Geordie Shore. Good, bad or just plain ugly?

So the hottest new shockumentary has hit our screens this month and it has certainly got everybody talking! Whether you love it, hate it or are warring a rampage against it, everyone has an opinion on the antics of the lads and lasses on MTV’s Geordie Shore!

A reproduction of its most successful ‘reality’ series Jersey Shore, MTV has created another show, in which 15 strangers from the North East are thrown together in a Big Brother-style pad and their shenanigans are viewed 24/7. Similar to the pseudo reality TV docu soaps of The Hills and The Only Way is Essex, Geordie Shore follows some extravagant characters in and around Newcastle, including an 18-year-old self-confessed ‘Posh Spice of Middlesbrough’ with fake FF breasts and a heavily-plucked Geordie male whose hardest days work is doing his hair. Despite a lack of an intriguing plotline in which the characters are merely viewed entering a variety of different nightclubs night after night, the Geordie Shore creators have certainly upped the ‘sex factor’ with this show, in which the characters are seen getting frisky with a multitude of different people in every episode, including each other.

The Geordie Shore cast.

However, despite popular ratings of over 1.3 million in its opening episode, trumping the MTV Music Awards, The Hills and Jersey Shore, and addictive characters, the show has caused uproar in the place the Geordie Shorers all know and love. Newcastle natives are worried about the region’s reputation and have branded the show a disgrace, believing the lewd and embarrassing behaviour to cause untold damage to the region’s image. This belief was so strong that a Facebook page was created, called ‘RIP Geordie Pride24/05/2011 10:00pm’, the moment which the first episode of Geordie Shore aired, which currently holds over 30 thousand members. Locals are so sore about the subject that the show is banned in city pubs, branding the show as pornographic. The Geordie Shorers, however, have defended their actions, saying that they are not representing Newcastle, they are merely representing themselves and they just do what any other average person does on a night out.

In addition, people from Middlesbrough, the hometown of cast member Holly Hagan, are also livid over her performance on the show, in which she obsessively parades her voluptuous body and continuously cheats on and argues with her boyfriend. This led to her being ostracised by the group and leaving the show within the third week. Middlesbrough was named ‘the worst place to live in the UK’ in a 2007 report by Location, Location, Location and ever since, there has been a resurgence of people defending and trying to regenerate the area, resulting in a city bid this year. However, due to Holly’s experiences on the show, sudden fears have emerged that the public perception of the town will have deteriorated; meaning the town and its people’s efforts will have been in vain.

Holly's outrageous behaviour in the hot-tub.

Personally, and as a local from the North East, I am enjoying the show purely due to the outrageous behaviour and extreme characters. However I do agree that many people outside the North East will form certain derogatory opinions due to what happens on Geordie Shore. I do feel that the show represents extreme behaviour and is not a true representation of how we Northerners truly live. Not all Geordies act that way but it can’t be denied, it is certainly entertainment!

What's your opinion on Geordie Shore, do you love it or hate it? Please feel free to follow me on twitter: @emmarobinson14.

Thanks,

Emma.

The Transporter Bridge becomes a centenarian!

Hi there, here is a little news piece I wrote about my home town, hope you like it!

The North East’s best-loved landmark turns 100.

TUCKED up in a quiet corner of the North East of England, the defining symbol of Teesside turns 100 years old this year. As it approaches its centenary, the Transporter Bridge, known locally as simply “The Transporter”, has undergone major refurbishments in preparation for the celebrations on 17 October, with improvements such as replacement motors already completed.

One of only a handful of working examples in the world and the only working type in England, the iconic steel monument links Middlesbrough and Port Clarence and is an instantly recognizable feature on the River Tees. The imposing figure of Edwardian engineering was officially opened in 1911 by Queen Victoria’s grandson Prince Arthur of Connaught and resembles two proud steelworkers, hands clasped together at the centre of the river in an act of working-class solidarity.

The partially completed towers of the bridge.

Councillor Paul Thompson, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Streetscene Services and Transport, said: “The Transporter is an iconic landmark which is recognised around the world and of which we are truly proud. It’s fantastic that, nearly 100 years after it first carried people across the river, it is in full working order and looks as good as the day it was opened.”

Since the Transporter’s construction, Teesside became almost immediately synonymous with bridge-building, and throughout the 20th century, Middlesbrough’s historical steel industry has created epic monuments across the globe. Teesside technology has been exported to Tyneside, building the Tyne Bridge in 1928, New Zealand with the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959 and the Australia’s monumental Sydney Harbour Bridge, which was opened in 1932 and famously features the epigram "Made in Middlesbrough".

Throughout the last century, the Transporter Bridge has attracted millions of visitors, having featured in the popular television series Auf Wiedersehen Pet and in recent years, has become a centre for extreme sports with dare-devils bungee jumping, zip lining and abseiling from the top of the bridge.

Ironically many Teessiders have never actually crossed the Transporter Bridge, with Port Clarence offering few amenities; however a strong affiliation to Middlesbrough means it conjures up strong emotions and memories for people in the region. The landmark is the North East’s finest hidden gem and here’s hoping it will still be standing for another 100 years to come.

A special calendar has been launched to commemorate this occasion, featuring stunning images taken throughout the bridge’s 100-year history and is available from: the Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre, local and mobile libraries, MIMA and the Dorman Museum.

Thankyou for reading and as ever, please feel free to leave a comment or add me on Twitter!

Emma xx