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Open House - The Great Sex Experiment

294 replies

mrsmiawallace2 · 09/05/2025 22:22

Anyone else watching? As always my jaw is on the floor. The first couple - he is a prolific cheat, she is ten years younger and seems quite upset by the previous infidelity yet here they are…at a glorified orgy. Why?!

OP posts:
Lalgarh · 12/05/2025 12:42

It used to be a truism (cited by Davina McCall) that on Big Brother every woman in the house under the age of about 25 would say she's Bi, mainly because they thought it would make them more exotic to blokes

Stuffocation · 12/05/2025 13:53

Lyannaa · 12/05/2025 12:38

Yes, I very much agree. I have also been on the receiving end of partners who think they can force me into this lifestyle or they'll ‘leave’. I always say ‘good luck trying this on your own as a single man - you simply won’t generally be allowed in’.

There is this entitled attitude ‘I don’t want a vanilla sex life’ as if they can order such a thing like it’s a menu.

I think the only women who tend to enjoy this scene are bi.

Show quote history

Sorry you have experienced that. I understand completely.

A friend of mine is online dating at the moment, we had a conversation about it recently and she couldn't believe how many profiles of men stated "not vanilla" or similar. The entitlement and expectations put on women now is very depressing. Men basically want what they see in porn

Stuffocation · 12/05/2025 14:07

Lalgarh · 12/05/2025 12:35

There's a politesse here.

It's always the bloke shagging multiple women and the female half with a bit of "bi" or rather than the female copping off with multiple men. Or him.

I could be wrong but I doubt Channel4 would show one women being shagged by multiple men. This type of gangbang porn is becoming more common, think Bonnie Blue. But it isn't as palatable as multiple glamorous women and one man on a tv programme. There are special nights in clubs called Greedy Girls nights where women can do this. Am sure in their own mind they feel in control and are empowered in some way, but all this behaviour does ultimately is BENEFIT MEN. I think the women who do it are very damaged but am sure they would argue they are not

MarkingBad · 12/05/2025 15:14

I also worry about the normalisation and coercion for more vulnerable people.

My ex and I were in a LTR which hit a vulnerable patch, I worked away a lot, he was jealous and lonely. He was talked into asking me to open our relationship by a couple in the lifestyle to "make us stronger". He was so utterly convinced it would work, I wasn't sure about it but agreed to try, he could, I didn't want to take other partners to bed, after a lot of discussion.

It was a self serving move by the woman "friend", she wanted ex as a regular partner, that never occured as he didn't fancy her and had quite a lot of choice elsewhere. So a normal couple working through a rocky patch which could have been solved with a better compromise ended up in a terrible situation, neither of us wanted. Whether or not we'd still be together now I don't know but I do know opening our relationship was a shit move we should both own up to. Apparently it's still my fault years on for agreeing to it.

And this is where the show gets it wrong with almost everyone walking away all lovey dovey. Open relationships do not work for everyone nor for every couple, if most of what you show is happy endings more people in vulnerable situations are going to think it's OK if only we let go of our egos and realise your partner going off shagging means they love you more 🙄than if they didn't.

It's completely the wrong message.

As for me I wouldn't put myself through it again, I was young and thought we were able to cope but I was caught out by things that hadn't even occured to me, like his ramped up jealousy about me. It could have been a lot more dangerous too in hindsight.

CowTown · 12/05/2025 15:17

MarkingBad · 12/05/2025 15:14

I also worry about the normalisation and coercion for more vulnerable people.

My ex and I were in a LTR which hit a vulnerable patch, I worked away a lot, he was jealous and lonely. He was talked into asking me to open our relationship by a couple in the lifestyle to "make us stronger". He was so utterly convinced it would work, I wasn't sure about it but agreed to try, he could, I didn't want to take other partners to bed, after a lot of discussion.

It was a self serving move by the woman "friend", she wanted ex as a regular partner, that never occured as he didn't fancy her and had quite a lot of choice elsewhere. So a normal couple working through a rocky patch which could have been solved with a better compromise ended up in a terrible situation, neither of us wanted. Whether or not we'd still be together now I don't know but I do know opening our relationship was a shit move we should both own up to. Apparently it's still my fault years on for agreeing to it.

And this is where the show gets it wrong with almost everyone walking away all lovey dovey. Open relationships do not work for everyone nor for every couple, if most of what you show is happy endings more people in vulnerable situations are going to think it's OK if only we let go of our egos and realise your partner going off shagging means they love you more 🙄than if they didn't.

