Back to Reality (TV series)

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Back to Reality
BTR1UK-Logo.jpg
Presented by Tess Daly
Richard Bacon
No. of days20
No. of housemates12
Winner James Hewitt
Runner-up Maureen Rees
Release
Original network Five
Original release15 February (2004-02-15) 
5 March 2004 (2004-03-05)

Back to Reality is a reality television show featuring stars from previous reality television programmes. The show was broadcast on Channel 5 between 15 February 2004 to 5 March 2004. [1] [2]

It was advertised by Channel 5 as being "The biggest reality show of all time" however in terms of ratings, it failed to deliver. The 12 contestants spent 3 weeks in a studio built mansion, with no natural sunlight. In the final two weeks, the public voted for their favourite housemate with the two people with the lowest votes every 3/4 nights being put to the housemate vote, where the other contestants had to vote for who they wanted to leave. The show was presented by Tess Daly and Richard Bacon, the first and only series of the show finished with James Hewitt winning the show ahead of Maureen Rees and Craig Phillips.

Ratings

The ratings rarely went over 1.6 million despite the show extending its hours (early morning and afternoon live streaming). The lack of ratings was put down to the lack of tabloid interest in the show, despite the sponsoring of the show by popular celebrity magazine 'Heat' and the constant arguments and major events that happened in the house.

Highlights

Events included the threatened walk-out of the contestants after Nick Bateman was referred to as "Nasty Nick", the planned addition of Jade Goody's then boyfriend Jeff Brazier (from the reality TV show Shipwrecked ) as a thirteenth contestant, Uri Geller walking out, the suspicion of Josie d'Arby being a mole (and the subsequent arguments and divides), the love interest between James Hewitt and Sarah Kozer, the rushing of Jade Goody to hospital and the "Ricardo Incident" when the flamboyant cross-dresser Rocardo Ribero argued with other housemates and then proceeded to destroy the kitchen. The show ended when the public voted The Games star James Hewitt to be the winner with Maureen Rees coming second.

Aftermath

Since the show, Channel 5 confessed that Back to Reality was an expensive but worthwhile experiment however it is unlikely to return. Goody's aggression towards Rik Waller in the series, though attracting little comment at the time, was later cited as evidence that she was a serial bully following her appearance in Celebrity Big Brother. However they only actually had one row and made up soon afterwards for the duration of the series.

Contestants

CelebrityPrevious show
Catalina Guirado I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Craig Phillips Big Brother 1
Jade Goody Big Brother 3
James Hewitt The Games
Josie D'Arby The Games
Lizzy Bardsley Wife Swap
Maureen Rees Driving School
Nick Bateman Big Brother 1
Ricardo Ribeiro The Salon
Rik Waller Pop Idol 1
Sarah Kozer Joe Millionaire
Uri Geller I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

Eviction table

Day 8Day 9Day 10Day 11Day 12Day 16Day 17Day 18Final
Day 20
Votes
received
JamesNickLizzyCatalinaJosieJosieRikJosieJadeWinner
(Day 20)
0
MaureenNickSarahCatalinaSarahRicardoRikBottom
two
Bottom
two
Runner-Up
(Day 20)
0
CraigCatalinaLizzyCatalinaSarahRicardoRikJosieJadeThird Place
(Day 20)
0
JadeNickSarahCatalinaSarahRicardoRikJosieBottom
two
Evicted
(Day 18)
2
JosieNickSarahBottom
two
Bottom
two
Bottom
two
Bottom
two
Bottom
two
Evicted
(Day 17)
8
RikCatalinaSarahJosieSarahRicardoBottom
two
Evicted
(Day 16)
4
RicardoNickLizzyJosieSarahBottom
two
Evicted
(Day 12)
4
SarahNickBottom
two
JosieBottom
two
Evicted
(Day 11)
9
CatalinaBottom
two
LizzyBottom
two
Evicted
(Day 10)
6
LizzyNickBottom
two
Evicted
(Day 9)
4
NickBottom
two
Evicted
(Day 8)
7
UriWalked
(Day 7)
0
Notesnone 1 nonenonenonenonenonenonenone
NominatedCatalina,
Nick
Lizzy,
Sarah
Catalina,
Josie
Josie,
Sarah
Josie,
Ricardo
Josie,
Rik
Josie,
Maureen
Jade,
Maureen
Craig,
James,
Maureen
WalkedUrinone
EvictedNick
7 of 9 votes
to evict
Lizzy
4 of 8 votes
to evict
Catalina
4 of 7 votes
to evict
Sarah
5 of 6 votes
to evict
Ricardo
4 of 5 votes
to evict
Rik
4 of 4 votes
to evict
Josie
3 of 3 votes
to evict
Jade
2 of 2 votes
to evict
Craig
Fewest votes
to win
Maureen
Fewest votes
to win
James
Most votes
to win

Notes

References

  1. "'Reality' hits the ground walking". BBC. BBC News. 17 February 2004. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  2. "Back To Reality winner Hewitt arrested". Digital Spy. 8 March 2004. Retrieved 26 April 2014.