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Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

The dumbest genre in entertainment, or the one that tells us the most about ourselves?

Journalists Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale explore how reality TV shapes our lives and the ethical questions raised by the format, featuring iconic shows and stars.

The dumbest genre in entertainment, or the one that tells us the most about ourselves? Since its conception, reality TV has divided its viewers. 

Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV is a 10-part audio documentary written and presented by journalists Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale. They've been fans of reality TV since they first watched Big Brother as pre-teens and they've spent a fair amount of time defending reality TV when people are snobby about it, or dismiss its importance in our wider culture. But they've also been troubled by what they've seen in the genre: the exploitation; the lack of aftercare; the impacts of sudden fame. 

Using interviews with the creators, producers and stars of some of the most iconic reality shows of the last two decades, and leading cultural critics of today, Unreal explores how reality TV has shaped entertainment, fashion, beauty, celebrity and even politics - and some of the ethical issues raised by the format. 

Producer: Hannah Hufford 
Executive Producer: Pandora Sykes 
Executive Editor: James Cook 
Content Producer: Hannah Robins 
Technical Producer: Giles Aspen

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Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV: 3. The Wild West Years: There’s Something About Miriam and Who’s Your Daddy

1. The Social Experiment: Big Brother Is Watching You

3. The Wild West Years: There’s Something About Miriam and Who’s Your Daddy

BBC Radio 4 - Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV, 3. The Wild West Years: There’s Something About Miriam and Who’s Your Daddy

How the explosion of reality TV in the early 2000s caused ethics to fly out the window.

A deep dive into some of reality TV’s most controversial shows in the early 2000s, exploring how the explosion in the genre caused ethics to fly out the window.

Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale deep-dive into some of reality TV’s most controversial shows in the early 2000s, exploring how the explosion in the genre caused ethics to fly out of the window. Featuring interviews with There's Something About Miriam's show creator and winning contestant, and many more.

Producer: Hannah Hufford
Executive Producer: Pandora Sykes
Executive Editor: James Cook 
Content Producer: Hannah Robins
Technical Producer: Giles Aspen

Archive credits: 
There’s Something About Miriam, Brighter Pictures
The Farm, Endemol UK 
Shattered, Endemol UK 
Who’s Your Daddy, 10 by 10 Entertainment
Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera, Wondery
Big Brother, Endemol UK 
Have I Got News For You, Hat Trick Productions

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Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV

3. The Wild West Years: There’s Something About Miriam and Who’s Your Daddy

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