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'90s and early 2000s reality tv shows

259 replies

ExCarer · 07/04/2023 19:29

Does anyone else remember when reality tv shows were becoming popular? Things like Driving School. Remember Maureen? And Life of Grime with Mr Trebus? He had such a sad story.

There was one about the residents of a particular street but I can't remember what it was called now.

Can anyone remember any others?

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MillicentTrilbyHiggins · 07/04/2023 23:22

There was another one on BBC3 I think. Teen couples (?) Were given a baby to look after for a couple of days. Then a toddler. Then a pre-schooler etc. Ending with an elderly person to care for.

No idea what it was called though.

mewkins · 07/04/2023 23:23

goodkidsmaadhouse · 07/04/2023 23:15

@PrancerandDancer Are you thinking of Bug Juice? I LOVED that show. Begged and begged my Dad to send me to summer camp in the US.

I loved watching Bug Juice in the summer holidays.

BenCoopersSupportWren · 07/04/2023 23:24

Does anyone else remember a short-lived series called Only Fools On Horses? They took a bunch of celebs, taught them to ride and I think each week they had a competition (mostly showjumping, I think) and the lowest-placed one was eliminated from the show. Jodie Kidd was one of the judges along with Robert Smith (son of Harvey), and Olympic showjumper Tim Stockdale was one of the trainers.

There was another one-off thing, maybe jumping on the newfound success of X Factor / Pop Idol, I think it was around 2000/2001. I can’t remember the exact title but it was something like “Star For A Night”, and the winner got to perform at the Royal Variety Performance. It was won by a young black girl in a red dress called Celestine who sang Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’, and I remember being so blown away by her performance that for the first time in my life I telephone voted on a reality TV show!

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MillicentTrilbyHiggins · 07/04/2023 23:25

Shakeitbaby · 07/04/2023 23:22

Does anyone remember Booze Britain? They went to a different town and the cameras followed a group of young people on yheir night out. I loved that.

Redcoats was fab! The one about the torquay Hotel with the crazy manager too.
I also loved the show where the computer "Pod" did a make under and fave everyone a brown bob and nude lip. 😂

The make under show with POD was called Snog, Marry, Avoid. I loved it.

I've been rewatching all the BMTMs on ITV. It's quite weird remembering half the contestants!

Jamhamlamb · 07/04/2023 23:26

I was on one of the shows mentioned 🙈😭
I absolutely hate reality TV but that is not what it was at the time
If it were now I would never sign up

mewkins · 07/04/2023 23:27

hellypad · 07/04/2023 22:52

Does anyone remember the one where a rich person helped out a poor family, it was lovely. I remember one family put 2 sisters all the way through private school in the end. It was on Channel 4, there were a couple of series's I think.

Also loved Pineapple that was hilarious.

Undercover Billionaire?

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 07/04/2023 23:27

Does anyone remember a reality show where Paris Hilton auditioned people to be her best friend? And the runner up committed suicide shortly after. Very sad, and a strange show. When she eliminated people each week she’d say “TTYN: Talk to You Never” Hmm

burnoutbabe · 07/04/2023 23:33

Not Paris but I remember Katie price doing similar and rylan was runner up I think?

Off to google!

TidyDancer · 07/04/2023 23:33

I absolutely LOVED Bug Juice! Would love to watch that again. I think I was about the same age (maybe a bit older) as the kids on it. I used to hope the test match cricket would get rained off so Channel 4 would show repeats of that and Dawson's Creek. Great tv back then!

Also loved Brat Camp and Ladette to Lady.

LunaNorth · 07/04/2023 23:35

I remember watching the one where Paul Burrell went to Australia to try and turn Aussie ladettes into Princesses 🙄

Harry Hill used to have some fun with that on TV Burp 😂

LunaNorth · 07/04/2023 23:36

There was one on Channel 5 where Louis from Pineapple Studios helped a school put on a production of Hairspray.

We loved it!

InglouriousBasterd · 07/04/2023 23:36

America’s Next Top model- toxic in hindsight but absolutely addictive. When they used to cut their hair at the beginning - just brutal.

I loved the Rachel Zoe Project but that was a bit later - c.2010 - used to watch it whilst feeding DD!

IntheSnowySnowyMountains · 07/04/2023 23:39

Don't think anyone has mentioned the original Changing Rooms yet... does that count?

I loved That'll Teach 'Em and Airport.

I remember another show where re-locators helped a family move abroad - they got to try it for a month with all their expenses paid and had to decide at the end whether to stay or not... can't remember the name??

BebbanburgIsMine · 07/04/2023 23:41

The Marriage

The mid 80's I think, it followed a young couple Mark and Karen I think from engagement, to their first year as a married couple.

I loved that, still together as far as I know

Teatime55 · 07/04/2023 23:41

im desperate to rewatch Holiday Reps.

does anyone remember the U.K. version of Real World with students in Manchester? There was a girl called Spider?

LunaNorth · 07/04/2023 23:43

BebbanburgIsMine · 07/04/2023 23:41

The Marriage

The mid 80's I think, it followed a young couple Mark and Karen I think from engagement, to their first year as a married couple.

I loved that, still together as far as I know

Su Pollard did the theme tune!

’We’re starting togeeetherrr’

bumblenbean · 07/04/2023 23:44

Brat Camp and Ladette to Lady were amusing. The permanently arsy Mrs Schraeger!

Early wife swap was good too. Loved the narrator 🤣

Not reality TV but Trigger Happy TV and Bansai were great!

bangedupthebackofhyggetygge · 07/04/2023 23:46

IntheSnowySnowyMountains · 07/04/2023 23:39

Don't think anyone has mentioned the original Changing Rooms yet... does that count?

I loved That'll Teach 'Em and Airport.

I remember another show where re-locators helped a family move abroad - they got to try it for a month with all their expenses paid and had to decide at the end whether to stay or not... can't remember the name??

The relocating one sounds like Wanted Down Under, I think?

I remember the old changing rooms. Remember someone saying that they’d done an ‘absolutely crap’ job. For years my mum would quote that!

SpreadableCheeseOnEverything · 07/04/2023 23:47

@Teatime55 Holiday reps episodes are on YouTube. I've just watched one lol

Teatime55 · 07/04/2023 23:50

OMG they weren’t on there the other million times I searched - that’s tomorrow sorted!

twoastars · 07/04/2023 23:59

Loved Shipwrecked. I'm sure there was a similar one on T4 called Eden set in the woods around the same time. Fame Academy and Wife Swap also.

FetlocksBlowing · 08/04/2023 00:16

ExCarer · 07/04/2023 20:26

I just remembered Faking It. Did anyone else watch that? They had to convince experts that they were professional conductors/DJs/Drag queens etc.

Yes! That was a great show!

PriamFarrl · 08/04/2023 00:19

I remember one that was a day time tv show where they burgled your house!

The home owners talked through all the things they did to prevent a burglary and then went off to a room to watch on cameras. Then an ex burglar turned up, broke in and robbed all their stuff! There was one where the burglars backed up a delivery van to the front door and the neighbour was out mowing his front lawn watching. The worst one though was one couple were watching on the camera when the burglar went into the children’s bedroom. Before they could stop him the dad lost it and ran out of the room and off to confront the burglar!

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