The ‘sneaky short cuts’ reality TV uses to get its contestants up to scratch
The scandal engulfing two Strictly Come Dancing male professionals, Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima – both accused by celebrity partners of bullying or abusive teaching methods – shows no sign of dying down. On Tuesday, the former Love Island contestant Zara McDermott, who was paired with Di Prima in 2023, commented on Instagram that she had “wrestled with the fear of opening up” about her training room experiences, adding that there were witnesses to and videos of incidents “which are incredibly distressing to watch”.
It all leaves the besieged Strictly producers with a daunting challenge as they head into their next season. How can they get these novice celebrities up to that incredibly high standard of dance, in a short time, while ensuring that no one is pushed too hard?
Certainly, the BBC has seen fit to swiftly address the difficulties by announcing new guidelines on Tuesday to “strengthen welfare and support” on the show – including ensuring chaperones are present during rehearsals and installing a “celebrity welfare producer” and “professional dancer producer”.
But it’s not only Strictly that faces such conundrums, with numerous other reality TV shows grappling with the same issues. Viewers want to see contestants excelling in whatever the challenge is – whether haute cuisine, singing, dancing, baking or ice skating.
Of course we all enjoy watching the odd disaster too, whether soggy bottoms in the Bake Off tent or sore bottoms as celebrities come crashing down on the ice rink. But these shows simply wouldn’t work if everyone was terrible or just mediocre.
We want a “journey”, someone growing over the weeks into a brilliant contestant – hopefully while learning some relatable life lessons along the way. The narrative arc of these competition shows demands growth and at least some level of proficiency.
But is Strictly alone in having this tough-as-nails learning culture? Or do other shows use sneaky short cuts? After all, “reality” TV isn’t always plain reality.
MasterChef
“Cooking doesn’t get tougher than this!” That catchphrase has characterised the John Torode and Gregg Wallace era of MasterChef, ever since its 2005 revival and revamp. The entry form that contestants fill out includes questions such as: “What’s the hardest cooking situation you’ve ever been in?” – they’re not just looking for good home cooks, but for culinary gladiators.
Stamina is key too. Filming begins at 7:30am and goes on until around 8pm, making for a more than 12-hour day. The food is cold by the time the judges taste it, but they usually wander around and try bits while the contestants are cooking, so they know what they’re aiming for and take that into account.
On TV, it looks as if the amateur chefs are just thrown into the deep end. In fact they’re given plenty of time to look around the kitchens beforehand, figure out where all the equipment is, check off their ingredients list with a member of the production team, and set up their own bench with everything they need before the filmed and timed task begins.
However, the invention test really is that difficult – there’s no time to prepare and you have no idea what you’ll be facing until it begins. Yet while the judges seem strict when giving their verdicts on dishes, in reality they help and encourage the contestants throughout. Jack Lucas, a finalist on the 2014 season, revealed that Torode and Wallace “are so supportive – you don’t see that on camera,” adding that they gave him “lots of tips”. That explains why successful contestants improve over the weeks, although they do also need to be the kind of person who thrives under pressure.
Anthony O’Shaughnessy, a semi-finalist in 2018, explained that the hardest part is the wait: contestants can spend up to two hours in the lounge area while a challenge is being set up. Luckily, the drawers are full of crisps and chocolate, and there’s even a secret wine fridge.
So, it is tough on TV – but there’s lots of help for contestants just off camera.
The Voice
We first saw those swivelling chairs back in 2012, when the British version of Dutch singing competition The Voice aired in the UK. The aim was to judge contestants purely on their vocal talent – but is it really as feel-good behind the scenes? And how much do those celebrity “coaches” actually help?
Firstly, that blind audition isn’t quite what it seems. The contestants have actually auditioned for the producers, in three stages, before they reach that filmed portion, and they also get to rehearse in the studio with the band beforehand. The producers advise on song choices and musical arrangements. That ensures a high calibre of contestants, presented in the best possible way, before the show even begins.
It’s even more extensive on the US version of the show. Season six contestant Kat Perkins has revealed that as well as the show arranging singing lessons ahead of her debut, she also received media training, “to teach us skills for living our lives ‘out loud’ on social media, radio, print and red carpet platforms”.
While there’s a major focus on the celebrity coaches – who, on the UK edition, have included Tom Jones, Jessie J, will.i.am, Kylie Minogue, Boy George, Jennifer Hudson and Olly Murs – they’re more like figureheads during the actual day-to-day work.
The contestants spend more time with The Voice’s backstage vocal coaches. These are industry professionals, rather than big names, so their sessions are less pressurised and aren’t filmed. That gives the competing singers a chance to actually pick up new skills and hone their craft without having to also think about how they come across to the public.
