Dangers of sleepless show

11 April 2012

A reality game show in which contestants are deprived of sleep was condemned as demeaning and dangerous yesterday.

The programme, Shattered, received a flurry of complaints after its launch on Channel 4 on Sunday.

It features ten contestants trying to stay awake for seven days to win £100,000 while their every move is monitored.

Originally, anybody dropping off risked being thrown off the show. But now the programme's medical experts have demanded that naps are introduced after some of those taking part reported they were hallucinating.

Viewers also appear to be tiring of such voyeuristic shows.

The first programme in the series drew only 1.8million viewers, a huge drop on the 9.4million who watched Big Brother's finale on Channel 4 two years ago.

Of those who did bother to tune in to Shattered, many complained to TV watchdogs or Channel 4, describing it as 'distasteful' and 'inappropriate'.

MPs and television watchdogs have also condemned the show.

John Beyer, director of the pressure group Mediawatch UK, said: 'This is a further example of how television is being dumbed down. It beggars belief what executives at Channel 4 think is suitable for public entertainment.

'Sleep deprivation is one of the tools used in brainwashing. It concerns me what these contestants have laid themselves open to and the regulators should be monitoring this show closely.'

The TV regulator Ofcom admitted it was powerless to stop the show from being aired as it would take more than a month to decide if it breaches broadcasting guidelines.

An Ofcom spokesman said there had been complaints but added: 'If the complaints are upheld this can take weeks, if not months. We do not have the power to pull the plug.'

The Liberal Democrats' culture spokesman Don Foster said: 'This is reality TV gone mad, reminiscent of the degrading American dance marathons of the Depression.

'We've already seen contestants eating live grubs on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here. But this is worse. It's the voyeurism of pain.

'Pushing your body to breaking point for £100,000 is not courageous. It's dangerous and demeaning.'

The contestants, who were woken from their last sleep at 7am on Saturday, will spend the next four days in a purpose-built studio with no beds. Their mental and physical abilities will be tested regularly in the run-up to Saturday's finale. In the first show, they were made to peel hundreds of potatoes.

Each day the person whose ability deteriorates the most will be evicted, with the prize money falling every time a contestant nods off.

One of the group, Ellen McCarthy, 28, was eliminated on the first night for failing a memory test. She was unable to remember the number of peas she had earlier counted into a jar.

Two of the remaining competitors, are suffering worrying symptoms of sleep deprivation.

Canadian-born Chris Wandel, 22, said he had seen objects flying around the 'house' and told how he thought a housemate's pair of jeans had appeared to turn into an album cover.

On Sunday, he dozed off for 14 seconds before being awoken by the group - but not quickly enough to avoid a £1,000 penalty which is deducted from the prize money whenever anyone falls asleep for more than ten seconds.

Jimmy Burke, 33, complained of seeing 'white flashes' and 'streaking smudges' yesterday.

The contestant's behaviour so concerned the panel of health experts supervising the programme that they insisted the group were given a two-hour nap.

Shattered's sleep expert, Dr Neil Stanley, has warned that sleep deprivation can kill faster than starvation.

A spokesman for the programme said, however: 'We have always been clear that we will act on whatever concerns or advice the panel have.'

Highlights from each day will be shown on Channel 4 at 10pm presented by Dermot O'Leary, while the action - such as it is - is being run continuously on the digital channel e4.

In a shameless effort to boost ratings, Shattered's creators Endemol - the team behind Big Brother - are planning to bring in a nude model for the group to practise life drawing.

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