‘We won’t take this any more!’: the reality TV stars battling to unionise

From traumatic experiences to pitiful pay, reality show cast members are sharing their horror stories. As Hollywood continues to strike, is now the time to demand change?When Gemma Rose Barnes, 32, signed up to appear on Married at First Sight (Mafs) – a reality TV show that introduces couples for the first time on their wedding day – she felt apprehensive. She told the show’s producers that she wanted to meet the love of her life, and was worried she’d be married off to someone who hadn’t gone on the show for the same reason. “They told me that audiences now wanted to see genuine matches, so I had nothing to worry about,” says Barnes.But what was sold to her as the chance to find The One quickly descended into a nightmare. Barnes says she made repeated complaints to the producers about her husband. When she asked to leave the show, she says she was coerced into staying – although Channel 4 claims that she was free to leave at any time. She says contestants were plied with alcohol, and that on one occasion producers snuck extra drinks to certain cast members before filming. Channel 4 denies this, claiming that alcohol consumption is at the discretion of individuals, “but it is monitored and limited by the production team”. Other contestants have spoken of being “smashed” during filming after sneaking in bottles of alcohol, as well as dramatic arguments being sparked by participants drinking on an empty stomach. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-18 12:00:49 UTC ]
News tagged with: #horror stories #wedding day #cast members #production team

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The Bangles' Susanna Hoffs wrote her debut novel about a pop star. It's not her

Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs has written a novel, 'This Bird Has Flown,' about an 'over-the-hill' one-hit wonder finding love — and it kind of rocks. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-04-03 13:00:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pop star #debut novel


Ghostwriter to the Stars: Who Is J.R. Moehringer?

J.R. Moehringer has been one of the biggest names in celebrity memoir since long before he ghostwrote Prince Harry's memoir Spare. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-03-28 10:34:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #biggest names #celebrity memoir #memoir spare #memoir


TV measurement should include homes with no TVs, research group says

Nielsen and rivals are challenged by homes that only stream to mobile devices, which are growing fast but not included in big data sets.  Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2023-03-27 14:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tv measurement #mobile devices #growing fast #nielsen


This Is Going to Hurt and The Responder lead in 2023 Bafta TV nominations

NHS drama starring Ben Whishaw and Martin Freeman’s portrayal of troubled policeman each garner six awards nominationsBafta TV awards 2023: full list of nominationsThis Is Going to Hurt and The Responder jointly lead the 2023 TV Bafta nominations after being shortlisted in six categories. Adam... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-03-22 07:43:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #adam kay #drama series #full list #bestselling memoir #junior doctor #ben whishaw #fictionalised version #memoir


The best live TV streaming services in 2023

Streaming promised us a world without cable contracts and the satisfaction of only paying for what we actually wanted to watch. But at what cost? Cutting the cord typically means you don’t get to watch local channels, live sports or certain “cable only” networks. If you want to get back some of... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-03-21 13:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #biggest caveat #minimalist design #nielsen


Heroes of the Written Word: Novels Starring Comic Book Characters

Superheroes aren't limited to comic books. Read your way into these novels starring comic book heroes. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-03-03 11:32:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #written word #comic books #comic book


How NASA pulled off the DART mission, making science fiction a reality

In a test of planetary defense capabilities, NASA and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory crashed a spacecraft to alter an object’s orbit. NASA is No. 17 on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2023. Explore the full list of companies that are reshaping... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2023-03-02 07:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #innovative companies #full list #dart mission #fast company #science fiction


Indigo won't pay ransom for stolen employee data

Canada's largest bookstore chain says it won't pay ransom to the online group claiming responsibility for the cyberattack that stole at least some personal data of current and former employees of Indigo Books & Music, and which likely caused... Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-03-02 02:09:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #personal data #bookstore chain


Can You Guess the Sci-Fi Book Based On Its 1-Star Reviews?

