Amanda Harrington

Did You Know?

• Repeats began airing on 4Music from 26 April 2012, sparking speculation from cast members that it may be a test run to recommission a new series.
• Former Liverpool MP Steve Rotheram voiced concerns before the show aired that it would merely fuel 'regional racism'.

Overview

E4 described the show as featuring strong, independent women who run Liverpool, looking to make a name for themselves in a city known for big personalities, big dreams, and big hair. The world revolves around football, fierce fashion, and WAG style, with Scouse girls and boys enjoying boss nights out. Looking good is a 24/7 job as the ladies dress to impress to find the man of their dreams. The next generation of Liverpudlians aims to show the UK what they are about. Behind the blonde hair, Scouse eyebrows, football matches, and club nights are real people determined to work hard and achieve dreams. The girls spend every penny to stand out, and the boys must work to keep up, with some being pros at living a footballer's lifestyle even off the pitch.

Reception

Reaction to Desperate Scousewives was largely negative, drawing strong criticism from mainstream media and audiences. Local Liverpudlians on Twitter claimed the cast did not represent Liverpool and exploited the city for entertainment, noting that many cast members were not married and some did not originate from Liverpool. The content was criticised as scripted, devoid of plot or substance, and produced to follow the format of other regional structured reality shows like The Only Way Is Essex, Made in Chelsea, and Geordie Shore.

Michael Hogan called the show deplorable, slating its wannabe WAGs and two-dimensional dullards. Keith Watson of Metro described it as depressing viewing, stating it takes the TOWIE template up the Mersey Tunnel to find a depressing bunch of faked-up, vacuous wannabes. He added that none of the cast can hold a conversation not about themselves, and they live in a toxic, self-absorbed bubble. Episode viewing figures from BARB showed the first episode debuted with 500,000 viewers, 24% up on the E4 slot average, but subsequent episodes regularly fell below that figure and outside the E4 Top 10 weekly rankings.