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Original poster

To think reality shows of the early 2000s have not aged well! Doing a rewatch

334 replies

Imcomingovertoyourplace · 30/05/2025 08:35

So far I’ve watched
Playing it Straight (the homophobia is rife!)
Fat Families (just horrific, ‘lard busting’ and shaming overweight kids)
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings (did the producers never want to intervene with what is essentially child abuse?)

OP posts:
Tigergirl80 · 30/05/2025 09:17

Coffeeishot · 30/05/2025 08:44

There was a ch4 programme, that measured the food in perspex tubes was that secret eaters Or was that something else?

Supersize versus super skinny.

Koalafan · 30/05/2025 09:16

I thought everyone realised that many 'reality' shows were actually largely scripted and/or exploited people.

LeaveALittleNote · 30/05/2025 09:10

Joe Millionaire was unbelievable. This guy pretending to be a multimillionaire and all these women queuing up to go on days out and dates with him, some of them even sleeping with him (on The Next Joe Millionaire - I never watched the first one). Then he chooses a winner and she finds out he’s not rich. Unbelievable.

Goandygo · 30/05/2025 09:09

Holiday Showdown was brilliant. You can watch on YouTube @Imcomingovertoyourplace
What about....I wanna marry Harry 🤣

Coffeeishot · 30/05/2025 09:07

Going back a bit further how to look good naked was horrific wasn't it? Gok wan going on about "bangers" and girlfriending every other word ! Trinny and Suzanna were equally terrible.

BridgetRandomfuck · 30/05/2025 09:05

I was thinking about The Swan just the other day - the US one where they gave middle-aged women a complete plastic surgery makeover. Just dreadful - there were a couple of times where their small children were visibly distressed because they didn't recognise their mum after the big reveal.

GroovyChick87 · 30/05/2025 09:02

Imcomingovertoyourplace · 30/05/2025 08:48

@GroovyChick87was that the US one or UK? I loved holiday swap too

UK version.

legsekeven · 30/05/2025 08:58

I liked secret eaters. They have some really good heath and diet advice. I remember one women working out the calories on her baked potato’s and bean. She was way out and it teally
opened her eyes.

Original poster
Imcomingovertoyourplace · 30/05/2025 08:53

@StepawayfromtheLindorsyeah it was proper poverty porn. Some touching moments

OP posts:
StepawayfromtheLindors · 30/05/2025 08:51

Coffeeishot · 30/05/2025 08:48

Aww I liked the educating programmes the Yorkshire one especially,

I always wondered why there was never an Educating Surrey or Educating Oxfordshire….hmmm can’t possibly think why…

Coffeeishot · 30/05/2025 08:50

ThrowawayAccount29 · 30/05/2025 08:48

I really loathe Rich House, Poor House. Now I see they’ve started Rich Holiday, Poor Holiday. It’s all just so condescending to the poor people and that doesn’t appeal to me. I watched about two episodes and that was it for me.

Yeah the Rich/poor programmes I won't watch I have seen clips but it's crass isn't it?

StepawayfromtheLindors · 30/05/2025 08:49

Virgin Island 🤮
Just imagining the grubby minded production team rubbing their grubby hands at the thought of the “virgins” especially attractive young women discussing sex on screen 🤮🤮🤮

Coffeeishot · 30/05/2025 08:48

Aww I liked the educating programmes the Yorkshire one especially,

Original poster
Imcomingovertoyourplace · 30/05/2025 08:48

@GroovyChick87was that the US one or UK? I loved holiday swap too

OP posts:
ThrowawayAccount29 · 30/05/2025 08:48

I really loathe Rich House, Poor House. Now I see they’ve started Rich Holiday, Poor Holiday. It’s all just so condescending to the poor people and that doesn’t appeal to me. I watched about two episodes and that was it for me.

GroovyChick87 · 30/05/2025 08:47

There are old episodes of Wife Swap online. One of them was so unbelievably racist. Would never air in this day and age.

Original poster
Imcomingovertoyourplace · 30/05/2025 08:47

Benefits Street, yes I remember. I think there was a sort of working class obsession at that time, alongside Educating Yorkshire/ East End.

OP posts:
Hoardasurass · 30/05/2025 08:47

BethanyMac85 · 30/05/2025 08:42

Oh god yes! Supersized vs superskinny!

The Swan!?

Ridiculous

Gillian Mckay and her poo examinations on tv 🤢🤮. Plus the channel 5 seres on all the medical "freeks" (freaks was in the title)

Coffeeishot · 30/05/2025 08:47

MyUmberSeal · 30/05/2025 08:46

That was ‘Supersize v Superskinny’.

Show quote history

Oh yes they swapped diets didn't they then cried about it 😂

MyUmberSeal · 30/05/2025 08:46

Coffeeishot · 30/05/2025 08:44

There was a ch4 programme, that measured the food in perspex tubes was that secret eaters Or was that something else?

That was ‘Supersize v Superskinny’.

Original poster
Imcomingovertoyourplace · 30/05/2025 08:46

@Coffeeishotoh my god I remember that!

OP posts:
Cordroy · 30/05/2025 08:45

Ah thanks OP - might check them out

Original poster
Imcomingovertoyourplace · 30/05/2025 08:44

I’m not saying that things are better now but it doesn’t feel that long ago and yet attitudes to a 15 year old marrying (would it be filmed now?) or mainstream TV hosts laughing about ‘don’t drop the soap’ just seem wild to think about now.

OP posts:
Coffeeishot · 30/05/2025 08:44

There was a ch4 programme, that measured the food in perspex tubes was that secret eaters Or was that something else?

BethanyMac85 · 30/05/2025 08:42

Oh god yes! Supersized vs superskinny!

The Swan!?

Ridiculous

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