"I hope you like calendars that you never understand" and "Dull soup": can you match the sci-fi novel to its 1-star reviews? Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-02-21 11:37:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #1-star reviews #book based


Plex's latest feature lets you skip movie and TV show credits

Plex now has the capability to skip intros and credits, so you don't have to sit through them if you don't want to. The streaming media service has introduced its new "Skip Credits" feature, a couple of years after a similar feature debuted for intros, and it shows up as a button at the bottom... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-02-16 12:45:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #libraries


‘I broke out in a cold sweat’: could you stomach seeing your memories of bullying play out on TV?

Bad Behaviour author Rebecca Starford and the team behind a dramatisation of her memoir reflect on how they recreated her frightening account of her elite boarding schoolGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailWhen Rebecca Starford was 14 she spent a year living in the bush as part of an... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-02-14 14:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #weekend culture #year living #bad behaviour #ripple effects #pop culture #memoir


Theorizing the Basis of Our World: A Reading List on Quantum Reality

Quantum Mechanics is the science behind nuclear energy, smart phones, and particle collisions. Yet, almost a century after its discovery, there is still controversy over what the theory actually means. The problem is that its key element, the quantum-mechanical wave function describing atoms and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-02-10 09:52:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #quantum mechanics #smart phones #key element


Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Brandon-Croft, Tate, Millner, and More

Here’s a quick look at some notable books—new release titles from Barbara Brandon-Croft, Dizz Tate, Maggie Millner, and more—that are publishing this week. Want to learn more about upcoming titles? Then go read our most recent book preview. Want to help The Millions keep churning out great books... Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2023-02-07 10:59:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #maggie millner #post tuesday #release day #notable books— #release titles #upcoming titles #whatpublishers weeklyhad


Why Denise Crittendon Won’t Write About Violence

Denise Crittendon’s debut science fiction novel, Where It Rains In Color, leads us to the planet of Swazembi, a blazing, color-rich utopia and famous vacation center of the galaxy. Set far in the future, this idyllic, peace-loving world sees no real trouble. But Lileala’s perfect, pampered... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-02-03 09:51:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


'Star Wars: Visions' Volume 2 debuts May 4th with an Aardman short

Star Wars: Visions is returning for a second 'season,' this time with a more international scope — including a studio you might not have expected. Disney has announced that Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 will premiere May 4th (aka Star Wars Day) with shorts from nine countries, including one from... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-02-02 15:41:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #creative freedom #telling stories #march 1st #skeleton crew #anthology


Penguin Random House’s All Ways Black Collective Battles Book Bans

A community of Black writers and readers, the group is partnering with Little Free Library to bring more free libraries to Black communities across the country. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-02-02 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black writers #free library #free libraries #black communities #libraries


Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Schuyler, Cai, Adjapon, and More

Here’s a quick look at some notable books—new release titles from George S. Schuyler, Delia Cai, Bisi Adjapon, and more—that are publishing this week. Want to learn more about upcoming titles? Then go read our most recent book preview. Want to help The Millions keep churning out great books... Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2023-01-31 10:59:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post tuesday #release day #notable books— #release titles #upcoming titles #whatpublishers weeklyhad


Julie Otsuka won a (much-deserved) Carnegie Medal!

Yesterday, the American Library Association announced the winners of the 2023 Carnegie Medals for Excellence. In fiction, the winner was Julie Otsuka for her most recent novel, The Swimmers. This brilliant book starts out at a community pool; it invites us into the rhythms of its inhabitants,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-01-30 18:44:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #julie otsuka #library association


Carolina De Robertis has won the 2022 John Dos Passos Prize.

On Wednesday, the 41st John Dos Passos Prize was awarded to Uruguayan American writer Carolina De Robertis (The President and the Frog; Cantoras; The Gods of Tango) by Longwood University. The Dos Passos Prize is the oldest literary award given by a Virginia college or university, and every year... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-01-26 14:54:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #longwood university #virginia college #year honors #american writer #literary award


My Boyfriend Won’t Say Why He Hates His Family, but I Don’t Think They’re That Bad

Talking about punishing parents, backstabbing besties, and book club breakups with guest Hugh Ryan Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2023-01-24 20:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book club