25/08/11…TV show upsets Thame residents
THE TV programme that showed Peter Andre ‘saving’ the Thame carnival, has angered many residents who feel that the show badly misrepresented the town and its community.
Almost all the comments on social networking sites where residents have been voicing their opinions, express anger and disappointment at ITV2’s ‘Here to Help’ portrayal of their town.
Celebrity cook, Lottie Duncan reflected the views of many in her facebook posting following the programme last Thursday, August 18: “Thame was made to Look like a town that had lost it’s soul and community. A place where nothing is ever held and it’s people have no spirit. Enter Peter to save us. Er …. No thanks possum. As much as he is a lovely chap and I do like him, the producers had to have a story, some jeopardy and team Andre saving the day. But it was a nonsense and has done Thame no favours. Is this the same Thame that had an Italian Market last week and the one with an arts and literature festival? And don’t forget the huge Thame food festival in September!”
Someone else who took part in the carnival said: “I was a performer that was involved on the floats and was disappointed that there wasn’t more footage of the other acts/floats/performers that were all involved in tonight’s H2H episode. I wrote to Peter about how it was portrayed wrongly on TV.”
Some commentators were more pragmatic, including
Beverly Cort. She said: ” …Petes management are obviously gonna make him look good. Look on the brightside it raised awareness of the Carnival and got it a lot of publicity.”
Chair of this year’s carnival committee, Cllr Nicola Dixon, added: “Although the TV show wasn’t all we had hoped for, it has got us some extra volunteers for next year, so every cloud and all that!”
To read more comments, go to: http://www.facebook.com/ThameTV
What did the Thame business community think?
Kristian Winslade, who runs Fore Golf in Buttermarket with his father, made his views clear on the Thame facebook page: ” His team….. was talking as though we’re a bunch of lifeless dead-beats; Thame has a thriving community; look at the music in the park for example, and I’m sure Peter would’nt be invited to play there! Overall I think the program gave a bad representation of the town. As a shop manager, I don’t think it did us retailers much good at all.”
Someone else commented: “Personally speaking, as someone who holds a regular stall at the carnival, this year was not as good from a business perspective compared to past years. The people that were there (and I will argue about the 10,000 stated in the shows press release) hung around the stage waiting to see him and didn’t circulate.”
More comments on: http://www.facebook.com/thametown
WHAT did YOU think of the programme? Contact: editor@thamenews.net
PHOTO: Alan Haigh, Headteacher of John Hampden School, receives the award for best Carnival entry from Peter Andre
