Essex: The Next Generation

It's October - people go to work and come home in the dark, we no longer have a use for sunglasses or shorts/skirts. Basically the whole country turns into a bad episode of "One Foot in The Grave". Then one ray of light comes into the living rooms of every TV addict - "The Only Way Is Essex".

Yes, it's obviously partly scripted and certain bits of it are manipulated - but if the nation are going to swallow Wagner and Diva Fever making it to the live shows on X-Factor then they defintly should stomach my fellow Essex folks. The main problem most viewers' of the show are having is being able to tell if the cast are actors or not. The people in it are certainly real, I can vouch for that myself as I personally have had encounters with half of them within my 23 years of life living in Essex.

Me and Amy when she was blonde

At the moment, Essex is not responding very well to this new program; claiming that it sets our county back 20 years. Most critics' saying it makes us look stupid, shallow and self obsessed - what's wrong with being any of them things might I add?!?! I understand there statements if they want our county to be taken seriously by the rest of the nation however I fear they are missing the joke. The cast of The Only Way Is Essex are not trying to be bimbo's/ego-maniac's - there purely poking fun at the old age joke of the town that they live in, all while having a bit of fun and enjoying the buzz that comes with a brand new smash hit ITV2 show.

The show even made it's way onto the 10 o'clock news last night because it was infuriating Essex. Fair enough it's not making us look like brain surgeons but in all honesty I think people need to gain a sense of humour and understand that the show is about fun and is partly poking fun at itself. While EastEnders is consistantly giving us death after death (R.I.P Billie - Shout out to Devon Anderson here - big fan of this man's work!!!!) and X-Factor is no longer a harmless talent contest; albeit all the Gamu-gate drama. The Only Way is Essex has given Britain something to smile about in October. I find it hilarious when I hear the national outcry as to why the whole cast is orange. I live round here it's perfectly normal to me - plus it seems to boost people's morale after a spray tan - I've considered a 'bed sometimes myself when I'm a bit down - smirk.

Me and Kirk - November 2007

The reason why these people were chosen for the show over the Essex museum workers and book worm residents was because they are interesting, slightly shocking and mesmerising characters as I know from first hand. I find it hilarious and most ironic that only a month ago I laughed when out with Amy she shortend "jealous" to "jel" and it now features in this weeks Heat magazine about one of the best things about the show. Watching Kirk on the show is the most weird, cos' we used to knock around with each other quite abit a few years ago - I now know what it must of been like for my family and friends to of watched me on BB for the first time all those years ago. Mark Wright seems to of gone down well with female viewers as his face features as a sub story on the front of Heat Magazine. Sam Fairers is already a top glamour model but with the show behind her aswell - it looks like her face will be pushed further into the limelight. After only two weeks on air, its already a popular culture phenomenom and I for one am very proud. My beloved Big Brother is now dead and the masses needed a drama based reality show about people and life in general. This show delivers us this and so much more. The statement "Do you want a Vajazzle" will now go down in the history books alongside "I like blinkin' I do" and "Who is She...Where did you find her" and of course my very own favourite - "Yogurt Top".

As a Tv addict and reality TV junkie, I have to admit - it was about time Britain got it's own The Hills/Laguna Beach/The City flavoured televisual treat. It's become water cooler TV, whether you like it or not people are talking about it - good and bad. You can't move without seeing a cast members face on some sort of publication. Who ever came up with the idea or the cast must be some sort of genius....

To Be Continued.....Shut Urp!

Brian Belo