It's completely the wrong message.

As for me I wouldn't put myself through it again, I was young and thought we were able to cope but I was caught out by things that hadn't even occured to me, like his ramped up jealousy about me. It could have been a lot more dangerous too in hindsight.

Apparently it's still my fault years on for agreeing to it.

😂 But HE suggested it!!!

MarkingBad · 12/05/2025 15:21

CowTown · 12/05/2025 15:17

Apparently it's still my fault years on for agreeing to it.

😂 But HE suggested it!!!

Show quote history

That was pointed out a number of times 😆

In truth it's because I agreed to it and then left him when I couldn't take him using it to punish me for my job (after several years of this crap). It got really complicated so he jumps on the easiest reason he can think of.

It was years ago but whenever I bump into a mutual friend they tell me he still mentions it on occasion. No one feels sorry for him over that and TBF I am partly to blame just not entirely.

Stuffocation · 12/05/2025 16:12

MarkingBad · 12/05/2025 15:14

I also worry about the normalisation and coercion for more vulnerable people.

My ex and I were in a LTR which hit a vulnerable patch, I worked away a lot, he was jealous and lonely. He was talked into asking me to open our relationship by a couple in the lifestyle to "make us stronger". He was so utterly convinced it would work, I wasn't sure about it but agreed to try, he could, I didn't want to take other partners to bed, after a lot of discussion.

It was a self serving move by the woman "friend", she wanted ex as a regular partner, that never occured as he didn't fancy her and had quite a lot of choice elsewhere. So a normal couple working through a rocky patch which could have been solved with a better compromise ended up in a terrible situation, neither of us wanted. Whether or not we'd still be together now I don't know but I do know opening our relationship was a shit move we should both own up to. Apparently it's still my fault years on for agreeing to it.

And this is where the show gets it wrong with almost everyone walking away all lovey dovey. Open relationships do not work for everyone nor for every couple, if most of what you show is happy endings more people in vulnerable situations are going to think it's OK if only we let go of our egos and realise your partner going off shagging means they love you more 🙄than if they didn't.

It's completely the wrong message.

As for me I wouldn't put myself through it again, I was young and thought we were able to cope but I was caught out by things that hadn't even occured to me, like his ramped up jealousy about me. It could have been a lot more dangerous too in hindsight.

Ugh so sorry this happened to you, what an idiot your ex is. I really despair of predatory swingers who try to recruit others, in this example by saying it will "make you stronger". Not only is it predatory, it feeds into your insecurities about your relationship..."maybe he will love me more/be more loving towards me if I let him do this" which of course does not work for everyone, in fact only a minority of relationships probably survive this long term.

I think the only personality type who can cope with open relationships/swinging are those who can very easily separate sex and emotions. Then I can see it working. But wthin a relationship most people just aren't wired like that.

MarkingBad · 12/05/2025 16:31

I agree @Stuffocation even though I don't need the emotional connection myself I was in a relationship and didn't want anyone but him. He couldn't see that through his own jealousy.

I don't know anyone with a life long open relationship, I agree it must be pretty rare.

JojoM1981 · 12/05/2025 16:33

Is this a new series? I vaguely remember something like this last year/year before?

Happymomoftwo · 12/05/2025 16:45

This is a brand new series - series three. How it keeps getting commissioned I’ll never know!

CowTown · 12/05/2025 16:49

Happymomoftwo · 12/05/2025 16:45

This is a brand new series - series three. How it keeps getting commissioned I’ll never know!

Because all of us are like 😳🤯🫣😮🤢😷

Stuffocation · 12/05/2025 16:52

Yes I agree @MarkingBad it is of course possible just to have sex without emotional connection, I was not averse to a ONS when single before my current relationship!

But most people who enter a relationship are seeking love and an emotional connection and this is the problem when considering opening it up. I remember in the second series a couple, I think the woman was called Jess? They attempted a foursome/couple swap with Olivia and Gage (yep them again) and Jess stopped it as she couldn't cope with her partner's very happy noises while Olivia sucked him off. That's the crude reality. She just wasn't wired to separate the sex and the love she had for her partner.

