Hits Radio Breakfast presenter Fleur East, who's has been on a number of reality TV shows herself, takes us behind-the-scenes with her new podcast The Reality of Reality TV with Fleur East which you can listen to now.
Each week, Fleur chats to a well-known face in reality TV to find out how much is legit, what's a total set-up and what really happens behind the camera.
All the juicy bits you don't see on the show, basically.
What is The Reality of Reality of TV?
The Reality of Reality of TV is a brand new podcast with Fleur East. Fleur, who has appeared on The X Factor and I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, will speak to some of the biggest names around in the reality TV world, including RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner - The Vivienne, Alison Hammond who has appeared on Big Brother, Strictly Come Dancing and Celebs Go Dating.
Phew.
Speaking about her podcast, Fleur said, “I’m obsessed with reality TV. I did the X Factor twice, and I’m a Celeb too. I always get asked how much of my experiences were real."
Fleur continued, "Even my family, who watch behind the scenes the whole way through, still ask did that really happen? So, what is real?
"In this podcast I’ve loved swapping notes with other reality TV veterans. Asking what it was like for them, in a bid to uncover the truth."
How can I hear The Reality of Reality TV with Fleur East?
The first of Fleur's podcast episodes is available now through Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all mainstream podcast providers.
Speaking to us about her new podcast, The Reality of Reality TV with Fleur East, Fleur answered some questions about her experiences on reality TV and how it helped her relate to her guests...
What can we expect from The Reality of Reality TV podcast, and which guests will be joining you?
My mission is to uncover the true reality of the crazy world of reality television. I reveal some surprising truths and some hard-hitting realities. Reality TV is so popular and there are many people from the younger generation that look up to the stars and are keen to build a career via reality TV. It is important for them to be aware of everything that comes with that. I uncover all of the highs and lows of being on reality TV and reveal some fascinating stories.
My guests include; The Vivienne (Ru Paul's Drag Race), Amber Gill (Love Island), Vicky Pattison (Geordie Shore, I'm A Celeb), JB from JLS (The X Factor, Strictly), Alison Hammond (Big Brother), Vas J Morgan (TOWIE), Janet Devlin (The X Factor), my jungle mate Harry Redknapp and more to come!
The Reality of Reality TV with Fleur East - podcast episodes
1 of 10Episode 1: RuPauls' Drag Race UK winner - The Vivienne
In Episode 1 is all about RuPaul's Drag Race UK, the gruelling work involved in the show, why drag is not just fab make-up and a gorgeous body, and what REALLY happened in that 'red wig and silver dress' moment. ud83dudc40Next episode lands Tuesday 14th July, make sure you subscribe so you don't miss out.
2 of 10Episode 2: The X Factor's Janet Devlin
"Do I swallow that, or be the girl who throws up on national television?" Quite the conundrum for Janet Devlin, singer-songwriter, and finalist on The X Factor, who joins Fleur East on The Reality of Reality TV.
3 of 10Episode 3: Alison Hammond
Alison Hammond has been on a lot of Reality TV shows, but there are some she wouldn't go on, Fleur East caught up with her to find out what she wouldn't go on.
4 of 10Episode 4: Love Island's Amber Gill
Since leaving the famous Love Island villa, Amber has remained in the public eye, so we were over the moon to have her join The Reality of Reality TV with Fleur East, when she revealed how she really felt after THAT Casa Amor moment.
5 of 10Episode 5: Vas J Morgan
Vas J Morgan is known for appearing on The Only Way In Essex (TOWIE) between 2014 – 2019 as well as Celebs Go Dating, so we couldn't wait to hear his realities of Reality TV.
6 of 10Episode 6: JB Gill
JLS singer JB Gill admitted that they saw The X Factor almost as a last resort. The band had been working together for 18 months before they went on the programme, but as JB explained they'd tried every avenue before.
7 of 10Episode 7: Harry Redknapp
Coming from a background of football, Harry Redknapp seemed an unlikely contestant on I'm A Celebrity when he took part two years ago, but he describes his experience on the show as life-changing, saying he, "Learnt to laugh again."
8 of 10Episode 8: Vicky Pattison
Former Geordie Shore star and I'm a Celebrity winner, Vicky Pattison joined Fleur East to talk about her experiences of Reality TV and how two of the biggest shows she's been on differed in their support and preparation.
