Advertisement
Home ENTERTAINMENT TV

Huge demographic of Aussies Say ‘No’ To Being On Reality TV

A certain age group are saying no to reality fame.
Loading the player...

There’s a high chance sales of painkillers have gone up around the country, as TV casting directors suffer ongoing headaches.

Advertisement

Local reality TV shows are struggling to cast contestants of a certain age – the over 60s.

It’s been reported that Channel Nine’s incoming The Golden Bachelor, a show that hinges entirely on seniors, as well as their mainstay juggernaut The Block have been trying to cast within this demographic with no avail.

Shoot dates are now being pushed back for both shows, as producers refuse to put sub-par casts on air.

Casting image for The Golden Bachelor
Casting agents are searching high and low for The Golden Bachelor. (Credit: Facebook).
Advertisement

DESPERATE TIMES

Things have gotten so dire that casting agents for The Golden Bachelor, which is being hosted by Samantha Armytage, have reportedly approached retirement homes across the country to find the best possible participants.

They’ve also been hitting the airwaves, releasing Sam-fronted ads calling for applications, on stations like 2GB and 3AW, knowing that seniors still actively listen to radio.

One casting director speaking anonymously to Yahoo! Lifestyle blamed technology as a major factor for the “unexpected setback”.

They said that seniors are struggling with knowing how to upload videos and pictures – a key component of the application process.

Advertisement

“A lot don’t even own an iPhone or computer to do it themselves after hearing about the show on the news,” the source said.

Scotty Cam
The Block Scotty Cam waits for his star cast. (Credit: Getty)

OFF THEIR BLOCK

Like The Golden Bachelor, the 2025 season of The Block is said to be on struggle street.

The show was meant to start filming in Daylesford, VIC by the end of January – but has reportedly been pushed back several weeks.

Advertisement

According to the Daily Mail, Channel Nine has been trying to attract “older and wiser” amateur builders, given the last few seasons have earned the wrath of viewers for casting ‘influencer types’ with a flair for the dramatics.

The source says The Block has heard the feedback loud and clear and is holding off production for as long as possible as they aren’t pleased with the current line-up of contestant applications.

“There has been a noticeable absence of what Nine were interested in showcasing,” the source revealed.

Rob McKnight
Rob McKnight says the US The Golden Bachelor didn’t face casting roadblocks. (Credit: Supplied)
Advertisement

EXPERT OPINION

So why the reluctance? Respected TV expert Rob McKnight, from TV Tonight, says Nine likely wasn’t expecting to come up against so much pushback from seniors.

He tells New Idea that Aussies are never really keen to make a “spectacle” of themselves on national television.

“This is especially true for older Australians,” Rob explains.

“Today, older Aussies still look on in horror at what the grandkids post online, and can’t imagine ever being so honest.”

Advertisement

Rob points out that the way the older generation was “told not to air their dirty laundry in public” while growing up in pthe olite society of the 1960s is also likely giving them pause.

“There is a big divide between what our younger and older generations will do in public,” Rob says.

“Gen Z has grown up with social media where you put every thought online whereas baby boomers barely opened up to their friends let alone allowed their problems to play out in public.”

Golden Bachelor US and cast
The American Golden Bachelor was a hit in the USA. (Credit: Getty)
Advertisement

OVER BEFORE IT BEGINS

If and when The Golden Bachelor is able to assemble a full cast, it should give us an indication if more senior-focused shows will come, or if it’ll end up being a one-season wonder.

 “Once [it] airs and viewers know what to expect it will become easier to cast, assuming it’s a good show and participants aren’t made to look foolish,” Rob says.

 “If The Golden Bachelor actually finds love then Aunt Beryl could be coerced by the family to ‘give it a go’.”

Related stories


Advertisement
Advertisement