Edited to add...most seasoned swingers no doubt would argue that as they love their partners so much, they love hearing them get off with someone else. Remember they are wired differently, and are able to dissociate during sex from any self-esteem or confidence issues unlike most people

Happymomoftwo · 12/05/2025 16:56

CowTown · 12/05/2025 16:49

Because all of us are like 😳🤯🫣😮🤢😷

Show quote history

😂😂😂

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 12/05/2025 17:02

I was disappointed because I hoped the bloke who plays the piano with his dick would be on it, he’s on virtually everything else on C4 except the humanitarian slot on the news. No drag queens either, honestly, how vanilla can you get?

EBearhug · 12/05/2025 18:08

Happymomoftwo · 12/05/2025 16:45

This is a brand new series - series three. How it keeps getting commissioned I’ll never know!

We're all talking about, that's why.

Stuffocation · 12/05/2025 18:54

Agree! It provokes not admiration just morbid fascination

TheMVPSTurningmyheartbeatup · 12/05/2025 20:00

Is there no end to these types of shit TV programmes being churned out.
You can tell they're shit just by the trailer's for them without even watching.

JenniferBooth · 12/05/2025 20:06

Came across this article a couple of months back. Its not about open relationships but explores why hook up culture does not benefit women
https://www.thefp.com/p/loveless-sex-is-not-empowering

What Sexual Liberation Really Looks Like

Hookup culture benefits men at the expense of women.

https://www.thefp.com/p/loveless-sex-is-not-empowering

Happymomoftwo · 12/05/2025 20:34

EBearhug · 12/05/2025 18:08

We're all talking about, that's why.

Show quote history

Last series they only showed four episodes then the rest of the series was put onto the channel 4 app. So I thought this meant that viewing figures were low. Maybe they’ve been surprised by how many watched it on there.

JojoM1981 · 12/05/2025 20:37

Didn't one of the girls in the last series end up dating Vanessa Feltz ex Ben recently? I think her name was Precious??

Happymomoftwo · 12/05/2025 20:56

JojoM1981 · 12/05/2025 20:37

Didn't one of the girls in the last series end up dating Vanessa Feltz ex Ben recently? I think her name was Precious??

Edited

Yes, I said this earlier in the thread. It didn’t last, he’s already onto another!

Lyannaa · 12/05/2025 23:27

Stuffocation · 12/05/2025 16:52

Yes I agree @MarkingBad it is of course possible just to have sex without emotional connection, I was not averse to a ONS when single before my current relationship!

But most people who enter a relationship are seeking love and an emotional connection and this is the problem when considering opening it up. I remember in the second series a couple, I think the woman was called Jess? They attempted a foursome/couple swap with Olivia and Gage (yep them again) and Jess stopped it as she couldn't cope with her partner's very happy noises while Olivia sucked him off. That's the crude reality. She just wasn't wired to separate the sex and the love she had for her partner.

Edited to add...most seasoned swingers no doubt would argue that as they love their partners so much, they love hearing them get off with someone else. Remember they are wired differently, and are able to dissociate during sex from any self-esteem or confidence issues unlike most people

Edited

This is all very true and I think it’s also why swinging is not the remedy for a relationship where the man keeps cheating. Because hearing him get off with other people is going to remind you of the infidelity and the broken trust from the cheating. The cheating and the lies has already made you feel insecure.

Empress13 · 13/05/2025 04:14

Often wonder what their parents or family make of them doing this on national TV ! Experimentation? It’s just utter trash TV

Nc4dis · 14/05/2025 22:53

CowTown · 11/05/2025 15:37

Did anyone notice that Connor was now a Resident? I recognised him from before—his partner was a blonde who had the look of Jordan in her heyday, and commented about how gorgeous one of the male residents was—Connor was very insecure about it all. And now he’s part of the show on the other side!!!

His girlfriend was on there too at the beach bum’s social - with the massive fake boobs and curly hair.

Also, Naomi has been on Alone - a survival series 😮 How do you go from living in Canada in a wooden shack for a month, to this?

Nc4dis · 14/05/2025 22:56

JenniferBooth · 12/05/2025 20:06

Came across this article a couple of months back. Its not about open relationships but explores why hook up culture does not benefit women
https://www.thefp.com/p/loveless-sex-is-not-empowering

Louise Perry’s book is great. I definitely can’t separate sex and love, the only reason I want to have sex with someone is if I want to be in a relationship with them. Casual sex never worked for me, neither would swinging as I would just fall in love with them. You have to be a certain type of person to be able to just do sex and forget the next day.