June 2, 2008

BBC looking for family in Alabama to host teenagers

BY ROY MITCHELL

LONDON — From across the proverbial pond, the land famous for Big Ben, Beckham, and the Beatles beckons an uncommon and unexpected request to parents of Alabama teenagers.

The British Broadcasting Company is searching for an Alabama family to star in a new documentary scheduled to air in the United Kingdom later this year. The Alabama family, according to an e-mailed press release to The Post, should be proud of their firm family structure, have at least two teenagers of their own living in the household, and be prepared to dictate their disciplined family values to two British teens.

The two teenagers, a boy and a girl, will spend eight days with the Alabama family later this summer. Living expenses for the British teens will be provided.

“The idea behind the whole series is that many people in the UK think there is a crisis in parenting,” said Twenty-Twenty Television researcher Chris Taylor.  “Many parents in the United Kingdom are trying to be their son or daughter's friends rather than maintaining their role as the disciplinarian within the household.”

Could rigid Cherokee County parents discover themselves as disciplinary role models for British viewers? From Twenty-Twenty's correspondence, that possibility appears completely viable. Willing parents, proud of their staunch family structure, with teenagers living with them, are encouraged to contact the production company at christaylor@twentytwenty.tv or by calling Chris at 011-44-207-284-2020 for more details.

Prior to the actual filming process later this summer, a producer will come to the state and visit with potential host families before deciding which one is the most appropriate for the documentary.

“That process will enable the filming to go a lot smoother,” Taylor said.

To many Alabama readers this formula of thrusting misguided teenagers into a strict household may reek of reality TV. But Taylor insists that his BBC program will in no way follow in the footsteps of “Big Brother”, “The Surreal Life”, or “Survivor”.

“Our documentary will be an observational documentary, exploring the merits of stricter parenting through the eyes of the British teenagers, who we hope will be able to reflect positively on their experience and compare it to their lives at home,” he said.

Twenty-Twenty hopes to film the Alabama episode in July. The episode shot here will be one of a series of six being filmed in various locations around the world for broadcast on the BBC in the fall.

In all episodes, the different sets of visiting teenagers are unrelated and do not know each other before filming. Two sets of British teens have already received an international dose of disciplined parenting in the cultural confinements of India and the African country of Ghana. From correspondence with Twenty-Twenty, filming in Ghana and India was highly successful, with both sets of teens going through an emotional journey of self-discovery.

“The British teens soon appreciated that a bit of work around the house and a respect of all members of the family unit, contributed to a happy family,” Taylor told The Post.

Another summer episode, molding a different set of untrammeled UK youth, is set for Jamaica. Producers have also examined locations as far away as Japan and Australia, Taylor said, though no other filming locations have been finalized.

So why did Twenty-Twenty producers choose Alabama for the documentary's backdrop?

“Whilst states such as Florida and California have their obvious attractions, they are widely represented through our own media in the UK.” Taylor explained. “Alabama is one of a number of states in the South that can represent the 'true' America to our children from the UK.”

A press release about the upcoming documentary states that the British teens invited into the Alabama home will be expected to follow the same rules, abide by the same routines, perform the same chores, and face the same consequences if they do not stick to the family rules.

The goal is for the teenagers to experience first-hand how different family units operate around the world by exposing them to different cultural values, expectations, rules, discipline, authority and attitudes.

“We are looking for parents who are not afraid to set boundaries for their children and stick to them,” Taylor said. “That is a basic parenting principle which is noticeably lacking in British families these days.”