The Model Agency on Channel 4

Oracle

Just wondering if anyone else has caught this little show hidden in the outer recesses of the Channel 4 schedule; Wednesday night at 10. I stumbled upon this while channel surfing one night. The best description of it is, its like Big Brother set in a London model agents office. This is compelling viewing, although maybe not for the reasons the producers might think.

Its a "warts and all" look at life in a top London model agency, Premier Model Management. It shows the ranting and raving of its famous founder and her brother, the strops and rants of its staff (the so called "bookers") and the nomadic life of the starving models. I think it's a sad indictment of the psychopathic personality engendered by todays world of work: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-model-agency/

You can watch all the episodes aired so far online at 4OD: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-model-agency/4od

heybaby

Watched it the other night and i think you're being a little unfair on the bookers. It seemed to me they were working all hours during london fashion week (a peak period for them) to get their models to as many castings as possible whilst having to deal with stroppy spoilt models who refused to read a map of london in darya's case , in coco's case (the chinese one) her agent had a freak attack because she thought she had been mugged. All in all it was compelling viewing but i felt i was watching people under pressure at their busiest time of the year and clearly they were doing something right as it wass their busiest ever london fashion week. The only tantrums came from some models who were too stubborn / immature to realise how lucky they were and just how transcient beauty is.

Oracle

I suppose I was focusing on those who got angry, lost their cool or became out of control. As far as I could see, that was only the management and staff, not the models. It's to be expected because the work environment is so stressful. Despite the heavy work load, that stress is the mainly the fault of the management. I agree it's unfair on the staff.

I think its deliberately set up to be stressful, for example, all the bookers are put sitting together, opposite each other, behind a huge glass shop front window, with "mama" Carole at the top. That set-up doesn't allow people to have any reflective quite time at all, they're always on show and exposed. The whole environment is a boiler room psychologically. Thats how Premier have decided they want people to work.

Gekko

Have to admit it's my guilty pleasure...a great programme if you like people-watching. Also interesting to get a warts and all look at the business they're in.