Regional Identity

Geordie Shore

Geordie Shore is a 'reality' television show that follows a group of housemates that lead 'Tash On Tours' around Newcastle and abroad. Geordie Shore is the English version of Jersey Shore and as aforementioned focuses on a small group of people who's job is to get insanely drunk and have sex, a lot. This programme shows a negative representation of the Geordies as it shows them as wild, aggressive and uncontrollable as often the action on screen includes arguments, fighting or general drunk chaos. Geordie Shore is also a negative representation of young people or a younger generation as everyone in the show is, or started, when they were in their early 20's and the drama that happens on screen keeps with the stereotype that young people in this generation have gotten out of control.

Until recently, the Geordie Shore cast was completely white which gives a very limited representation of people from Newcastle as obviously the whole of the population of Newcastle isn't white. Similarly, until the addition of Nathan, everyone in the Geordie Shore house was straight which again showed a very isolated, limited view into those from Newcastle.

The Only Way Is Essex

Similarly to Geordie Shore, TOWIE's cast is not a very diverse one. The majority of the cast, or at least the most featured are white and live very similar lifestyles often working in shops or real estate. The representation of those featured in TOWIE shows the cast as very self-involved and very concerned about their appearance, which is then emphasised by the majority of the cast using their fame from the programme to release clothing and beauty ranges. The representation of the people in Essex, again similarly to Geordie Shore, shows them as very confrontational, often with couples cheating on each other or stereotypical girly gossip.

One difference between TOWIE and the other programmes is the different representation of ages, as TOWIE has a wider variety of ages from children to grandparents of the main cast. This gives the audience a better indication of regional identity than in Geordie Shore.

Made in Chelsea

Made in Chelsea is again a reality television show that's main cast consists of 'well off' young white people. This series follows a more elite group, of upper class young people and represents that as unapologetically wealthy, spending vast amounts of parties and clothes and getting into arguments about clashing relationships. Made in Chelsea, like the other series lacks diversity of both sexuality, race and age, and although the shows appeal is that it is a glimpse into the lives of the very privileged, the cast suggests that this privilege is only available to white people. Although professionally, some of the characters may be very successful, another negative representation would be that they are never shown to be working, only ever spending or partying. This makes the working/middle classes question their right to their wealth.