9 of 10Episode 9: Jordan and Perri from Diversity
Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely are part of the very successful Britain's Got Talent winning group Diversity, and have opened up to Fleur East on her podcast The Reality of Reality TV with Fleur East about the hate they received and how they dealt with the haters.
10 of 10Episode 10: Kerry Katona
Kerry Katona needs no introduction and in her own words, 'you hear before you see her!'. Through highs and lows, husbands and children, she's been gracing our reality TV screens for almost twenty years. So in the final episode of this series of The Reality of Reality TV with Fleur East, she speaks openly and honestly to one of our absolute Queens of Reality TV.
How long is each episode and when is each episode released?
Each episode is roughly 40 minutes long and will be released every Tuesday!
What topics and themes are covered in The Reality of Reality TV ?
We cover fun topics such as secrets behind the various shows, how it works behind the scenes etc. We talk about the reality of famous reality TV moments that we all know and love. Each guest brings to the chat a few things they have found to be true after being on a show, which makes it very personal to them. As well as this, we cover serious topics including suicide, eating disorders, drugs, race, various mental health topics and the dark side to being on reality TV. It's a well-rounded insight into the world of reality television.
Why do you think people are fascinated with watching reality TV?
I think it fascinates us to watch people and draw similarities with our own lives. It's a comfort to know that we are not alone in our feelings and the way we react to situations. Also, it is fun to look into the lives of celebrities or people we may aspire to be like. We like to be nosey and we also draw inspiration from seeing others succeed and find relatability in the failure of others.
What were your reasons for going on reality TV and how did it change your life?
My reason was because I always wanted to sing and have a career in the music industry. Long before The X Factor I was working hard to forge a career in music through various different avenues and The X Factor came long at the right time and gave me the platform I needed to make it happen. It changed my life tremendously!
I will forever be grateful to that show and what it did for me and my family. I can now go to work doing what I love everyday which is amazing! The Jungle came as a result of the profile The X Factor created for me and that show also changed me as a person in so many ways.
BELOW: the reality TV couples you TOTALLY forgot about
Reality TV couples you forgot about - stacked
1 of 31Made In Chelsea: Jamie Laing and Louise Thompson
Remember when Jamie and Louise dated (much to Spencer Matthews' dismay) in 2012? Louise then left Jamie for Spencer, causing a very traumatic love triangle indeed. Poor Jamie.
2 of 31TOWIE: Mark Wright and Lauren Goodger
Mark Wright and Lauren Goodger's romance played out in the first couple of seasons of TOWIE, and it even involved a very short-lived engagement! However, after dating on and off for 10 years, the pair later ended their romance and Mark went on to marry actress Michelle Keegan.
3 of 31The Hills: Jason Wahler and Lauren Conrad
She chose him over Paris, but that didn't stop Lauren Conrad's romance with Jason Wahler coming to an abrupt end. Following their rocky romance, the pair split and Lauren later married William Tell.
4 of 31Love Island: Kady McDermott and Scott Thomas
Before she joined the cast of TOWIE to date Myles Barnett in 2018, Kady McDermott appeared on Love Island in 2016, where she found love with Ryan and Adam Thomas' brother Scott. Things didn't work out when they left the villa, with the pair announcing their split in 2017.
5 of 31Made In Chelsea: Binky Felstead and Jamie Laing
Binks is now a mum to baby India, but remember when she dated Jamie Laing?!? After years of friendship, the two found it difficult to transition to an actual relationship, so decided to call it a day.
6 of 31TOWIE: Lydia Bright and James 'Arg' Argent
Before he started dating Gemma Collins, James 'Arg' Argent and Lydia Bright were one of TOWIE's golden couples. After being on and off for years, the pair ended things for good in 2016. Meanwhile, Lydia gave birth a baby girl, Loretta Rose, in February 2020.
7 of 31Love Island: Sam Gowland and Georgia Harrison
His on/off romance with fellow Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry came to an end for good (we think) earlier this year but Sam Gowland first hit our TV screens on Love Island 2017, where he left the villa with former TOWIE star Georgia Harrison.
8 of 31Made In Chelsea: Lucy Watson and Jamie Laing
Jamie and Lucy were together for a bit and would even walk their dogs together. Not one for holding back, Lucy Watson has called the show 'incestuous' and she 'no longer wants to waste time with people like Jamie and Proudlock'. Ouch.
