1,000 signatures reached
To: Ofcom - media regulator
Ofcom: Put wellbeing of TV show participants first
Introduce new rules to protect the welfare, wellbeing and dignity of reality tv show participants.
Why is this important?
Reality TV shows are putting people at risk. Broadcasters are sacrificing the mental health and wellbeing of their participants and countless reality TV stars have spoken out saying that their participation in shows have left them feeling vulnerable, and battling mental health issues.
It’s costing lives. This year the Jeremy Kyle Show was taken off air after the tragic death of show participant Steve Dymond. And in March Love Island star Mike Thalassitis was the second cast member of the show to die by sucicide following the death in June 2018 of Sophie Gradon, who appeared on Love Island the previous year.
In response to the huge public outcry following these deaths, media regulator Ofcom has proposed new safeguards to protect reality TV stars. Under the new rules, British TV and radio stations will be explicitly required to protect the “welfare, wellbeing and dignity” of individuals who take part in their programmes.
But broadcasters are pushing back against any regulations that might hurt their ratings - and we need to make sure that Ofcom stay true to their commitment and introduce new rules to protect the wellbeing of reality tv show participants.
