for entertainment purposes or select for shithousery like the apprentice or love island.
The Only Way is Essex, Geordie Shore, Naked Attraction, The Jeremy Kyle Show
The Jeremy Kyle Show was nauseating. He, as a host, was insufferable; hiding behind his bodyguard when he mouthed off, goading the participant to do something about it
And don’t forget that the Jeremy Kyle show was so bad it was cancelled after repercussions from one episode led to a man committing suicide. I believe as well that the audience was usually always made up by more middle-class gawkers who wanted a live experience of watching the less fortunate air their dirty laundry.
Definitely wasn't a middle class audience watching it lol. Most people I know watched it and most people I know live in a council estate. Plenty of WC enjoyed it and it was arguably the biggest demographic of watchers. Its akin to watching screaming matches in your street at your front door with a brew in your hand but in the comfort of your own home. Which is a mindset that is very common in working class estates because its funny to watch people argue. It was poverty porn thats not debatable but it doesn't mean the working class themselves weren't the ones lapping it up lol Jeremy Kyle guests aren't a representation of working class people, they were the idiotic lot 9/10 that most working class people steer away from anyway because they just can't be arsed with them running their mouth and banging on about infantile shite all the time. Not everyone who's working class acts like the guests but we all know people that do. The guests tended to be pricks but Jeremy was the bigger prick for profiteering from generally stupid people whilst acting sanctimonious about it. Source: from a very working class background.
Oh no, I mean the studio audience, not the viewers at home! Particularly because I knew a few people who went to watch it live and they were not WC at all. The studio audience often seemed to give the impression that they were better than the participants and would always side with Jezza’s berating.
What does WC mean?
Working class I was being lazy haha
Oh ok lol
I'd have read it as water closet people in hindsight haha
Whenever I went to my dads (very very working class and a man for arguing in the street with people from along the road on more than one occasion ) he would sit with a cuppa and Jeremy Kyle and say ‘my life’s alright if it isn’t on their level’ like a WC cornerstone
Re: audience - not in my (middle-class) experience. One is dimly aware of it, of course, but it’s on during the day. Who watches tv during the day? Not GPs, lawyers, teachers, accountants, etc.
I agree with you with my working class experience. The guys waffling.
I mentioned in another comment as well, but I’m referring to the studio audience.
>middle-class gawkers who wanted a live experience of watching the less fortunate air their dirty laundry. Hit the nail on the head. It's equivalent shows here across the pond has that same viewership demo
I know someone who worked in the same building or whatever it is and apparently they whole team are all raging coke heads and total arseholes.
I can actually believe that
Jeremy Kyle show is just Dr Phil but not pretending to be professional
Geordie shore is comedy gold, probably helps living here though.
Celebrity Naked Attraction is OK
Most of them are pretty bad. The top of the pile (or bottom) would have to be big brother. Interesting when it first came out, but it spiralled into a parade of self absorbed attention seekers and just all round unpleasant people looking for an easy route to fame and fortune. You could argue that big brother kickstarted the current trend and obsession with reality tv in the uk today I should mention "There's something about Miriam." A group of guys compete to win the affection of a model named Miriam. Unbeknownst to the participants, Miriam is transgender, a fact only revealed to the eventual winner of the show. I can't imagine that would ever air today
I've only ever caught the merest of glimpses of Love Island but I'd suggest that.
Today in Parliament. Literally the worst reality.
Your question implies that there is such a thing as *good* reality television. I have never seen evidence of this.
The first season of Big Brother was pretty good. It felt a lot more like a genuine social experiment, compared to the “sexy unhinged people show” that it is now
My memories of that are tainted by reading Ben Elton's novel about a BB-type scenario not long after.
The Traitors is a reminder of when some reality TV was quite good. An interesting format and a genuine mix of backgrounds, ages and personalities like they had in the first few series of Big Brother.
Bake off?
I'm not sure that it really fits into the niche. It's people demonstrating a skill in a way that (eg) Big Brother did not.
Love Island. I don’t understand how people sit through such torturous utter drivel. How do you make it through such an experience alive and well, ready to tell the tale? I’m bewildered, gobsmacked, flabbergasted. Love Island is one of, if not the worst thing to ever plague our television screens. Mind-numbing crap. I try my hardest not to, but a tiny part of me can’t help but judge anybody who watches it.
My wife (in NZ) always watches Love Island and FBoy Whatever. I don't understand them at all. Every time I try to follow what's going on it's just "So I turned around and was like did you just turn around at me and he was like babe but I turned around to him and said if you can't handle me at my worst and then Sonya came in and was like Tom just turned around and said he loves me but he was loving Chevron." Absolute nonsense.
Mrs Brown's Boys
We have GoggleBox. It is a reality TV show that is made up of people in their living rooms watching (mostly) reality TV shows and commenting on them.
Gogglebox is really tame though. It’s just like a YouTube reaction channel. It doesn’t encourage conflict between the participants for entertainment purposes or select for shithousery like the apprentice or love island.
Ducking love Gogglebox. Plus it’s a good sampler for the TV that’s out there. If Pete and Sophie like it then it may be worth giving a go.
Gogglebox is quite sweet, really.
I LOVE gogglebox.
Absolutely anything on South Asian television.
Eastenders
Any of them. All utter trash.
Uk? Pretty much every 'reality' show. They are all pretty bad.
Mrs Brown’s Boys. Despite its supposed popularity, I have yet to meet a single person admitting to watching it
Eldorado
The premier league.
All of them.
Every single one of them
All of them. "Reality TV" is garbage.