Preston and Blackpool residents dreaming of reality TV stardom according to recent study
Have you ever thought about applying to be on TV? Two Lancashire areas have been named as the most fame hungry.
New research has revealed the UK areas most interested in becoming a reality TV star, with Preston taking the top spot and Blackpool ranking ninth.
Casino experts at Casino Revisor analysed the average number of monthly Google searches in cities and towns across the UK for terms related to reality TV show applications, such as ‘how to apply for The Chase’ and ‘First Dates application.’
They identified the number of searches per 100,000 citizens in each city and town to determine which area is the most eager to be a reality TV star, as well as which shows they are most keen to apply for.
Preston came out on top, with 294 monthly Google searches for reality TV applications per 100,000 citizens while Blackpool had 235 monthly searches.
The research also revealed which TV shows the UK is most interested in appearing on with Love Island taking the top spot with 3,535 average monthly Google searches.
In second place is Deal or No Deal, which is searched 2,687 times per month on average and third is Gogglebox, with 2,339 monthly searches.
One Lancashire man who is no stranger to applying to TV shows is Edward Oldfield who has appeared in over 50 TV shows over the past ten years.
The 45-year-old from Kirkham first began his TV career with an application to Come Dine With Me in 2013 to which he appeared on the the funniest episode of all time voted by readers of the Radio Times Magazine.
He said: “I thought it would be fun, the sort of thing you do once and then move on from but the reaction to it was very positive,and then what sort of happens is you get put on a list if you’re good.
“It’s quite an incestuous industry in the sense that you keep bumping into the same casting team, the same producers, the same floor managers, the same camera crew, and your name gets passed around.
“So following Come Down with Me, I’d get the odd email every so often saying ‘do you want to do this, do you want to do that’ and one for Tipping Point came through and I thought well I've nothing to lose, it's a bit of fun, and I could possibly win some money out of it!”
Commenting on the study, Franz Ostendorff, gambling expert and author of Casino Revisor said: “It is fascinating to see which reality TV shows capture the attention of people around the UK.
“Whether it's performing on stage or answering trivia questions under pressure, these shows offer a chance for unforgettable experiences and, for some, a shot at achieving their lifelong dreams.
“It is also great to see the enthusiasm from smaller towns and cities, such as Preston as perhaps people from these smaller areas are more eager to share their stories and personalities with a wider audience.