
‘How do you not know who that is?’: the method behind reality’s casting madness
You're not alone in wondering who some jungle celebs are -even the hosts are in the dark sometimes.
- Published by David Knox
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Like him or loathe him, everybody knows Dave Hughes.
Sports fans will be familiar with the likes of Shayna Jack, Sam Thaiday or Zach Tuohy.
And Reality TV fans are very familiar with Reggie Bird.
But if you’re scratching your head thinking ‘Who are Max Balegde, Tina Provis and Samantha Moitzi’ relax – it’s all part of a bigger picture on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
Sometimes even the hosts aren’t familiar with their body of work either. It’s up to producers to reveal the cast to them upon arrival.
“When we arrive in Africa. We have a bit of a ceremony which we started years ago,” Julia Morris tells TV Tonight.
“Alex Mavrodikis, our executive producer, and Tamara Simoneau from Channel 10, both get together and show us the cast as a full list. Often times, we will have had people contact us beforehand saying, ‘I’ve been approached. What do you think?'”
As Robert Irwin explains, it’s a moment of rumours finally being confirmed or denied.
“You sort of have your pretty confident suspicions, but it’s this really fun group environment where everyone gets together and it’s, ‘I knew it was them!’ It’s the reaction that, of course, the entire audience then has, as soon as we go to air,” he says.
“My children, who are 16 and 18 and over the years, I won’t know who they know,” Morris admits. “Oftentimes, particularly if you’re looking at multi-generations of watching the show together, I’ll get the kids going, ‘How do you not know who that is?’ And I’ll be like, ‘Look at this sports star, how do you not know them?’
“So across the generations everybody knows someone, but the great news is, across the generations, everybody gets to know people by the end of the show.”
Last year the show was won by former Big Brother contestant, Skye Wheatley. Across the series the audience got to know her and voted for her to be saved over more famous faces including Denise Drysdale, Stephen K. Amos and Michelle Bridges. Former Love Island contestant Callum Hole, placed third -validating producer casting gambles.
Last night Bondi Rescue‘s Harrison Reid joined the series, already copping 5 snake bites in his first trial which included cockroaches, crabs and frogs. If he makes it through 4 weeks of TV terror audiences will know him beyond his Waverly Council life-saving (which to be fair is a slightly more important contribution in the greater scheme of things).
If not, there’s still an award-winning actress set to be unveiled.
- Tagged with I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here
14 Responses
This is the only reality TV show I watch. I have a personal interest and understanding of how this show works. Back in 2008, a friend of mine, an ITV exec at the time, took me onto the I’m A Celeb set while the British show was happening in the northern NSW jungle. I watched a trial, met Ant and Dec and the crew, sat in the control room, witnessed the votes coming in, and chatted with the newly evicted celeb. I saw how it all worked and this show is still entertaining to me. I don’t care if I know the celebs or not. It doesn’t take long to get to know them. It’s a show for all ages so of course viewers won’t know everyone at first.
Only people I know are Hughsie, Reggie, Nicky Buckley and Matty J. When the names come up on screen they are often too quick for me to see them.
Why even publish stuff about this childish crap? What adult with a brain tunes into see reality tv contestants eating insects. Give me a break 😳
Over 900,000 on night one, now 11 seasons. If the show or story is not for you fine, but I’d appreciate a little respect.
I’m baffled by the success of Googlebox watching people watching TV, I just don’t get it but I’m aware it’s popular which makes my scratch my head
I love the comedy and humour aspect and also it has shows, I wouldn’t normally watch. If I like those shows, then I go watch them. So it’s good advertising too.
I’m an Adult, I have a brain, and I love watching this. It’s one of my Favourite shows. I’m not a fan of MAFS, so I just avoid the articles. David publishes all types of shows on his site, so if it’s not to your taste, then just keep scrolling. David works hard to publish all types of articles, so as David said, show a bit of respect.
Every single year we always get people saying “Who” thinking they are being funny and witty. News flash you aren’t!
The culture of celebrity has changed over the years, and just because you are not keeping up with celebrity trends doesn’t mean there isn’t millions that know of that person and tuning in just for them.
When I say “who is that” or “ I don’t know who that is” it’s because I genuinely don’t know, so please don’t assume that all of us are trying to be funny or witty
I suggest a thing called Google. It is your friend.
I agree. I haven’t watched for a few seasons, however was going to tune in on Sunday but decided against it once Dave Hughes was confirmed. Good on him for his success, but I personally can’t stand him and refuse to watch anything on 10 that he’s on.
I usually only don’t know a couple (as I’m nearly 50), but this year – maybe I’m too old, but I don’t know: Sam Thaiday (as I’m from VIC I suppose), Shayna Jack (that’s bad as I did watch some of the Olympics), Zach Tuohy – never heard of him at all and I know a bit about AFL (Go Blues), Max Balegde (Who?) – well, as I said I’m nearly 50, Tina Provis – no idea. Samantha Moitzi – no idea (Hate MAFS), Harrison Reid – don’t watch Bondi Rescue.
If you said I’d give you a million dollars to say any of the names I mentioned – I honestly didn’t have a clue who they were. Saying that, I still like getting to know new people and have grown to really like some past unknowns before, but will not tune in this year unfortunately due to Dave Hughes.
I agree 100% with this post as it was like my own thoughts
“Go Blues”? That’s amusing, since Zach Tuohy played for Carlton for 5-6 years :-)
There are zero “celebrity trends” being kept up with this season. It’s not even a matter of segmented society, this is unequivocally a dodgy batch.