Next for American TV? Britain’s Naked Attraction

Written by PTC | Published July 28, 2016

Even more graphic nudity may be on the TV horizon. In recent years, Americans have been bombarded by ever-more sleazy concepts for reality shows, from Walk of Shame Shuttle and The Seven Year Switch to Sex Box and Dating Naked. But British TV proves that there’s always something more depraved waiting in the wings. Naked Attraction is a new program on Britain’s Channel Four which premiered this week. On the show, a contestant chooses a date from a panel of six eligible singles. How does the contestant make her choice? By viewing all six potential partners completely in the nude. Unlike Dating Naked, nothing is blurred; the show features full-frontal nudity, in shocking close-up. “And when Channel Four says naked, [they] mean NAKED. There are no modesty blurs like those found on VH1’s Dating Naked or the Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid. About 50 percent of the screen time on this show is dedicated to extreme close ups of vaginas, penises, six-packs, love-handles, nipples, boobs and butts. The camera seems to linger on every hair, pimple and stretch mark, as well as the curves and protrusions,” notes an article about the show. American TV history is rife with concepts borrowed from British television, from All in the Family and Sanford and Son to MTV’s Skins and The In-Betweeners. American viewers can only hope that this is one case where American media decides NOT to imitate their cousins across the ocean.