Mental health concerns in reality TV shows

[dowie]

It is interesting to see this issue being raised now, AFAIK plenty of the "entertainment" from reality shows for over a decade now seems to have been from tormenting/messing with the minds of the contestants.

I mean big brother has done it for years, dishing out punishments etc.. shows like pop idol or X factor, at least in the early stages, rely in part on laughing at rather odd/deluded individuals in between seeing a competent singer perform (sometimes the competent singers are introduced first by covering some sob story aspect of their lives too).

Now there is this show called Love Island, I've not watched it myself but I understand that the contestants are regularly wound up by the production crew by means of splitting up couples, introducing new cast members to cause drama and especially the introduction of an ex girlfriend or boyfriend. This isn't something new, it has apparently happened in previous seasons too (I've not watched those either but that is what I've been told). Yet now the producers have gone for their (apparently) usual trip of bringing on an ex and messing with an established couple and it has prompted a twitter **** storm and 2500 complaints to ofcom (thats almost as many as complained about the Brass Eye Paedogeddon episode!)



So are people more "woke" these days? Or are the general public being overly sensitive about what is ostensibly a game show with willing contestants who know what they're in for just doing what it has done on plenty of previous occasions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44683885

Ofcom has received more than 2,500 complaints over Sunday night's episode of Love Island.

The complaints are directly related to a scene where Dani Dyer is shown a misleading video of boyfriend Jack Fincham.

The couple were put in separate villas, after the boys and girls were split up as part of a plot twist.

It was revealed in the clip that an ex-partner of Fincham's was in the new villa with him.

 

[dowie]

I dont know about love island but I saw a filming of xfactor once during the show you are not alowed to do anything but cheer and be supportive (boo etc and you'll be thrown out).

All the shocked reactions etc we filmed befote the acts arrived on stage.

So any point to see the crowd reacting badly that's purely editing. The crowd always cheers

I know someone who auditioned for the show - they do like to portray things as though the TV judges are burning the midnight oil trying to get through the massive queue of people etc.. when in reality she never even saw the celebrity judges but performed in front of some production staff. She's a competent singer but I guess didn't have what they were looking for, it seems that the vast majority of contestants will never be put in front of the TV judges - they narrow it down to the talented people with a chance and the crazy types who are just there to be laughed at with maybe a few mediocre people chucked in for filler.

I'm not sure if they've changed the format and now have people seen for the first time in front of a live audience? I'd assume the acts you were watching had already made it past the first filmed judging round too?

Title is misleading. Messing with people mentally, is a far cry from poor mental health.

the title isn't misleading - the story linked to specifically cites mental health concerns