Yahoo News Bear Grylls' The Island criticised by viewers for inciting 'class division'
This week’s episode of Bear Grylls’ The Island has caused outrage with its audience, as the show implemented a class divide to kick things off in controversial style.
During the new series’ opener that aired on 2 April, fans of the programme were divided early on after intentionally splitting the contestants into two groups: one of people earning in excess of £100,000 while the other team were made up of those who earn under the UK’s national average wage.
Two teams of eight were left on either ends of the Pacific island and tasked with finding food and shelter and generally having to survive as if they were shipwrecked.
Yet this wasn’t to everyone’s taste, as many viewers of the show were left enraged at the idea of pitting wealthy people against those less financially fortunate – despite it having no actual impact on their ability to perform in the survival series.
There was friction when the two groups came across one another on the island, as some from the ‘rich’ camp decided that the other team were ‘not my kind of people’, as each side actually split up again because they simply couldn’t get along.
The wealthier team were branded ‘sneaky’ and as ‘thieves’ when it was revealed they’d just taken some of the other team’s resources
People voiced their displeasure on Twitter, as a result.
Some were a little envious that they weren’t there.
@BearGrylls the island episode 1 this is going to be interesting!!! Posh v Working class wish I was there
— Mark Burge (@BURGEY3836) April 3, 2018
But generally people weren’t happy with the show forcing a class divide.
Wonder how much effort went into the production of #the island , to ramp up the class divide as much as possible… I know they'll finish best buddies of course in true tv style, but sad viewing all the same. Does everything these days have to be completely polarized?
— Paul Burgum (@pburgum) April 3, 2018
I know it’s all totally set up and edited but I still hate the whole premise of #TheIsland. Rich v poor? Posh v working class? Really channel 4?
— Clare Swatman (@clareswatman) April 2, 2018
This the island show is pushing the narrative that working class people are lazy and middle class people are more intelligent. Discusting behavour from both groups to be honest .
— Trill Goldberg (@FabzMCR) April 2, 2018
#TheIsland the true colours of society being revealed in all its glory. A doctor out of all the people on the island stating that working class people ‘weren’t her sort of people’ what a bloody vile woman.
— Megan Goldsmith (@MegGoldsmith) April 2, 2018
Watching the Island as someone from a working class family who now studies medicine is so crazy. The class divide is SO real and it’s so sad.
— Todd Cooper (@toddjcoop) April 2, 2018
The island is a perfect example of the class divide in society snobby people are the worst
— Amy Breed (@amynicole321) April 2, 2018
The island is a scandalous representation of what 'rich' and 'poor' looks like. Where are the overweight, clueless idiot wealthy people who make up so much of their class?
— Rory Ogden (@roryogden) April 2, 2018
Wow! #TheIsland literally no words. None. Unbelievable. How can there be class division when there is nothing on the island. Shameful.
— Paul Bartlett (@pjbpricebailey) April 2, 2018
Please tell me what Bear Grylls was intending to achieve by creating a class war environment on The Island? Eurgh. Not sure if I can watch another episode.
— Sarie Weaving (@SWeavie) April 2, 2018
Some remembered how good previous seasons were, such as the first, while wishing for a return to the simpler structure of pure survival as opposed to the bickering and overt attempt to use class division as entertainment.
Why construct conflict with groups? Series 1 was the best…. There's enough grief trying to survive with this kind of test.. #TheIsland
— Rabbi Bob Nutcher (@RabbiBobNutcher) April 2, 2018
It comes during a time where political opinion is rife in the UK in 2018, with some viewers branding the show as a ‘Tories versus Labour’ setup.
Catch The Island each Monday, 9pm, on Channel 4.
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