Making assumptions and being ultra defensive seem to be the main objectives of this piece of reality TV.
One of the four, 24-year Christie sported a pink Alice band, pearls and a look of terror. When she met her mentor Christie it was depressingly clear that a large divide exists within modern Britain. The posh girls showed a real lack of self-awareness when banging on about the benefits culture that seems endemic while being, in the most part, happily living at home and being supported by mum and dad. On the other hand they came across as polite and able to listen with intent to learn.
The fact that the Peckham Sisters spoke about the poverty and lack of opportunity was counter balanced by the amount of Jewellery, labels and tattoos they had. The observation that the Home Counties girls had posh accents was ironic given that the PSs had generic ‘street’ accents. Failure to comprehend that education and environment will naturally have an effect on vocals.
What was exasperating is that the Peckham sisters seemed to justify living on benefits and petty crime as ‘doing what you have to do to survive on the streets’. Bearing in mind this is Peckham and not South Central LA, the comments are rather unconvincing.
By the end of this series the whole exercise may result in the reinforcement of the stereotypes that exist about these two groups, and unfortunately the residents of Peckham are currently the ones looking like snobs.
It may turn out to have an ending that is the opposite of another home counties v Peckham moment in the episode of Fools and horses-Yesterday never comes., where a posh woman dips her toe into Del Boy's Peckham and comes out with burnt feet; but just not funny.