9 of 31Made In Chelsea: Ollie Locke and Chloe Green
Topshop Heiress Chloe Green joined the MIC lot in 2011 to date Ollie Locke. Ollie had previously dated Gabby who he broke up with to explore his feelings for men, only to then end up with another woman. It did not go down well...He's now loved-up with husband Gareth Locke.
10 of 31TOWIE: Lucy Mecklenburgh and Mario Falcone
Before Lucy started dating former Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas, she actually introduced Mario Falcone to TOWIE viewers as her boyfriend. Despite Mario proposing to Lucy on a luxury yacht, things didn't go to plan and their romance ended for good in 2013.
11 of 31Made In Chelsea: Lucy Watson and Proudlock
Ah yes, Lucy and Proudlock. They were the most swoon-worthy couple in SW3... oh, until Lucy found out that Proudlock was dating other women.
12 of 31Love Island: Rykard Jenkins and Rachel Fenton
After meeting on the show in 2016, Rykard and Rachel lasted 18 months in the real world, a lot longer than most Love Island couples!
13 of 31Made In Chelsea: Rosie Fortescue and Hugo Taylor
When Hugo was dating Millie Mackintosh in the show, he hooked up with her best friend Rosie. Millie then raised her glass to a party full of guests and said 'cheers to friendship'. However, Hugo later reconnected with Millie and the pair MARRIED in July 2018. Almost two years later, Millie gave birth to their first child, a baby girl, in May 2020.
14 of 31TOWIE: Charlie Sims and Ferne McCann
These two were actually together for SIX YEARS! But after Charlie decided to quit TOWIE, he later publicly dumped Ferne on Twitter, with reports suggesting he made her choose between him and the show.
15 of 31The Hills: Justin Bobby and Audrina Patridge
Ever since Justin Bobby and Audrina split on The Hills, fans of the popular show have pleaded for them to rekindle their romance, even more so after Audrina announced she was divorcing her husband Corey Bohan.
16 of 31Made In Chelsea: Spencer Matthews and Lucy Watson
Spenny took Lucy to Paris in 2013 and we almost believed he had given up his womanising ways. We were wrong and he admitted to cheating on Lucy with several women. Spencer is now happily married with Vogue Williams and the pair have two adorable children together.
17 of 31TOWIE: Joey Essex and Sam Faiers
Another TOWIE couple which led to a failed engagement. Despite Sam and Joey dating from 2011, the pair didn't make it down to aisle, ending their relationship in 2014.
18 of 31Made In Chelsea: Spencer Matthews and Louise Thompson
Louise joined the show as Spencer's (very despairing) girlfriend. Spencer being Spencer, couldn't stay faithful and resulted in a fair few teary scenes between the pair.
19 of 31TOWIE: Gemma Collins and Charlie King
Perhaps one of the strangest couples ever to grace TOWIE, The GC dated Charlie King in series four, but Charlie later announced he was gay on live TV.
20 of 31Love Island: Tyla Carr and Jonny Mitchell
After breaking Camilla Thurlow's heart, a lot of Love Island fans forget that Jonny Mitchell later coupled up with Tyla Carr.Of course, the romance didn't last when they left the villa!
21 of 31Made In Chelsea: Alex Mytton and Binky Felstead
Binky and Alex were love's young dream (kind of) for two years until his constant cheating became unforgivable. It all worked out well though as she now has the cutest little baby girl with JP and is loved up with boyfriend Max Darnton.
22 of 31The Hills: Heidi Montag and Jordan Eubanks
Before she met, married and had a child with Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag actually dated a guy called Jordan Eubanks on the show. Their romance was played out during season one, before they split.
23 of 31TOWIE: Jess Wright and Ricky Rayment
Potentially one of the messiest break-ups in TOWIE history! After Jess and Ricky dated for two years, things seemed to be going well until Ricky was accused of texting other women. After the split, the pair ended up having a bitter Twitter war. Jess later found love with William Lee-Kemp and got engaged in March 2020.
24 of 31The Hills: Jayde Nicole and Brody Jenner
As well as his 'fake' relationships for the show with Lauren Conrad and Kristen Cavallari, Brody's romance with Jayde seemed pretty serious in 2008. Despite getting matching tattoos, the pair split in December 2009.
