To think that not everyone who goes on to love island (etc.) can make a career out of being famous

[Spagbol88]

I guess just something that's been on my mind for a while. Don't get me wrong, I'm very much part of the problem in the sense that I watch love island (and secretly enjoy it). Every year love island and other reality style shows churn out new faces (usually beautiful ones) and then they become famous. They're on Instagram flogging the latest fashions, diet drinks, toothpaste etc. And every year another 20 or so get added to the mix, and the majority do the same.
Lots of the young people going in already have good jobs and careers (solicitors, scientists etc.) and seemingly walk away from this to instead get quick money. I can't say I blame them as it must be near impossible for them to feel like they can turn down thousands of pounds for an Instagram post (for example).
I guess I just worry that this is a sort of crisis for these young people in the future. Once they aren't flavour of the month and love island 2025 has churned out another load of new celebrities, the love island stars of 2019 will find their money and fame drying up quickly.
We've had the deaths of 2 love island stars already due to mental health problems, and the industry is so so fickle.
Don't get me wrong, it's not keeping me up at night, but as a 31year old teacher of teenagers it concerns me also that young adults see this as a career goal too.
Maybe I'm old fashioned in my thinking and that being an Instagram, YouTube etc star is a new career goal?
Would be interesting to get thoughts on this!

Its the fake look that gets to me....they are stunning but there is little diversity. I'd love to see a stunning pale red head with freckles or a sexy punky lady with short hair and a nose ring...aint gonna happen.

My comment about not knowing what you are signing up for. You might think that you are going into a house for ( hopefully) a few weeks or be part of a singing competition, but you can't possibly know what the product going out on screen will be and how it can skew reality.
Editing, artificially creating situations or storylines, remarks from judging panels about your alleged behaviour off stage, creation of VT s you don't know about with footage and interview remarks taken out if context, press leaks to tabloids about alleged behaviour or past behaviour, exes or even acquaintances selling or fabricating stories in the press or social media......
They are hundreds of factors that can skew reality and by the time they happen, it's too late for you to do anything about it. If you're stuck in a house with no contact to the outside, you'll be totally blindsided.
Reality TV is not "real", it is heavily manipulated to be as entertaining as possible.

Reality TV is not "real", it is heavily manipulated to be as entertaining as possible.

Exactly. But you'd have to be pretty daft not to realise that. No, you might not know exactly how your input might be manipulated, but you can be sure that the way you are presented will be for the benefit of the viewing figures, not for your own benefit.

They are hundreds of factors that can skew reality and by the time they happen, it's too late for you to do anything about it. If you're stuck in a house with no contact to the outside, you'll be totally blindsided.

Yes, so don't go on a reality show! It's not rocket science. If your desire for fame is huge enough for you to ignore all the very obvious dangers and downsides, then you only have your ego to blame when it all comes crashing down.

Unless you can make enough money quick whilst the interest lasts to invest in something or set up a business that will keep you going then I think it's inevitable that they will disappear into obscurity- like so many people from the X factor/big brother, who were in the papers every day at the time.

I knew a girl many years ago who was nice then, I lost touch with her and years later she seemed to have completely changed - she was in big brother - having sex on tv, in the papers boasting about sexual exploits with celebrities, from what I understand it ruined her life and she really struggles now, there was so much information in the papers and on the internet it will be there forever and there's no getting away from it. It seems like a very big price to pay for a bit of cash for interviews and selling diet plans on Instagram

I agree OP. I’m a teacher too and the amount of students who aspire to be an influencer is huge. We do do some lessons about reality TV etc, but it doesn’t seem to help much.

This is what their 'job' entails.

Some real casualties of cosmetic surgery there as well

Leave em to it. Means there's more proper jobs for the rest of us.