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

[Imcomingovertoyourplace]

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?)

@StepawayfromtheLindorsyeah it was proper poverty porn. Some touching moments

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.

UK version.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Supersize versus super skinny.

Agree. I felt uncomfortable with it at the time so would probably be bursting blood vessels if I watched it now.

I'm trying to remember what the name was of a show on around the same time where people used to go on and get actual plastic surgery done, usually to their face. They very rarely looked like they needed it (or looked better afterwards) and I used to think that surely some therapy would have served them better.

We do now, but we didn't at the time.

I liked that too and I'm in Yorkshire. Not sure if I'm remembering it through rose tinted glasses but it seemed respectful - real but as if we were all rooting for the kids rather than laughing at everyone. Hope they felt the same. There were some characters on there - pupils and teachers. @StepawayfromtheLindors I'm sure you're right that there was a snobbery/ anti-northern prejudice element in the title, but I think the producers also realized there's a cultural norm here to be a bit more blunt, which was what was so great about it.

Where did you rewatch Playing it Straight @Imcomingovertoyourplace ? I've been thinking about that programme for ages! I remember absolutely loving it but would probably see it differently now!

There was a particularly awful episode of wife swap where a toddler was being severely neglected by her parents, that was an awful watch.

Trinny and Susana always dressed everyone exactly the same, it was always a long tan coat and bootcut trousers, oh and a heel of course because the participants/victims had to look 'feminine'😁

Loved holiday showdown who remembers honey we’re killing the kids?

The Swan was the worst. See also 'I Want A Famous Face'.

How to look 10 years younger or something I think?

Some of the makeovers were hilarious, have seen clips go viral in recent years for how bad they were!

Me too. I had a bit of a thing for the Yorkshire headteacher. And the iconic moment that the boy with the stammer is able to speak fluently...😭.

I do like watching them to see how normal and natural everyone looked, and they weren’t all fame hungry and empty headed then

Yes! Thank you, that was doing my head in.

Sure, but the point is more that the subject matter of the shows was wildly inappropriate. HTH.

Yes she was left in her cot until 1pm while her mum stayed in bed. Then sat on the computer all day while the baby was chucked a packet of crisps. She has 5 kids now and still with the husband. Kerry who she did wife swap with has been on TikTok. She’s been in touch with Kelly and the daughter Georgina.

10 Years Younger was horrible, just pushing cosmetic surgery all the time. I kind of miss makeover shows where they dress people though, that format could probably be updated for now with more of a focus on ppls personal style.

Does anyone remember 'A shot at love with Tila Tequila'? That was a weird one!