We’re a nation that loves gathering around the TV screen to witness our favourite celebrities battle it out in an alien environment. The subsequent conversations at work, the ‘who does she think she is?’ gossip with the girls and the endless dialogue on social media is testament to our love of the celebrity talent show. But why are these shows so talked about, so fervently watched and so darn addictive?
It’s good to watch celebs out of their comfort zone
Lucy wowed the audience on Tumble. Photo courtesy of Digital Spy
We’re used to watching hapless members of the public taking a tumble on ‘Total Wipeout’ and displaying their ‘skills’ on talent hunting The Voice and The X Factor, but celebrity talent shows are actually a fairly new phenomenon. We’re now spoilt for choice if we fancy seeing our favourite celebrity try their hand at something new or compete in a completely new environment than the one we’re used to seeing them in. Most recently, we’ve been enthralled as the likes of Jamelia, Laurence Fox and Mike Tindall battled it out in the depths of the Costa Rican jungle, whilst TOWIE darling Lucy Mecklenburgh wowed on gymnastic-fest Tumble and Phil Tufnell competed against acting legend Nigel Havers performing jaw-dropping circus acts in Get Your Act Together.
Seeing another side to our favourite stars
Just like hugely popular Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celeb, talent shows allow us to see another side to our much-loved famous friends. Getting to know the celebrities who take part in these programmes via the competition itself and intimate spin-off shows is a real draw – because we often only see the side of them which the media provides us with and we usually already think we know them. Seeing the ‘real’ person – especially in the case of performers and actors or actresses – tears, warts, wrinkles and all, makes them ‘human’ to us. Seeing a person usually portrayed as ultimately successful struggle with something new – and share their experiences so openly – really endears us to them. Even if we previously didn’t follow them closely or even know who they were! When the gorgeous Kelly Brook competed in Strictly Come Dancing, it’s safe to say not one person watching didn’t feel for her having to perform despite her father’s critical illness and unfortunate passing. This intimacy is probably the reason for many who take part in these shows gaining massive followings post-participation – or on the other side of the coin earning abuse from a disgruntled public for their undesirable behaviour on screen.
Celebrity talent shows display real struggles
Rav Wilding was badly injured during one series of Splash! Photo courtesy of the Daily Mail
That’s not the only reason we are avidly glued to these shows, however. First championed by the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy, slapstick is one of the oldest forms of comedy – and it’s still much-loved today. We just love to watch people make a fool of themselves. It’s perhaps an element of this which makes our treasured celebrity talent shows so enjoyable; except in this instance, the slapstick isn’t orchestrated for entertainment purposes – it’s real. Real injuries, real difficulty – real arguments! Just take for instance Rav Wilding’s painful-looking leg injury on Splash, Sugababe Amelle Berrabah’s grisly ankle dislocation on Tumble, or Ola Jordan’s close to life-changing, career-ending fall when training for The Jump. That’s just the medical drama – let’s not forget the off-screen romance rumours running rife on every series of Strictly and Dancing On Ice. All of this equals real drama – and that is something we simply can’t get enough of.
One thing all of these brave celebrities have in common is the ability not to take themselves too seriously. They’re up for a laugh, keen to learn new skills and happy for the highs and the lows alike to be played out on the nation’s TV screens. When booking celebrity talent for your event, be sure to think about their experience both in and out of the limelight. Most celebrities who take part in these shows, despite their existing lifestyle, say that their time on a celebrity talent show is one of the most incredible and eye-opening experiences they have ever had. With that in mind – they’re the perfect choice to speak at your event about overcoming obstacles, personal development, learning new skills and learning a lot about themselves in the process.
When all’s said and done one thing’s for sure – we’re not going to want to go cold turkey anytime soon when it comes to our favourite celebrity talent show. And with many more in the pipeline promised by ITV, Channel 4 and the BBC, it looks like we won’t have to. If you’d like one of the celebs mentioned above to tell your guests tales of their struggles in the Jungle or trials on Total Wipeout, you can contact MN2S to discuss celebrity bookings now.