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Strictly Come Dancing: Alex Jones
The nights are drawing in, the leaves are changing colour and The X-Factor is back. This can only mean one thing: autumn is officially around the corner. Your Saturday nights are sorted until Christmas, but have you sorted your TV Licence so that you can make the most of the best reality TV shows this autumn?
The X Factor
The most high-profile singing competition in the UK is back, with a fresh panel of judges and the promise of delivering the next global superstar.
After endless dramas surrounding the future of the nation’s sweetheart, Cheryl Cole, and the departure of TV mogul Simon Cowell, the new judging panel has already made its mark. New mentors, N-Dubz’s Tulisa, Take That’s Gary Barlow and former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland have taken to their new roles like ducks to water.
Although the format has not changed since last year, there is a fresher, trendier vibe to this year’s show and the polls indicate that public opinion has been largely in favour of the summer shake-up. When the new judges were announced in the tabloids, there was concern that nobody would be able to fill Simon, Cheryl and Danni’s boots but so far, so good for the new judges.
After years of sob-stories and silliness, the auditions stage also seems to have switched focus to the search for talent – the novelty acts that previously had audiences roaring with laughter have been shown little sympathy by both the judges and the audience.
Big Brother
Big Brother has made a shock return to the small screen after Channel 4 announced that the hit series would come to an end last year. Just 12 months later, the show that follows housemates living together, under the constant surveillance of TV cameras, has been revived by Channel 5 and is now occupying the weekday evening slot under the supervision of former winner, Brian Dowling.
This year, the show kicked off in style with Celebrity Big Brother, which was won by Paddy Doherty, star of Channel 4’s compulsive documentary My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. In early September a stream of glamorous, young contestants entered the house and this year’s show has already been hailed by the tabloids as the ‘sexiest Big Brother ever’. The first night went with a bang as housemates were introduced to their new roommate, Baywatch legend Pamela Anderson and it looks like plenty of surprises and shenanigans will unfold in the coming weeks.
Strictly Come Dancing
BBC One favourite Strictly Come Dancing has also taken up its annual Saturday evening slot and the show kicked off with all the customary glitz and glamour we’ve come to expect. The show, which involves celebrities teaming up with professional dancers to take on the gruelling yet exhilarating challenge of learning a host of well-known ballroom and Latin dances, is scheduled to run until Christmas.
This year, the shows are more accessible than ever before and you need never worry about missing an episode, as you can catch up online, record the show and watch it later or even watch it on your mobile phone. If you are planning to watch live TV online or on your mobile, remember that the law relating to TV Licensing stays the same, so make sure you have a valid TV Licence.
After an exciting summer, the autumn is closing in and the return of the nation’s best-loved reality TV shows has got many of us looking forward to snuggling up on the sofa and enjoying nights in front of the television; with The X Factor and Big Brother back on our screens, it’ll be Christmas before we know it.
With X Factor struggling in the ratings and the new series of Strictly Come Dancing launching tomorrow, both shows need is to grab as many tabloid pages as possible to increase ratings. If only there was some way that they could do that. What’s that you say? There is? Wonderful.
From:Set The Video: NASA: Triumph and Tragedy, BBC Two, Wednesday, 24 June, 9pm