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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?

OP posts:
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Tormundsbeard · 08/04/2023 00:22

Yes I remember the student house show…. Wasn’t it called The Living Soap?

80sMum · 08/04/2023 00:26

Nitgel · 07/04/2023 20:17

Am sure that's on iplayer archive as I watched it a year or so ago.

Yes, it's on i-player! I watched one a couple of weeks ago. There was a couple who had put fake beams and an inglenook into their living room. They loved it, of course, but it looked rather out of place and so obviously fake inside a modern house! Taste is such an individual thing.

BebbanburgIsMine · 08/04/2023 00:47

@LunaNorth

That's right!

It was great, they did a couple of follow up shows, they had four children.

Grandparents now I believe

Interested in this thread?

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SpreadableCheeseOnEverything · 08/04/2023 01:01

@IntheSnowySnowyMountains it was called 'Get a new Life'. I loved that show!

tobee · 08/04/2023 01:14

I used to love a lot of these shows and wish they were repeated. I've tried to find Back in Time and those other similar shows and they're not on YouTube or available on streaming or anything sadly. I was only remembering the poor boy on The Edwardian House (or whatever it was called) who was the boot boy and has to sleep on the hall floor the other day!

Also, first series of Big Brother they were allowed to take books in but I think they got rid of that as not very televisual!! They used to have live streams of that and I'm a Celebrity originally which was often more of an eye opener!

tobee · 08/04/2023 01:17

TulipTuesday · 07/04/2023 23:05

When I was pg with DS1 in 2001, DH and I were obsessed with Survivor and BB2. In fact I held off going in to hospital when I was in labour because the BB final was on 😆

I also remember a programme that I don’t think was Wife Swap but was very similar. It was on in the mornings.

Was that the one hosted by Nadia Sawalha where 2 whole families would swap houses and lives @TulipTuesday ? That was great and I wish there had been more series. Think there was a London family who swapped with a big family living very rurally. Fascinating watch!

Goingtobee · 08/04/2023 01:23

@TulipTuesday and @tobee (great user name btw!) you’re thinking of this; https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006zr8c/episodes/guide
I would love to see some episodes of this again, there was one swap in particular that I remember well!

BBC Two - Family Xchange - Episode guide

All episodes of Family Xchange

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006zr8c/episodes/guide

Goingtobee · 08/04/2023 01:26

On a similar note - is there anyone on here who knows why reality TV shows are often not available on on demand or streaming? Thinking things like Eat Well for Less or older stuff - is it to do with royalties/rights for the participants?

tobee · 08/04/2023 02:54

That's right @Goingtobee!

Good question re catch up.

Shakeitbaby · 08/04/2023 07:41

Another one came back to me, I think it was called Trolley Dollies. It followed air hostesses and their working day.

Teatime55 · 08/04/2023 08:25

@Tormundsbeard yes that’s it - I was a student at the same time.

just read an article and it mentioned Sylvanian Waters following an Australian family. I remember that too.

Amdone123 · 08/04/2023 08:39

Someone mentioned Paul Burrell upthread, and I was reminded of I Wanna Marry Harry. A group of American girls going on elimination type dates with a Prince Harry look - a - like. It was 2004 ! Unbelievable!
Also, it was Jenny Richards who won model behaviour. Elizabeth the runner up, very beautiful but I don't think her heart was in it. Apparently, she's a film maker now, so all good !

Cupcakegirl13 · 08/04/2023 08:40

The first few Big Brothers were amazing , also loved Castaway 2000, anyone remember Style Challenge on BBC in the daytime , loved watching that when I was off poorly from school !

NameChange647 · 08/04/2023 08:40

Beauty and the Geek and Vanity Lair also on T4. I used to lie in bed on a Sunday when I was a teenager watching these and Shipwrecked followed by the Hollyoaks omnibus.

lollipoprainbow · 08/04/2023 08:42

Really liked the hotel about a rundown hotel in Torquay with mark the owner.

There was one about a double glazing company

Love in the countryside with sarah cox was great

Wife swap!

Amdone123 · 08/04/2023 08:49

@lollipoprainbow , I loved Mark. I watched those episodes recently on you tube. It was like Fawlty Towers. And that's a compliment. 🤣

One of the first episodes of wife swap was with Lizzie and Emma. It kickstarted a discussion, more of a public debate really, about people on benefits versus people working.

Bearpawk · 08/04/2023 08:57

I'm sure Jamie Dornan was on model behaviour, a girl from my crappy hometown was on it too so that was exciting at the time.

cornflakegeneration · 08/04/2023 09:16

Bearpawk · 08/04/2023 08:57

I'm sure Jamie Dornan was on model behaviour, a girl from my crappy hometown was on it too so that was exciting at the time.

Oh yes he was!

LoveWillGetYouThere · 08/04/2023 09:20

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.

I wish they would do shipwrecked again. I loved it and I'm 41 now. Would still watch it!

burnoutbabe · 08/04/2023 09:24

I am sure I watched a version of shipwrecked 3-4 years ago? Was on after Sunday brunch.

So it's still occasionally shown.

They are now doing The bridge which is similar but with more diverse people /ages. Rather than just pretty 18-23 year olds. But I do remember Jeff brazier on it, I still follow him on Facebook, does a lot of stuff about grief.

lapasion · 08/04/2023 09:25

Shipwrecked was awesome! Whenever I hear The Sea by Morcheeba it reminds me of being young and hungover, waking up in my boyfriends room with his mum bringing us cups of tea! Plus you then had the Hollyoaks omnibus to look forward to, back when it was a fun show.

Ibiza Uncovered was another guilty pleasure of mine. Back in the days you could be young and broke and just go live in Ibiza for a season. They’d all get jobs handing out leaflets. I was desperate to be old enough to go all night clubbing and wanted to go to the one with the live sex show!

burnoutbabe · 08/04/2023 09:29

www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a813455/shipwrecked-t4-classic-reality-show-where-are-they-now/

Yes 2019 had a new season of shipwrecked.

CurlsandCurves · 08/04/2023 09:31

Thought of another one I’ve not seen mentioned. Bad Lads Army.

lapasion · 08/04/2023 09:36

Trainstrike · 07/04/2023 21:10

Holiday Showdown is one of my favourite shows of all time, such a good concept.

Holiday Showdown was great! It was always funny seeing the posh family looking absolutely horrified when they were made to go to a perfectly normal caravan park or Spanish resort.

Did anyone else love The Hotel? It was on about 2012 or so and was a fly on the wall show about a rather dated hotel in Torquay run by an eccentric manager.

yodayoga1 · 08/04/2023 09:43

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.

Brilliant show, never understood why it didn't last longer