25 of 31TOWIE: Lauren Pope and Kirk Norcross
Series two of TOWIE saw the lovable Lauren Pope hooking up with Kirk Norcross. Despite the pair getting his and hers nose jobs', the pair split just weeks after.
26 of 31Love Island: Montana Brown and Alex Beattie
They were one of the hottest couples ever to grace our screens, but things didn't work out for Montana Brown and Alex Beattie when they left the villa in 2017. In fact, their romance lasted just six weeks.
27 of 31Geordie Shore: Vicky Pattison and Jay Gardner
Her time on the show may be best remembered for her turbulent relationship with Ricci Guarnaccio but Vicky Pattison's first Geordie Shore relationship was actually with Jay Gardner back in series one.They were attracted to each other as soon as they stepped in the house but decided they were better off as pals after a series of rows.
28 of 31Celebs Go Dating: Megan Barton-Hanson and Demi Sims
Love Island's Megan Barton-Hanson and TOWIE star Demi Sims hit it off when they both appeared on Celebs Go Dating in 2019. Despite dating for a short time, the pair's romance was over before the series even ended.
29 of 31TOWIE: Bobby Norris and Harry Derbidge
He was one of the show's OG cast members but Harry Derbidge took a break from the TOWIE scene in 2011 before reappearing three years later (in some VERY skimpy swimwear) as Bobby Norris' boyfriend. It all ended in tears though when Harry confessed to sleeping with his ex on holiday in Tenerife.
30 of 31Celebs Go Dating: Charlotte Dawson and Frankie Cocozza
They sign up to date us normal folk but those Celebs Go Dating lot just can't resist breaking the rules and getting it on with each other, can they? In 2017, Charlotte Dawson hooked up with X Factor bad boy Frankie Cocozza but it didn't last once the show ended and she's now loved-up with rugby player Matt Sarsfield.
31 of 31Geordie Shore: Holly Hagan and James Tindale
She might be loved up with footballer fiancé Jacob Blyth now but back in series three of Geordie Shore, Holly Hagan enjoyed a fling with co-star James Tindale. Unfortunately, she was left heartbroken when he returned to the house for series four with a girlfriend.
Did you ever feel you were edited to come across differently and did you ever experience something huge in a reality TV show that was cut from the final edit?
I think what everyone has seen, on the whole, is a true representation of me as a person and my personality, particularly in I'm A Celeb I would say. But it really is difficult to know someone from a small chunk of footage that is edited down. There were so many moments of my auditions on The X Factor that didn't see the light of day and showed the many songs I had to sing and different challenges I faced in the process.
In some ways it was a lot harder in reality, compared to what anyone saw. There are also so many different aspects of my personality that have never been shown on reality TV as it's almost impossible to capture someone's complete character on an edited TV show.
WATCH: Fleur East sings Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk (2014)
How did your own experience on reality TV help you relate to others in this podcast?
It helped massively! I experienced things from my time on reality TV that my guests had also experienced and so we could bounce off of each other and go in depth on those shared emotions. But, at the same time, there were many differences when it came to the 'scripted reality' shows that I couldn't relate to completely and I dug deeper to learn so much more about other shows. On the whole, I could sympathise with a lot of the feelings and reactions of the majority of my guests and it was quite therapeutic talking through our experiences.
Why is it so important to give listeners this exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what reality TV is like?
I feel it is a duty in a way to show all sides of the genre. We watch it for entertainment, but a lot of people are judged unfairly based on a clip on a show or are seriously affected by their experiences and no one realises that. It's important to be informed and I think we are living in a time where a lot of younger people have a dream to 'be famous' and look to reality TV as a vehicle to achieve that goal.
I feel it is crucial that they understand what they are walking into and they are educated on the real experience before they make that decision. It ultimately will change your life completely and not always for the better. So, in that sense, people need to be made aware of the risks. It's also fascinating to know how it all works as a genre for all the reality TV geeks out there. It's fun and educational at the same time.
And finally, would you make a return to reality TV?
I wouldn't rule it out if an opportunity came along that looked like something I would enjoy. I love a challenge and so if it was a chance to learn a new skill or test myself in a way I haven't been before, I would naturally be intrigued. Also as a huge fan of reality TV shows, it's always amazing to be given the chance to be on a show that you've watched yourself for years!