Ben Fogle acknowledged that white men “dominate” the television landscape, but said he hopes the next generation of presenters will have opportunities based on talent rather than diversity.
Fogle, 48, who rose to fame after appearing on the reality show Castaway 2000, said there are “many brilliant hosts” from diverse backgrounds who need “chance of success”, but they need the right skill and talent.
“When I use the term ‘talent’, I think it has to be a talent. You can’t tick the box,” he said in an interview with FEMAIL.
“I think we definitely need to give more opportunities to those who were previously invisible or silent. They must also have the ability to adapt to who they are and where they come from.
Ben Fogle acknowledged that white men “dominate” the television landscape, but said he hopes the next generation of presenters will have opportunities based on talent rather than diversity. Above, Fogle is on his new show, Ben Fogle & The Lost City, which will air next Thursday.
Fogle, who was seen with his wife Marina, who rose to fame after appearing on the reality show Castaway 2000, said there are “many brilliant hosts” from diverse backgrounds who need “a chance at success”. on the right. skill and talent
“There will be many brilliant presenters who need a successful opportunity and I hope they will come. And I think you should have something to put on the TV. You need charisma, attention, an open mind, all of these.
“People like me, men, white hosts, have dominated the television world for many years,” he added, adding that “many great female voices, ethnically diverse people, minority groups, from other countries, other religions, need to be heard.
Fogle spoke for Ben Fogle & The Lost City, his new show airing next Thursday, in which the host visits an unregistered California community known as Slab City or The Slabs.
Since 1961, Slab City has been abandoned by the California government and has become a haven for the homeless, many of whom struggle with addictions or hide from the law for various crimes, calling themselves “the last empty place in America.”
The MC said she felt “safe” partly because she’s a white male, and that some MCs may not feel the same when placed in the same position.
“I know some very brave hosts who would probably be offended if I say that,” he said.
Fogle’s groundbreaking success came when he appeared on an observation show for the BBC’s Castaway 2000, where 36 participants sought to build a community in the remote Scottish town of Taransay. He said it’s much more difficult for today’s reality stars to be famous for more than 15 minutes and build a career.
“But there is a lot of crime out there and there are people hiding from the law. You cannot hide from this. Maybe I just felt more secure for who I am.”
Fogle added that he was lucky enough to survive Castaway’s 15 minutes of fame, but stressed that he had worked hard over the decades to hone his skills.
He admitted that it is much more difficult for reality TV stars to build lasting careers today.
“Now there are millions of shows. It is very, very difficult to maintain and survive your 15 minutes of fame,” he said.
And going back to the timeline of the last 20 years, I want you to talk about the people who stood against time on the reality show. There isn’t much.’
The server said it was “full luck” [he] He was in the right place at the right time and said his success was due to a lot of ‘coincidence’.
He continued: “I don’t want to own my own trumpet, but I think I’ve developed and improved my skills as a TV presenter over the last 20 years, so I still do.
In his new show, Ben travels to California to meet the settlers who shaped Slab City in the California desert.
“Not because I’m on a reality show, not because some people know me, not because I’m a Z-list celebrity, but because I have real empathy.”
The host said he has found his place in the television world and hopes that in the future the television industry will focus on “honesty, honesty, curiosity and open-mindedness”.
“A lot of televisions are obsessed with the ego and that word ‘celebrity,'” he said.
“I don’t even like the word famous. I find being called a celebrity quite disturbing because it implies that you have nothing in front of you anymore, just someone recognizable.”
The host added that he was “proud” that people who knew him on the street asked questions about his programs and attendees.
“It shows that they know me by the content of my programs, not by my ugly face,” he said.
Ben Fogle & The Lost City will be broadcast on Channel 5 on Thursday, April 21 at 21.00.
Source: Daily Mail
