Young, Dumb And Living Off Mum, Sunday 9pm, BBC Three

Posted by Tom Murphy

Like Big Brother and adverts featuring flash mobs, Young, Dumb And Living Off Mum is one of those things on TV guaranteed to get misanthropic bile coursing through your veins and bubbling out of every orifice.

The format is like a grim Frankenstein's monster made from bits of BB, The Apprentice, Brat Camp and being stuck in a phone box with a load of wasps. Eight spoiled "kids" who have never left home (including, shockingly for the UK, two 25-year-olds) are given work-related tasks to see if they can cut it as adults in the real world. After every task, their parents meet to vote off the most useless of the brats.

After starting their first task – a day's work at a London hotel – it didn't take long for the tears to flow. Taking an order for still water at breakfast proved much too stressful for Nicky – one of the 25-year-olds, who has had a total of 23 jobs during her glittering career.

After breakfast they moved on to housekeeping, and responded to the challenge by arguing with management and being rude to the full-time staff (although there was a brief glimmer of hope for the future when one of the blondes was upset by how vile one of her fellow contestants was).

The final part of their day's work involved preparing and delivering a VIP reception for 100 people. Strangely, that seemed to go reasonably well, despite an early panic from one of the contestants about having to ask guests if they wanted still or sparkling water: "What? Everyone?!"

After a spectacular shrieking catfight back at the house, the parents gathered the following day to decide which of their spawn should be binned. In an exciting twist, they decided to rip up the rule book and throw out the brat who had done the best and therefore had the least need to stay in the house. So it was goodbye to Orion, a simpering but articulate Rufus Wainwright-wannabe who lives a life of luxury totally financed by his mum. Yeah, see you round.

I know this was on BBC Three, but I can't imagine who would voluntarily sacrifice time to watch such a hateful gaggle of pointless attention-seeking kidults – especially when the "winner" is going to swagger away with a round-the-world trip (courtesy of those of us still docile enough to pay for a TV licence).

Now, Youth Medical Experimentation Camp – that's something I'd tune in for. In fact, I'd even come down there and squeeze a few syringes myself...

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Comments

[harryjones]

all of you people are real harsh im going onto the new series and looking forward to it insted of moaning at the housemates for their lack of intelligence dont read to much into it and if you hate it dont watch it simple enough

[=]]

i don't understand how sean even qualifies to be on that programme
he got 4A's in his a levels and is attending durham university. playing up for the camera much?

[Susan]

I think I must have been watching a different program to the parents of these spoilt brats. I thought the round the world trip was for the brat who displayed the most adult qualities. With the three left, I doubt it very much. Danielle couldn't find her way to the end of the street, please don't let her loose, Dogan can only get along by bullying although I was impressed by his advice last night to kids about wishing he'd worked at school. Dina is the only one of the three left who has come on enough to deserve to win this. However, I think with the dismissal of Orion in the first round and Sean last night, the prize is not going to go to the most deserving contestant and is leaving me baffled as to what the contestants are supposed to be competing at.

[Whatfaff]

Danielle or Dogan should have gone last night and Sean was the best. He even had the grace to apologise for talking too much in the assembly, when it was just nerves and Dogan could have chipped in at any time. Plus he is the only one who doesn’t have a parent to blame for his behaviour – he is being brought up by his nan, which must be tough for both of them. From what we’ve seen both Dogan and Dina’s parents would fund round-the-world trips for their spoiled little offspring at the drop of a hat, and Danielle couldn’t be sent off round the world as she can’t even cope with a trip to Ikea! Sean should have stayed and gone on to win it!

[jim]

i think sean gone because he was too good an they wanted to keeps danielle and dogan to learn more

[kerrie-louise]

i think it was wrong that Sean got kicked out because theres Danielle who moans at everything and she is kinda useless and the others aim galot higher than Dina Dogan and Sean either of them deserve this trip they've come so far not seans gone danielle should go ! -xo

[Albert T]

Sean's elimination didn't make sense. The other ones are so usless in comparison. Sean got a job and had a lot of inniciative. This was so not right. The parents keep spoiling the kids by doing this. The ones that are left are so useless.

[Ciaran]

no i think dina is too young i really supported sean but he lost so now i want dogan to win he's the best

[:)]

i think Dina should win because she has really shown that she would be capabale of living on her own and she is also self reliant and always gets to work quicky, before anyone else,.. Really think she deserves the trip the most.. Soooooo glad rachel has gone couple of weeks go!!!! :)

[Ciaran]

im 14 and i love this show its too bad that sean didnt won but i hope dogan will

[jade]

Dogan is stunnin i could watch him all day : P

[sam j]

And I wld jst like to say before anyone says about dyslexia etc! my son has it!and can spell! The kids on this programme are jst lazy asses who have not been taught or bothered to even speak properly..I dnt think I will watch it anymore.