It also means we’re not really getting the full picture when it comes to how these contestants are developing. Their televised “breakthrough” might actually represent weeks of behind-the-scenes work, rather than a good song choice by a celebrity coach.
However, the series has never really produced a lasting star act. Former coach Paloma Faith told The Telegraph that part of the problem is “there’s no system in place to support the artists” at the end of the show. She added: “It’s just like, all right, we’ve finished filming, off you go.”
Dancing on Ice
Hot on Strictly’s Cuban heels came ITV’s Dancing on Ice in 2006, seemingly upping the ante: all the pressure of learning and performing a routine, while also sliding around on a perilous ice rink or doing ominously named lifts like “the headbanger”. Plus, if you make the final, you have to live up to the legend that is Torvill and Dean’s Olympic-winning Bolero.
The Dancing on Ice professionals have never become household names in the way that Strictly pros often do – the televised rehearsal footage is often dominated by visits from Torvill and Dean – but it’s a similar set-up, with couples doing intensive hours of training together.
In fact, speaking on Loose Women on Monday, the former celebrity contestant Coleen Nolan reflected on the “intense” experience and said that the pro skaters sometimes forgot they were working with an amateur for a TV entertainment show instead of in their own highly competitive world. “My partner [Stuart Widdall], he’d scream at me like: ‘Why have you done that?’” Nolan recalled.
In 2020, the model Caprice Bourret accused her pro partner, Hamish Gaman, of bullying her in training. The show assigned a supervisor to watch their rehearsals, and ITV subsequently released a statement saying it found no evidence to support her claims.
The former Dancing on Ice pro Alex Murphy, who won in 2020 with Joe Swash, has spoken in defence of Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice, saying: “He’s doing the best he can.” She explained that the big challenge is adjusting your approach with each new celebrity, adding: “Every single time I went in, I had to have a completely different teaching structure.”
But the contestants are still expected to work hard, even if they’re not destined for the final. Dean expressed his frustrations with Gemma Collins when she took part in 2019, following reports that she abandoned rehearsals to take a nap and also left the live show early. He urged her to be “part of a team”, and noted that while some celebrities “have a background of discipline because they’ve been in a band or been an athlete”, the same did not apply to the reality TV star. The acid-tongued judge Jason Gardiner went further, calling Collins “lazy”.
That’s in sharp contrast to the celebrities who went all in, like Coronation Street actress and 2021 runner-up Faye Brooks. Her pro partner Matt Evers said they were training about five hours a day on the ice, burning “easily 800 calories” – and refuelling thanks to Brooks bringing in vegan chilli and chicken Katsu curry.
The Great British Bake Off
On your marks, get set… bake! It’s the nation’s wholesome TV favourite, featuring jolly nice folk who, instead of trying to destroy the competition, often help their fellow bakers in need.
But as the series have piled up, and the show has moved from the BBC to Channel 4, the standard has risen and the challenges have become more gruelling – the latter drawing viewer complaints. So, what’s it really like inside the tent?
It’s a tough road to even get that far. Season seven contestant Rav Bansal recalled filling in “the longest application form in the history of forms”, as well as doing a phone interview and screen test. Ali Imdad, from season four, revealed that a food technician would then test out their audition bakes (both sweet and savoury), and each contestant also meets with a psychologist to ensure that they can handle the stress of the show.
The production team go to great lengths to ensure fairness. Each technical bake is given a run-through by the show’s home economists, who check it really is achievable under timed conditions. They also make sure each contestant has the right quantities of ingredients and equipment for their recipes (they’re allowed to bring in some equipment from home), and every oven is tested that morning, with the team baking identical Victoria sponges in each one. Once, that test revealed that an oven had accidentally been set to defrost mode.
However, there’s no intervention if a contestant makes a crucial mistake during their bake. Hard though it is, Faenia Moore, who has worked behind the scenes on the show since it began, explained that the team just has to “turn away”. It’s also her job to alert the producers if something goes awry so they can cover it. “It’s about the story,” she explained.
Stacey Hart from season eight revealed that you really do have to stick to the timings – no cheating allowed there. But she said a producer did once give her a kindly warning, saying: “If you’re to finish that you better hurry up.” “She wasn’t supposed to do that,” added Hart, “but it was nice.”
The producers also recognise that weather conditions can drastically affect their work, according to season eight’s Tom Hetherington. His group of bakers was allowed to make a spare version of their spun sugar decoration, since the first one might dissolve in the humidity.
Another challenge is the arduous filming days, which can last up to 16 hours. “It takes a long time to film – it becomes very exhausting and very stressful,” said Hetherington.
While some bakers flourish in the tent, driven by the challenges to achieve impressive culinary feats, Imdad is doubtful that you really learn much during the process. “I don’t think the show is there to teach you skills, honestly. It’s there more to see how you cope under pressure.”