Sirin Kale and Pandora Sykes explore how the rise in cosmetic surgery collided with reality TV, and laid the foundations for our current preoccupation with self-improvement. Featuring interviews with The Swan's show creator and contestant, and many more.Producer: Hannah Hufford
Executive Producer: Pandora Sykes
Executive Editor: James Cook 
Content Producer: Hannah Robins
Technical Producer: Giles AspenArchive credits:
The Swan, Galan Entertainment
What Not to Wear, BBC
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Hot Sauce 
Parkinson, BBC

Sirin Kale and Pandora Sykes explore how the rise in cosmetic surgery collided with reality TV, and laid the foundations for our current preoccupation with self-improvement. Featuring interviews with The Swan's show creator and contestant, and many more. Producer: Hannah Hufford Executive Producer: Pandora Sykes Executive Editor: James Cook Content Producer: Hannah Robins Technical Producer: Giles Aspen Archive credits: The Swan, Galan Entertainment What Not to Wear, BBC Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Hot Sauce Parkinson, BBC

4. The Makeover Era: The Swan and What Not To Wear

The dumbest genre in entertainment, or the one that tells us the most about ourselves? Since its conception, reality TV has divided its viewers. Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV is a 10-part audio documentary written and presented by journalists Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale. They've been fans of reality TV since they first watched Big Brother as pre-teens and they've spent a fair amount of time defending reality TV when people are snobby about it, or dismiss its importance in our wider culture. But they've also been troubled by what they've seen in the genre: the exploitation; the lack of aftercare; the impacts of sudden fame. Using interviews with the creators, producers and stars of some of the most iconic reality shows of the last two decades, and leading cultural critics of today, Unreal explores how reality TV has shaped entertainment, fashion, beauty, celebrity and even politics - and some of the ethical issues raised by the format. Producer: Hannah Hufford 
Executive Producer: Pandora Sykes 
Executive Editor: James Cook 
Content Producer: Hannah Robins 
Technical Producer: Giles Aspen

Society & Culture

The dumbest genre in entertainment, or the one that tells us the most about ourselves? Since its conception, reality TV has divided its viewers. Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV is a 10-part audio documentary written and presented by journalists Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale. They've been fans of reality TV since they first watched Big Brother as pre-teens and they've spent a fair amount of time defending reality TV when people are snobby about it, or dismiss its importance in our wider culture. But they've also been troubled by what they've seen in the genre: the exploitation; the lack of aftercare; the impacts of sudden fame. Using interviews with the creators, producers and stars of some of the most iconic reality shows of the last two decades, and leading cultural critics of today, Unreal explores how reality TV has shaped entertainment, fashion, beauty, celebrity and even politics - and some of the ethical issues raised by the format. Producer: Hannah Hufford Executive Producer: Pandora Sykes Executive Editor: James Cook Content Producer: Hannah Robins Technical Producer: Giles Aspen

Share 4. The Makeover Era: The Swan and What Not To Wear

Sign up to save your podcasts

4. The Makeover Era: The Swan and What Not To Wear

4. The Makeover Era: The Swan and What Not To Wear

More shows like Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV

Desert Island Discs

Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

Today in Focus

Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster

Sentimental Garbage

The Slow Newscast

The Lab Detective | Tortoise Investigates

Things Fell Apart

Rylan: How to Be...

The Rest Is Entertainment

Miss Me?

What Did You Do Yesterday? with Max Rushden & David O'Doherty

What's My Age Again?

Wanging On with Graham Norton and Maria McErlane