[sam j]

What a load of rubbish! One girl the other week couldnt spell OR! and this week a boy couldnt spell Lesson!teaching kids! They all need to go back to school!

[sime]

Is dogan's mum delusional, how can she say that "he is calling it how he sees it?" he sees one thing and then uses the one phrase and says it over and over again with his super observational skills? He is going to turn into that boss who bullies everyone around him and thinks its "just having a laugh". Ive got no problem with people saying what they think, but to badger someone like he does is just bullying and I think his mum should be appalled to condone it. Maybe they are both playing the game instead of actually seeing it as learning exp.

[sharon]

Has Rachael got some of her mates to write in to stick up for her? Hmmmmm, I wonder.

[Brian]

Amazing to see Rachels mother condoning all her behaviour. She's spoilt, selfish and lazy. Wasn't the idea of the house to make them look at themselves so they could change for the better? Its clear she will go back to letting her mother do everything for her. Should be called Dumb Parents Raising Dumber Children. Spare the rod spoil the child. OMG.

[Cookiejar.]

sean or dina to win, definatly! and sorry to sound stupid but could someone tell we what rachel said to sean as she got up of the couch after being voted out?
i didn't catch it.
thanks much :)

[sharon]

I'm sorry, your explanation just makes it so much worse. If she is so clever why did she allow herself to be influenced by the moronic mess that calls herself Nicola? Drink problems can not be used to excuse her appalling behaviour, and if anyone was bullied it was Sean, her departing comment to him just revealed her true colours. Her sense of self was something to behold. I'm disgusted that my taxes were used to 'educate' this waste of space. I believe that this was an exercise to secure some kind of shaky false fame a la Nikki Graham. So very transparent and common.

[MiniMeBrownie]

Rachael is a really nice person outside the TV, if you look at the facts shes nice, kind, clever (4Alevels and 10GCSEs), shes had more work experience then most of them, went to university and a posh school, the only thing is she has a drink problem... but hopefully being on the show has made her and her parents relize this... I also think that Nikki was a bad influence on her and everyone in the house except Nikki and Danielle bullied her - alot! Now i want Danielle to win!!

[sharon]

So glad to see the foul Rachel removed last night. Is she the most horrific person ever to be allowed to demonstate her total lack of a personality on tv or what? To find out why she is so truly awful we need look no further than towards her deluded and tragically inadequate mother. Surely, this woman will be offered parenting classes. I'm with Dogan, Nicola -you're next!

[DS]

"Nikki should have been removed long ago" <- are you insane?

The flaw with the show is that there's a danger of having to get rid of the most entertaining ones. The producers have evidently had to make strong contrivances not to have Nikki removed.

She makes the show.

[Ian]

Nikki should've been removed long ago. She is the most useless spoilt brat. On top she is 25yo!!! and living on her mum, then instead of appreciating her shes treating her like a slave. Nikki cant even manage to leave the toilet clean after using it, making others clean her dirty mess. I was shocked to see her making so much noise and throwing a tantrum about someone cleaning the kitchen and asking for it to be kept clean. She doesnt clean anything, even her own mess, let alone cleaning the kitchen. I think Sean should surely win the prize as he has been putting in a lots and lots of effort and energy to change, keep everything clean and in order. Even Dogan has made big steps in being an adult, but he is rich enough to fund his own trip round the world, where as has been Sean living with his poor nan so he must win the prize

[nicole peri]

dogan is the only normal 1 in the house and is so funny 2 watch

[Beth]

I cannot believe these people are actually like that! Dina, Dogan and Sean are at least trying. The rest of them are horrific

[robster]

does anyone know what the tune was when the parents first sat down to chat and view footage

[Mariana]

I saw some of it too, but the young people were so hopeless, I wondered if it was make-believe and that they were just playing to the camera? If not, Heaven help them.

[James I]

Charlie Brooker said this show was good, but he failed to mention that the winner gets a prize... a good prize at that!

[gavin]

god almighty, we are paying to put this rubbish on the box? The worst part is you just know they will end up in some sort of non-job that pays over 100k for doing nothing when your own hard working children who live in the real world that have worked hard and have double firsts in physics cant get a job on the bins :)

[ninky]

Sadly i have not seen this but..... i know how people feel, i have a useless good for nothing layabout at home too. Young peoples army, compulsary is what i say.

[Jeepster]

I dont think I have ever had the misfortune to see a more worthless group layabouts what are the parents doing stop pampering them and kick them out into the real world