In the UK, as in America, reality TV has taken over the small screen. “Drama, lifestyle and documentary programmes have all been crushed by the alluring mix of multi-camera, multi-star TV. Reality TV, it could be argued, has now established itself as a mainstream format, alongside drama and sitcoms, and if anything, is going through a mature phase. Perhaps the enduring appeal of reality TV, whether in celebrity or ‘ordinary people’ guise, has nothing to do with our appetite for the formula but more to do with gossip columns and the need for showbiz news.”