Murder Most Famous

[Jim Gracie]

Anyone in the UK catch any episodes of a TV reality show called Murder Most Famous? I don't normally like reality shows, but this one was intriguing. Basically, several celebs (5th league as usual, unfortunately) must try to write 500 words of a crime book, based on some research that has been set up for them. In the episode I watched, the research was in a pathology unit with the celebs examining dead bodies. Minette Walters is in charge, and at the end of each episode she critiques the 500 words (offering advice and tips on crime writing at the same time) and then kicks someone off the show. I presume that the last remaining contestant wil be encouraged to turn his or her written words into a mystery book.

Is this a new series, or is it a repeat of an old one? Also, can anyone tell me what channel it is on? I never made a note of it when I watched this lone episode. If it's a repeat, can anyone tell me how many espisodes there are?

[Jeff Ross]

http://www.crimetime.co.uk/mag/index.php/showarticle/798

[I. J. Parker]

A new height in stupidity. And Minette Walters must need the money badly.

[Jeff Ross]

Is it bad? I'm in Canada so I won't get this program unless it pops up on the internet sometime.

[Jim Gracie]

It's not so much bad as a bit tacky. And at the same time intriguing, as it has roped in a real police force to assist and set up crime scenarios. Mind you, it sure beats the usual reality shows on TV, which are dire.

It is on BBC2, and I now know it's part of World Book Day, and that the winner will be offered a contract to write a crime book due for publication in 2009. The proceeds from the book will go to improving literacy in the UK (and goodness knows we need to improve it).

I don't know how much Minetter Walters is getting for appearing on the show. It won't be much by the sound of it. I am also not one of her greatest fans, but chacun a son gout, as they say.

Thanks to Jeff for pointing me in the general direction of a website. I should have figured out for myself that it would have a website.

Here's an article about it in London's Daily Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/03/01/nos...

[Alex Scarrow]

I could bear only a few minutes of it before turning over....it's just embarressing, cringe-inducing stuff. The bad news is, the crud that gets published by the winning sleb, will encourage new legions of z list slebs to cash in on their transitory fame and flood the market with their tedious biographies, and derivative works of fiction.

And of course, the publishing industry being the pitiful whore that it is...will lap up these meagre morsels offering huge feckin' advances for them, and thus, further downhill, the industry slides.