Here Are Nine Of The Most Controversial And Problematic British TV Shows That Would Never Get Aired Today

    They're toxic, to say the least...

    Elizabeth Cotton
    by Elizabeth Cotton

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Look, it's no secret that some of our most iconic British TV shows probably wouldn't be allowed to air nowadays.

    NBC

    Recently, a clip from Fat Families was shown on TikTok, and people couldn't believe that such a savage show actually existed...

    @something_about_nicky

    Well, I've rounded up some of the most shocking British TV shows that would never (and should never) be aired again...

    1. Fat Families

    Sky 1

    Unfortunately, a common theme in noughties television here in the UK was strongly linked to "diet culture". The show aired in 2010 and focused on improving the lifestyles of "unhealthy" families. Now, the premise in itself isn't anything awful, it was more the *ahem* comments made by the host, Steve Miller.

    His go-to approach was to insult said families, with phrases such as "these fatties haven't seen their feet for years" and cheerfully saying "hey fatty!" as a child opened the door to him. Not to mention the one episode where they showed the family a coffin with "Dad" written in flowers as motivation.

    Yep, pretty insensitive, and it's no surprise that this show probably wouldn't even get greenlit today.

    2. Snog Marry Avoid?

    BBC Three

    I'm not saying it was great, but this was one of my favourite shows growing up, and I always wanted to meet Pod. If you're not familiar with the show, it's where individuals are judged by the local public who were asked whether they would "snog, marry, or avoid?" The contestant was then given a "make under" in order to become more... conventionally attractive. Yeah, kinda messed up, huh?

    While the show certainly didn't provide the best messaging for younger audiences by suggesting that the only way people would find you "attractive" and worth marrying would be to change how you look, many of the contestants actually just reverted back to their own image anyway. We love to see it.

    3. Supersize vs. Superskinny

    Channel 4

    As you can probably tell from the name, this show was another culprit of "diet culture". Again, while the premise of turning unhealthy lifestyles around is not necessarily a bad one, it was the execution that failed miserably. Honestly, I think this whole show was about trying to humiliate the contestants as much as they could. Whether that was from making them stand in their underwear, laying out all of the food they eat in front of them, or making them swap meals with the opposite contestant to shame them... It was bad.

    BTW, they also had a kid's version of this show as well, which is horrific to even think about.

    4. How To Look Good Naked

    Channel 4

    Spoiler alert: you don't need to do anything, it's a ridiculous concept.

    If you were an avid television watcher back in the '00s, then you'll know that Gok Wan was taking the TV world by storm, and this show was no exception. It involved putting women in pretty uncomfortable situations, including posing half-naked in front of strangers. Although the contestants always seemed happy with their makeovers, the whole process just felt humiliating to me.

    5. What Not To Wear

    BBC

    British TV icons Trinny and Susannah kicked off the show by watching an individual being filmed while the pair commented on how they looked, especially how "awful" their fashion choices were. What made this show worse, was the fact that friends and family of the chosen person were the ones signing them up to the show! I don't know about you, but if my loved ones signed me up for a fashion makeover where I was ridiculed by two strangers, I don't think I'd be too happy about it. They also popped the contestant into a room with 360° mirrors so they could view every angle of their body. Just wear what you want, and whatever feels comfortable.

    6. 10 Years Younger

    Channel 4

    Aging is a privilege, but unfortunately, this show demonised any sign of getting older, and even a single wrinkle on your face was deemed unsightly. Contestants were taken to the streets where strangers would try and guess how old they were. Of course, they always guessed too old, meaning it was obviously time for a youthful transformation.

    Now, wanting to look younger isn't necessarily bad, but this show used plastic surgery on top of dieting and workouts to achieve the desired look. This was after the contestant had been shamed for how they looked, and although the cruel comments may have been seen as "comedy" back in the '00s, it just feels a lot more sinister now.

    7. Little Britain

    BBC

    There's no doubting that this was probably one of the most popular British shows in the '00s, but the jokes were classed as offensive even back then. It was a comical series based upon stereotypes, which lead to many concerns (and rightly so) over some of the depictions of ethnic minorities who were perceived in a derogatory way. I know, like most of the shows on the list, that it existed in a different time, but it wasn't that long ago, and it's still problematic. The show was also pulled from BBC iPlayer and Netflix, with a BBC correspondent saying it's because "times have changed since it first aired."

    8. The Biggest Loser

    ITV

    This was a spin-off from the original American version, but even so, it was horrific. The format of the show was for "overweight" individuals to compete to win a cash prize by losing the most weight. If that wasn't bad enough, the personal trainers were often seen *screaming* in the contestants' faces trying to shame them into working harder. It was all a bit too much, and why did producers in the '00s have such a fascination with weight loss and body shaming??

    9. Benefits Street

    Channel 4

    The show focused on the real lives of the residents of James Turner Street in Birmingham. It was allegedly one of the poorest streets in Britain, with most of the people living on benefits. It received a lot of criticism, with many viewers calling Channel 4 out for "poverty porn," misrepresenting the welfare state, and projecting a very stereotypical and unfair image on those who claim benefits. There was even an online petition signed by over 3,000 people to get the show axed, with Ofcom receiving hundreds of complaints after it aired.

    Are there any shows I missed out? Let me know in the comments below!