Surrey Hills to hold X-Factor style auditions

Locals to be given the chance to audition to be on new docu-soap this Saturday

Surrey's residents keen to appear on the forthcoming reality television show, or those just wishing to catch a glimpse of the potential stars – are invited to an open casting day.

Surrey Hills, the show set to be this county's answer to Made in Chelsea and The Only Way is Essex, hopes to capture the highs and lows of Surrey’s young elite as they lead their lives.

Since online auditions opened in June, more than 1,000 people have applied to be on the show and videos released of some of the applicants have attracted more than 60,000 views on YouTube.

On July 27, people who think they've got what it takes to be on the show will be given the chance to prove themselves in front of the bosses.

Ed Thomas, a Surrey Hills producer  says there will be “VIP style interviews” with some of the favourite applicants from the process so far, before members of the public are invited to audition at Red Bar in Weybridge on Saturday.

Despite the high number of applicants, the series has been met with some criticism - with some viewers posting angry comments on social media sites. In response to an audition tape from Benny Rose (which can be viewed here) one viewer said "This makes me feel ashamed to be from Surrey."

Another user commented on Holly Alexandra Jennings’ audition tape: “Try showing real people from Surrey, this girl represents less than 10% of Surrey and I find it offensive. You should call it ‘Rich Surrey Hills’.”

Tyler Stemp, one of the men behind the show, has hit back at these claims and insits the program will feature people different walks of life.  

“Surrey is home to many young, glamorous and rich individuals and we will certainly not hide this. However, Surrey Hills will also portray very down to earth characters in a way that the public can easily relate to.

“As Surrey residents ourselves, we have no interest whatsoever in representing Surrey in anything but a positive light.

“The Surrey Hills project will lift the profile of the local area. The feedback we have received from local business so far suggests that the locals are 100% behind us.”

Read our interview with Benny "the heart of Surrey" Rose

How do you feel about Surrey Hills? Join the debate below

Comments (10)

Comment Feed

Surrey Hills

I am appalled at the choice of title - it will in no way reflect the character of the Surrey Hills and it's inhabitants. I am proud to live here and don't want the area to be reflected in this way. Having moved from Cobham a few years ago and I can see why the programme makers have jumped on the band wagon, I can however see that the town has morphed into a more 'superficial' place over the past few years. The programme will represent a chosen few who live far from the reality of most peoples everyday living. Please , please do not bring the beautiful AONB into this horrendous television spectacle. Hopefully the programme will not reach our screens, surely a more realistic view of the place would capture the audience more and appeal to a wider community!

Janie more than 11 years ago

Surrey Hills

I am a born and bred Surrey girl, as are my sons, living in the area that this programme is supposedly covering and the fact that a County that is already ridiculed because of it's wealth will be shown in an even more negative light is appalling. There is extreme wealth in Surrey, as there is in every county if you look hard enough, and it is, in the main, condensed in to this area. However, also in this area are people on average wages (which in Surrey means that they are living almost in poverty) trying to live ordinary lives. So perhaps a programme asking how people who live side by side with this incredible wealth but on normal incomes cope with the day to day problems of affordable housing, Council Tax etc., all pushed up and up because of the wealth pouring in to the County by the minority, how most of the youngsters have no hope of ever being able to be first time buyers in their home towns - now that would probably make more realistic and certainly more interesting viewing!

Ordinary Weybridge/Walton Resident more than 11 years ago

What's new?

I really can't see this show being a success like the others - sure TOWIE, Made in Chelsea and Jersey Shore have no doubt been popular, but there's a reason for it. TOWIE was the original reality docu-soap and had all the ingredients right, hate to say it, I could see why people got into it. This sounds like it's trying to be a new 'MIC' but the difference is, Chelsea is in London, and has always been renowned as a high flying area, with the majority of it's residents genuinely living such a lavish lifestyle that the majority of the population could only dream of ; the location, among the bars and clubs and luxury of London, is limitless and interesting... London is the best place to be living an endless social life! Surrey on the otherhand covers a large and varied demographic - the places in which they seem to be filming are far from the social roar in MIC ... how trendy bars, restaurants and clubs are there in Esher and Weybridge?! The people that they're going to be televising are really such a small percentage of what the entirety of Surrey is. Seems to me they're just trying to ride the wave of the success of the previous mentioned shows for the sake of it - without actually thinking about whether the format of such TV will actually be able to work and be sustained in this area.

Hollie more than 11 years ago

Cringe.

Cringe.

Louise more than 11 years ago

No thank you!

I really hope that this programme doesn't get commissioned. As an Esher resident, I can't think of anything worse than TV cameras following 'wannabe' celebrities around the local area. If 'The Only Way is Essex' is anything to go by, the programme will give people the impression that Surrey's youngsters are spoilt, sex-hungry bafoons. What kind of message will this send out to our children?
6 days ago | reply

Susanne more than 11 years ago

no, please no!

i'm 23, have lived in Esher my whole life (really all of it) and worked all over Surrey, Surrey Hill represents the kind of people who make it unpleasant to live/work here. Esher especially, they travel here in 4x4 Mercs, illegally park on the green, set fire to stuff with BBQs, piss on peoples doors and threaten the elderly residents. put these scumbags infront of a camera and they will only behave worse.
Say No to Surrey Hell!

Esher Green Keeper more than 11 years ago

Surrey hills embarrassment!!!!

No thanks, we do.not need these sort of people representing Surrey. Surrey is a lovely beautiful place with lovely people, but I am ashamed to say with a few Ponsey idiots.

nicky more than 11 years ago

Tool

This comment has been removed

Kevin Nolan more than 11 years ago

Oh Dear

"This makes me feel ashamed to be from Surrey." - Completely agree. The producers need to get some real life people on there not just those that live at home with mummy and daddy living a parasitical existence on their parents bank account. Find some people who are real life. It is also funny how all the people on there so far are from similar social circles!

nameless more than 11 years ago

......

This comment has been removed

Nameless more than 11 years ago

nvt brochure

fabulously festive

sjsbs

zeitoun claygate

claremont