Hereford Hall a finished school?
Reality TV? Aussie Ladette to Lady's finishing school at Hereford Hall is little more than a building hired for cameras.
- Published by David Knox
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Last night’s series premiere of Aussie Ladette to Lady saw the show set at Hereford Hall, instead of its traditional base at Eggleston Hall in Teesdale, England.
Eggleston Hall was briefly a Finishing School for 20 years but returned to residential use in 1970.
But Hereford Hall, with its cheap, makeshift sign, appears to be another matter altogether.
Reality television often requires suspension of disbelief. Hereford Hall purports to be a Finishing School, but outside of classes for the cameras it leaves a lot to be desired. It’s debatable whether the venue even exists under the Hereford name.
On last night’s show there were quotes and narration that featured the following:
– Today Hereford Hall is a finishing school for ladies. The new term is about to begin. The Principal Mrs Harbord has been preparing young girls for the world for over 30 years and she runs a tight ship.
– Our school motto, ‘She Conquers, She Conquers Herself” is very much about self discipline.
– Never before have students at this school been known to run for class.
– It’s the last day of Hereford Hall Finishing School for ladies.
– This term’s intake of Australian ladettes has pushed the teachers to their limits.
– Your contempt of our institution is so obvious.
So does Hereford Hall exist as either in name or as an ongoing school?
A Nine spokesperson confirmed to TV Tonight that the venue was hired for the series:
“Hereford Hall is on the border of Wales. The Hall is hired for the show. If they went to an actual school the show would disrupt terms, classes etc, so they hire a hall to film the show.”
This is not to diminish from the skills of the show’s cast. Gill Harbord who trained at Constance Spry School in London, is a nationally accredited flower arranging specialist and has taught at finishing schools in the UK.
Along with Rosemary Shrager both have also appeared in the 2009 MTV reality series, The Girls of Hedsor Hall.
Shrager is actually the resident chef teacher at Swinton Park Cookery School, a luxury castle hotel in Swinton, North Yorkshire.
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18 Responses
The show gave some clues – It’s Kentchurch Court in the wilds of Hereford. Guess the clues?
Brian the show ended years ago, I don’t think anybody is interested anymore. See the date of the last comments?
There are Clues to be found in the programme.
It’s Kentchurch Court in Herefordshire.
This “school” doesn’t seem to relate to any reality that I know of! I am a hard working, born and bred Englishman (and proud of it) but the old buffers that profess to teach here aren’t living in the real world! With their haughty attitudes and high and mighty, holier than thou approach they belong in the 1800’s. Why, one even looks just like a horse. This “upper crust” lifestyle and out of date approach is just so out of touch with reality in this country to be laughable. I am not one for revolution and getting rid of the monarchy but if I was they would be the first for the firing squads
“Yeh,……. the babes of ‘Ladette to Lady’ are sooo ‘hot’,….’specially the tall blonde one….she can make ma bed anyday!”
The current episode just showed the crown inn which is in woolhope herefordshire and the ladettes walked from hereford hall to the crown inn
I am with Jenni, I have lived in Hereford for 40 years and have never heard of Hereford Hall. On wathching last night, 10th August 2010, my husband seemed to think it may be somewhere near Mordiford but can’t remeber the house’s name.
where actually is hereford hall as i come from hereford and lived their 18 years but have never heard of it?!
Errrm scusi me n my bez need some help in ow to serv some food up to the mandem gb ye
thank you or this post. i am watching the programme now and googled Hereford Hall as soon as they showed the sign, it looked a bit spurious
I am looking forward to seeing this series. ITV2 have started repeating the show this week (Sat. 3rd July 2010 – Sat. 10th July 2010). Didn’t have the opportunity to see the show last year.
I love these Aussie ladettes, for I am Aussie too.
So any explanation for why Eggleston Hall wasn’t used David?
@ Russell, most reality TV shows contain a more accurate and less biased version of reality than the nightly news and current affairs shows. I don’t think reality TV fans would be shocked to learn that there are forces at work behind the cameras pulling the strings as they produce the programs. It’s dead obvious, so I hate it when critics of reality TV announce this as though it is some marvelous revelation which only they can understand.
Perhaps they could get the Pond’s Institute to do an investigation.
Gold!
“a nationally accredited flower arranging specialist”
Who needs a Nobel Prize, eh?
i have enjoyed all the seasons so far the UK ones more so than the aussie one. last night i was looking forward to something finally being on after PTTR and i was so disapointed.
even i thought it was so rubbishy last night. will not be back.
Reality TV should really be termed “unscripted”.
As Mark Burnett pointed out, everything in reality TV is the same as drama. The only different is that dialogue is not written.
Scenes are re-shot. Storylines are written. Sets are built.
I think most people know now reality TV is not that “real”. It’s just “unscripted”