It’s a Scouse Life on E4 – A Fair Representation of Scousers?
There are more than a few people who cringe at the very thought of a Liverpool-based reality TV series. The truth of the matter is that the rest of the United Kingdom tends to have a negative opinion about the city and of Scousers in general, so it never feels as though Liverpool will be given a fair shake from viewers.
As is often the case, it only takes someone to actually head to Merseyside to realise what a warm, brilliant and vibrant place it is. When editors and producers get their way, though, Scousers are painted in a bad light significantly more often than not. What, then, is It’s a Scouse Life all about and should we be worried?
Another E4 Reality Show
There are some reality shows that are broadcast on E4 that can actually be worth your time. As long as you don’t think for a single minute that it’s actually about trying to help people find love or that the ‘experts’ know what they’re talking about, for example, then Married at First Sight, in both its UK and Australian variations, can be well worth sticking with. Sure, the shows are edited to within an inch of their lives, but they haver provided countless memorable moments, such as in the 2024 UK version when one of the participants wrote a romantic note to his partner before ending it by saying he wanted to ‘terrorise your bum-hole’.
The experts having to say “terrorise your bumhole” with a straight face is crazy #MAFSUK
— Glo (@GloriaExplorer_) November 14, 2024
First Dates is another show that is compulsive viewing, with genuine attempts to match people with the right person being made all the funnier when the date turns out to be completely awful. Gogglebox might well have outstayed its welcome, but it is an excellent way of taking the temperature of the nation on certain issues. Meanwhile, the likes of Made in Chelsea are structured reality shows that have an incredibly loyal fanbase, in spite of the fact that they are seemingly just about posh people arguing with each other and falling out before getting back together. It’s a Scouse Life looks to emulate those kinds of shows.
Another Crack at the Desperate Scousewives Vibe
In the November of 2011, a new scripted-reality show hit the E4 screens in the form of Desperate Scousewives. Given the success of the American drama Desperate Housewives, it was always likely to get made as soon as someone came up with the excellent title. It was touted as ‘Liverpool’s answer to The Only Way is Essex and Made in Chelsea‘, with ‘strong, independent women’ put at the front and centre of programming. The reaction to the show was largely negative, with both critics and the general public quick to put forward their dislike of what they were being made to watch by E4, which was not representative of Liverpool.
@successwontcomecalling #realitytv Vs #reallife – former Desperate Scousewives star@athomewithmissharrington on the legacy of being scripted as a#villain. ♬ original sound – SuccessWontComeCalling
As viewing figures fell off a cliff, leading to the show regularly appearing outside of the top-ten shows on E4, a decision was taken to cancel it after just eight episodes. Even as cast members took to social media in order to claim that they were filming a second series, E4 regularly reiterated the fact that it had, in fact, been cancelled and would not be making a return. In some ways, though, the case members were right and a Liverpool-based scripted reality show did appear on E4, just not under the Desperate Scousewives banner. Instead, it came back more than a decade later having been retitled to become It’s a Scouse Life.
Structured Reality = Invented Arguments
The problem with ‘structured reality’ as a format is that it needs drama to be created in order to give the viewers something to get their teeth into. The show was produced by Optomen Television and offered a teaser that said, “Mates, dates and frenemies thrash out their feelings against a backdrop of glitzy parties, glamorous residences, and Liverpool’s iconic sights”. In other words, viewers are treated to people coming up with reasons to dislike one another simply in order to create some sort of drama that make it a television show rather than just a bunch of Scousers being filmed walking around the city doing entirely normal things.
One of the cast members, for example, is Georgia Austin, who was crowned the city’s longest-serving Miss Liverpool after winning the title for the first time in 2021 before keeping it in both 2022 and 2023. By the time filming began on It’s a Scouse Life, Georgia was looking to forge a new career in the events industry, which puts her up against Melina Halpin, an actor and singer who is also looking to get into the world of events. This results in a blazing row between the pair of them in the bathroom of a nightclub. There will doubtless be some people who love such nonsense, but it’s hardly great for the city’s image.
Should You Watch It?
If you’ve been wondering whether or not It’s a Scouse Life is something that you should dedicate some time to watching then the answer is almost certainly ‘no’. There will be some people who like to hate-watch such nonsense, but most people would be much better spending their time opting to do something like stabbing themselves in the eye or pouring vinegar over an open wound. Liverpool is a city that is full of brilliant people with amazing personalities, keen to do whatever they can for each other and always happy to help a stranger out if they need it. It is a place that is about generosity of time and of spirit, whatever’s happening in the world.
Just seen 20 seconds of It’s A Scouse Life.
— Phony Clifton (@stilldavis.bsky.social) 15 November 2024 at 20:54
The people chosen as cast members for It’s a Scouse Life are not a fair representation of what people have come to expect from spending time in the city. They are the kind of people who perpetuate the worst ideas of Liverpool, such as the saxophone player Jonny, who is a ‘man about town’ and likes the attention of his fans too much to settle down with his long-term girlfriend Jenny. These are not the sort of people who should be put front and centre of a show looking to tell people about life in Liverpool, whether the ‘reality’ on offer is ‘structured’ or otherwise. Do yourself a favour and avoid such complete and utter drivel.
