Fool Around...
Contents |
Host
Voiceover: Nikki Bedi, Alex Lovell
Broadcast
Endemol UK Productions West for E4, 2 November 2004 to 19 May 2005 (99 episodes in 3 series)
Synopsis
A single man moves into an apartment for a week with four women; one is single, the other three are in thus far stable relationships. The bachelor's task is to work out which one is single, and if he identifies her correctly at the end of the week, they split ten grand between them. If he doesn't, the lady who manages to fool him walks away with the cash. And the twist? The girls' Significant Others are in on it, watching in another room and helping their inamoratas in their schemes and scams. They don't meet up or speak directly, but can offer advice by means of messages written on a blackboard in the Strategy Room. (Nice touch: the prize money is displayed in bundles of £10 notes in glass cases around the walls.)
After one week, get in a new batch of contestants, repeat with genders reversed.
This could have turned out sleasy and exploitative, but the editing puts the comedy moments to the fore, making for a surprisingly entertaining show. We do feel a bit sorry for the poor beggar who's got to find 50 minutes of pre-watershed material for the weekend omnibus, though.
The programme uses other twists than the usual male/female roles, including Fool Around... With My Mum. Isn't that illegal in some countries?
The second and third series were screened back to back and involved various D-list celebs, leading to uninspiring titles like Fool Around... With Mikey from Phixx. Whoever he may be.
Theme music
James T. Lundie
Web Links
Channel 4 Fool Around... microsite, via archive.org
