– If they want to achieve a victory in the opinion polls, they should rather come up with a policy that attracts people, rather than inventing tricks far outside the political arena, says editor of the newspaper iTromsø Egon Holstad. Several well-known politicians have offered themselves on the screen in recent years. Emilie Enger Mehl, Olaug Bollestad, Mímir Kristjánsson, Abid Raja and Bård Hoksrud are among those who have participated in reality shows. WON: Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl won the third season of Kompani Lauritzen on TV 2. Photo: Matti Bernitz / TV2 Most politicians on reality TV this year – In an ideal world, politicians should do politics. So I think they should let musicians, actors and comedians provide the entertainment, says Holstad. But it doesn’t look like Holstad will get his way anytime soon. 2024 is set to be a record year for the number of politicians in reality TV, shows a count news has made of the last ten years. See the full count further down in the case. DO YOU FIND THE POLITICIANS? Two out of ten participants in this year’s “Easter crime games” are politicians. Seven politicians have either participated or will participate in reality shows during the year. – It would have been completely unheard of for politicians to take part in reality TV when it first appeared on Norwegian screens, says media researcher Gry Cecilie Rustad. In addition to the seven, several politicians have taken part in other types of entertainment programs such as “Huskestue” and “Alle mot alle”. Young Conservative leader makes reality debut Next year, Young Conservative leader Ola Svenneby will join the ranks of “reality politicians” when he takes part in the TV2 program “The Box”. Svenneby has the following to say to the criticism from Holstad: – That criticism somewhat presupposes that politicians play a kind of cynical game in order to be liked as much as possible, so that they can deceive the voters. But I think if you go in with that entrance that you’re going to be on reality TV exclusively to profile yourself, then I think that will shine through. REALITY DEBUT: Young Conservative leader Ola Svenneby spent a lot of time deciding whether or not he should take part in a reality show. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB Svenneby admits that he thought that the program would give him publicity, but says that the main reason he joined was that it seemed like a fun experience. How do you think the reality show will affect your political career? – I have no idea. It’s either the smartest or stupidest thing I’ve ever done, replies Svenneby with a laugh. Should politicians be on reality TV? No, absolutely not! Yes, it’s just fun! Unsure of what I mean Show result Can reach new voter groups Last year, Norstat asked Norwegians how well they like the country’s central politicians. Several of those who are enthroned at the top are politicians who have taken part in reality TV, shows the overview in Aftenposten. Abid Raja, Emilie Enger Mehl and Olaug Bollestad were in the top five on the list. They have all participated in two reality series each. OFF WITH THE MASK: Abid Raja was “The Goblin” at Maskorama in 2021. Photo: Julia Marie Naglestad But the fact that a politician is popular will not necessarily mean that the party in question gets a lot of votes, according to election researcher Johannes Bergh. – When voters go to vote in Norway, the party they vote for is more important than the people they vote for. In our neighboring country Denmark, on the other hand, the people matter more, explains the election researcher. DANCE PROGRAM: Sandra Borch has taken part in several reality programmes, including “Shall we dance”. Photo: TV 2 Despite the fact that reality participation does not necessarily lead to election victory, Bergh believes that politicians can reach some new voter groups by participating. – It can be young voters, people who do not have higher education and people who are not that interested in politics. Holstad: – Cramp-like folksy Egon Holstad is completely aware that politicians should stay away from reality. But he believes there are cases where they can have a reason to be on TV, even if they are not supposed to talk about politics: – I don’t think they should appear as machines. Talking about personal things in interviews, for example your own mistakes or illness, can be good for breaking down taboos. But there is a long way from that to being convulsively popular in a concept that has nothing of the world to do with politics. Politicians in reality TV in the last ten years 2024: Sveinung Rotevatn (Norway’s Dumbest) Guri Melby (Cooking School) Simen Velle (The Guardian) Henrik Asheim (Easter Crime Games) Anette Trettebergstuen (Easter Crime Games) Rauand Ismail (Kompani Lauritzen) Olaug Bollestad (Sofa) 2023: Hadia Tajik (Shall we dance) Bård Hoksrud (Camp Culinaris) Olaug Bollestad (Sofa) 2022: Emilie Enger Mehl (Kompani Lauritzen) Olaug Bollestad (24-star Christmas calendar) Lan Marie Berg (24-star Christmas calendar) Lasse Fredheim (Farmen) Olaug Bollestad (Sofa) 2021: Abid Raja (Maskorama) Bård Hoksrud (4-star dinner) 2020: Per Sandberg (Farmen celebrity) Mímir Kristjánsson (Farmen celebrity) Olav Harald Ulstein (Farmen) Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Maskorama) 2019: Sandra Borch ( Shall we dance) Per Sandberg (Charter fever) Per Sandberg (Shall we dance) 2018 (none) 2017 (none) 2016: Sandra Borch (One night at the castle) 2015: Emilie Enger Mehl (Anno) Anniken Huitfeldt (4-star dinner) Abid Raja (4-star dinner) 2014: Magnhild Vik (Farmen) Olav Harald Ulstein (Farmen) Sandra Borch (4-star dinner) news has used Retriever to count how many politicians have been on reality TV since 2014 Published 06.09.2024, at 10.50 Updated 06.09.2024, at 11.52
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Most politicians are on reality TV this year – news Culture and entertainment
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