[Jords]

Interview:

OMG is about people who live unique and often shocking lifestyles - Who are they? What makes them tick? Why do they live the way they do and is it causing them problems or a rewarding way to be? OMG is a platform for people like this to come on and talk through their issues, inspiring debate from the studio audience along the way. We also provide an insight with previously shot immersive footage in which I am allowed an access all areas look into their day to day extraordinary existences.

What attracted you to this show?

The show is the perfect format as it combines two mediums of TV work that I love the most - documentary and studio work with an audience. OMG is the perfect blend of my being allowed wholeheartedly and unashamedly into these people's lives. I get to hang out with them over a period of days and get to know the real them - it's totally fascinating. Then the whole situation is transferred into the exciting environment of a studio space with a live audience who are all ready to have a heated debate over the issue at hand

How honest will you be with the guests who come on to discuss their unusual lifestyles? Are you worried about offending people?

I won't be dishing out advice to them on how to live their lives, that isn't my place. I don't intend to be giving out my opinion to these people as I'm not a trained psychotherapist, nor is it my place to tell another person where they're going right or wrong. I do intend to relate their stories to things I've been through and give an objective point of view.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

On the grave of one of my favourite authors, Charles Bukowski, it reads 'Don't Try' with a picture of a boxer underneath. I think that's the best advice I've seen as what he was trying to convey was that you didn't need to fight your way through life, you shouldn't try, just let life take you where it's fated to and go with the flow.

The show is all about OMG! moments. What’s your most shocking OMG! moment?

I've had a fair few, but maybe when I went on a date with a boy who turned out to have been a girl beforehand!

This show involves you doing some pretty outrageous things such as attending a cuddle party. Where would you draw the line?

I would draw the line at any point I felt uncomfortable, but the cuddle party wasn't nearly as shocking as I'd expected. It was more a group of people hanging out and snuggling a bit rather than some sort of orgy!

For people who don’t know, please explain what a cuddle party is, why you were there for the show and what the experience was like?

One of the shows is on polyamorous people, who are people who believe you can love more than one person at once and have multiple partners accordingly. As part of the poly lifestyle, they sometimes hold 'cuddle parties', in which a group of poly people all cuddle up together on cushions on the floor. There are rules such as asking someone if it's alright to cuddle or touch them, and if they accept then to go for it, and if they decline then to not act on this. The experience was slightly off-putting as I didn't know them at all, but at the same time, very tame and surprisingly sweet.

Will you be inviting your family and friends to be in the audience? If so, who, and as this show involves a lot of audience participation, are they prepared to get involved?

I won't be inviting any family members, but perhaps a friend or two. I'm sure they wouldn't be up for spilling the beans on their OMG moments, but if there's was some sort of special event planned for the show, they'd be silly not to get involved in the action as it's so fun!

Wednesdays / ITV2 / 9pm-10pm