British youth would rather be on reality TV than get an education

LIFE STYLE EXTRA | January 13 2006

Many British teenagers would ditch their education for the chance to appear in Big Brother, reveals a new survey.

Eleven per cent of celebrity-obsessed teenagers admitted they would leave school to be on the show, according to new research by the Learning and Skills Council.

And more than 16 per cent of those polled actually believe their dream of "stardom" will come true if they can wangle their way onto the reality TV show, which has launched the "famous for being famous" careers of former housemates including Jade Goody and Brian Dowling.

Even though the odds of hitting the big time after leaving the Big Brother house are 1 in 30 million, nine per cent of the 16 to 19-year-olds questioned thought fame was a quicker route to fortune than qualifications.

And 56 per cent of the 777 young people polled named money and success as the top two reasons to strive for fame, but around 11 per cent of teenagers are still sitting around 'waiting to be discovered'.

Official statistics that show leaving school without at least five GCSEs makes most unemployable didn't deter the youngsters from considering risking it all for a shot at the high life either.

However most of the famous faces named in the Top 10 'want to be' list have been educated to at least degree level, with Virgin Atlantic entrepreneur Richard Branson taking the top spot.

Harry Potter author, J K Rowling, took second place and David Beckham scooped third. And one-in-20 (four per cent) of those surveyed had hopes of stepping into Prime Minister Tony Blair's shoes.

England cricketer Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff, David Attenborough, Frank Lampard, Stephen Hawking, Ms Dynamite and Alan Sugar were other key public figures the teenagers aspired to.

Ruth Bullen, of the LSC, said: "For many young people trying to be famous through reality television can be tempting, particularly if they are unsure as to the direction they want their lives to take.

"The truth is, however, that the majority will not achieve fame and so it is essential that they gain a minimum set of qualifications - such as five GCSEs at grades A*-C or the equivalents.

"If making money is the reason a young person want to become famous, then by staying on in education or training they can significantly increase their future earning power by gaining these essential qualifications."

Top 10 People 16 To 19-Year-Olds Aspire To Be:
1. Richard Branson
2. J K Rowling
3. David Beckham
4. Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff
5. Tony Blair
6. David Attenborough
7. Frank Lampard
8. Stephen Hawking
9. Ms Dynamite
10. Alan Sugar

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