Instagram/@olivia_attwood
ITV has officially announced the arrival of the second series of this hit reality show Bad Boyfriends. The channel made a spectacular announcement on Instagram, teasing the arrival of the encroaching season with the question: “He’s a 10, but he’s a Bad Boyfriend… Would you Walk Away or Work it Out?” The post showed a short clip of drama that would cement the season one into the must-watch category, especially with the emotional confrontations and stereotypical relationship ultimatums.
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Olivia Attwood rose to fame thanks initially to the Love Island 2017 edition and then as a television personality/relationship expert via the show. This show tests couples to extremes and casts in the spotlight their relationship weaknesses to the point where couples must decide whether to go ahead with the relationship or walk away for good. Given the instantaneous, huge reaction to the announcement of season two, the format obviously touches a chord with its audience.
The comment section was in an uproar within hours of the post. There were literally hundreds of people declaring their eagerness to see the show, most of them tagging friends so those people would not miss the new season. One commenter said, “Yessss can’t wait, please hurry up xx,” referring to a unanimous feeling of impatience for the show’s release felt by the loyal crowd. Another proclaimed in jubilation: “Oh nooooo lol yesssssssss come on hurry up and hit my screen!,” a somewhat ironic remorseful anticipation to be felt when the very existence of this show is in question.
Interestingly, the comments suggested that some participants from the new season may be part of the responders. User anthonyjoyce98 said: “Can’t wait for you all to see ❤️,” implying he might feature in some of the soon-to-be-filmed episodes. The reference was met with many responses also directly sent to him, including “can’t wait watch you love you big bro ❤️” that appears to be coming from a family member who is into this buildup on a personal level.
The international appeal of the series probably came out when jademyaamour queried: “Where can we watch this in Canada girl?,” further raising the scale of the British reality television and opportunities that confront international fans to access such content. Such an international availability query speaks to the growing demand for UK reality fare in foreign markets.
What’s so very interesting, however, is how fast users started to plan viewing parties and coordinate around the show’s launch date. Several comments present users tagging friends with “@shelley_1807 another for your list” and “@hannahlouisebray @portia_smith123 @shayneesue_ next watch, please!” This kind of social coordination surrounding TV viewing stands to show that these reality shows are robust experiences shared by many in the present digital era.
The apparent presence of cast members interacting within the comment section is an exciting wrinkle in the promotion. User daniella.hemsley remarked, “Looks like the secret is out 👀🤭💕📺,” hinting at her involvement in Season 2 while remaining purposely cryptic. These undercover hints from possible cast threaten to have the fanbase-slated-at-the-peak anticipation eclipsing that of the show’s official marketing campaign.
An undeniable emotional level seen throughout the comments was well maintained: “Can’t wait Olivia ❤️❤️❤️❤️ please please please read my message ❤️❤️❤️😥,” a communicator went on to express how deeply connected viewers are toward Attwood and the show. This engagement is evidence of how the show has clearly done the work required to build a fiercely loyal community surrounding their relationship-themed content.
The timing of this announcement looks fairly purposeful, with reality TV consumption on the rise. Bad Boyfriends returning into the limelight serves to generate attention amidst a set of viewers already on the lookout for something new to watch. The allure of relationship drama, emotional confrontations, and an abundantly candid Olivia Attwood, who has her moments of appallingly brilliant cruelty in complimenting relationship advice, have rather painfully grown their niche audience.
Judging by the conspicuous deluge in comments, it is obvious that Bad Boyfriends has found a pathway into the cultural obsession with relationship dynamics and those snappy decisions people are asked to make in modern dating. The success of the show rests on its delicate balance of presenting genuine relationship struggles while at the same time providing a bit of fun as a form of entertainment: a weighty subject yet dramatized with a dose of reality.
Bad Boyfriends production has very clearly found that rare and fortunate blend of genuine, modern relationship exploration made for the greater public’s enjoyment, and this explains huge enthusiasm around season two announcements. With relationships ever more complicated by the conventions of modern dating coupled with social media influences, study on what constitutes a bad boyfriend and whether or not those relationships are worth saving clearly resonates with the present-day audience.
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With the release drawing near, anticipation is bound to be perpetuated upward by the official marketing machine but, more importantly, from grassroots organic excitement that flows across several social platforms. This announcement in itself shows how reality television will keep grafting on these fiercely engaged communities and how osprey of relationship-oriented content will remain a coveted title within media.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
