[James]

Reality TV bites

Aug 18 2007

by Rin Simpson, Western Mail

As another set of The X Factor hopefuls put themselves up for public scrutiny, Rin Simpson looks at the reality TV fame game and asks, is it really worth it?

IN THE words of Big Brother’s Welsh contestant Imogen Thomas, reality TV “could either be the best thing ever or it could be the worst mistake of your life”. She would know – for her it brought infamy in the form of a sex tape released while she was inside the house.

But it also gave her everything she desired in terms of a modelling career and financial stability – when people point out that her success is down to a brief stint on TV she responds, “I don’t care, I’ve earned three times more than you would earn in your life.”

Money is just one reason why people want to be famous – some want the lifestyle, others hope it will be a quick route to success, many simply want to be adored by a bevy of screaming fans.....

.....Fellow Welshman and reality star Glyn Wise did not make that mistake either. He had no ulterior motives when he went on Big Brother last year – at just 17 years old he was just looking for a bit of a laugh, and his refreshing innocence won him a lot of fans.

The lifeguard from North Wales ended the show as runner-up, behind singer Pete Bennett, but missing the title hasn’t held him back from not only carving out a decent media career but being a big hit with the ladies.

“Before Big Brother I was a proper geek boy, I was the goody two shoes. All the girls liked me but no-one fancied me. I used to go out and I was lucky if I even got a kiss on the cheek but now they just throw themselves at me,” he said.

“I haven’t turned cocky but I just tell the truth. I’m the same person but all of a sudden I’ve gone from not being able to pull anyone to being able to pull the fittest person in the club!

“But the only down side is they want somebody else, not me. They like the fact that I get recognised in the street, the attention I get and they like that they’re my girlfriend and people talk to them because they’re Glyn’s girlfriend.

“Obviously there’s a down side to it. When I go out clubbing sometimes I get bottles thrown at me and stuff just because I’m Glyn from Big Brother. It’s a bit like I’m an open book, everyone knows everything about me. Sometimes you just like your own privacy.

“But if I don’t get the attention I get I would be like ‘where is it?’. I don’t know what I want sometimes.”

Glyn has handled his fame well for someone of his age, avoiding tabloid notoriety and throwing himself into various media roles. As well as presenting Planed Plant and launching his book Blwyddyn Fawr Glyn Wise (Glyn Wise’s Big Year) at the Urdd Eisteddfod this year, he has a regular DJ slot on C2 Radio Cymru and does a lot of work with the Welsh Language Board.

“I’ve just lived the dream that I’ve always wanted because of Big Brother,” he said.

“I know Big Brother is not good to everyone, only about 10% of people, but I’m really lucky to be one of those 10%. To me it’s carried out my dream, I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted in life and I couldn’t have done it without being a reality TV star.”

.....For Imogen, Big Brother was only ever a stepping stone, and she has used it with a canny detachment which has allowed her to buy two properties in Llanelli, a flat in Notting Hill and another in Cardiff.

Despite rumours that she dated former Big Brother’s Big Mouth presenter Russell Brand and fellow house-mate Sezer Yurtseven, her love life is “non-existent”, but she says she is happy.

“I’ve been so busy with work, I’m giving men a break for the moment. I just can’t be bothered, I’ve got so much to do at the moment, I’m concentrating on my career,” she said.

“I’m still in touch with Glynn, I see him now and again, and Aisleyne and Sezer (from the show).

“But I didn’t go on the show to make friends, I’ve got my friends in London from before.

“They didn’t sell any stories. You know who your friends are when you get out.

“I don’t regret anything. I felt privileged to go on the show and I just used the opportunity as much as I could to get myself out there.

“You know when people say that you can be happy without money? Well I believe that but it does help a lot. I’m not worried about money at the moment, I’m investing a lot and things have just changed, I’m more like a businesswoman now.”

But will she, and others who take the shortcut to fame, wealth or celebrity status via the rocky road of reality TV, ever feel quite like they’ve earned their success?

Well, Imogen’s already said it.

“Everyone says ‘oh you’re from that reality TV show’ but I say ‘I don’t care, I’ve earned three times more than you would earn in your life’,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter where I’ve come from, I’m working on the next thing and it’s made me more determined to succeed.”

X Factor returns tonights at 7.40pm on ITV1

Full article - http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100n...name_page.html