Many might have heard of the hit American MTV reality series Jersey Shore, which changed the face of reality TV. Even if not the entire show, one must have at least seen an episode.

But not many are aware of its British counterpart featuring the reality stars from the northern U.K. city of Newcastle called Geordies. 

After the success of Jersey Shore, MTV UK brought the reality series adaptation, Geordie Shore, to Britain. 

When Did Geordie Shore Start? 

Geordie Shore debuted on May 24, 2011, almost two years after Jersey Shore debuted. 

The featured Geordies, eight tanned and uninhibited 20-something, were down to party and equally naughty as their Jersey equivalents. 

These young, glamorous, party-crazy, and fun-loving individuals partied and lived together in a five-star house with shared bedrooms.

They gave viewers a sneak peek into their weekend-millionaire lifestyle and garnered an enormous fan base. 

At its peak, Geordie Shore drew over a million viewers per episode and was the highest-rated show in MTV UK’s history.

The show’s success has led to several spin-off shows like Geordie More, Geordie Shore Cast Reacts, Geordie Shore Meet the Cast, and Geordie Shore Big Birthday Battle.

According to reports, it even piqued people’s curiosity about the party lifestyle in the North East of England, which led to an increase in tourism in that area. 

Is Geordie Shore Scripted?

While some fans ended up in Newcastle to experience a piece of the Geordie lifestyle, others were convinced the series was not real. 

The original cast members of Geordie Shore.

The original cast members of 'Geordie Shore' starring in the spin-off, 'Geordie OGs.' (Source: Instagram)

If you have ever tuned in to the show, many outrageous incidents occur, which makes one wonder if the cast members had a helping hand from the producers. 

In 2016, the hit MTV show came under fire when a Twitter user found a discarded script that detailed how a scene would develop. 

The scene in question featured cast members Nathan Henry, Marnie Simpson, Abbie Holborn, Zahida Allen, and Sarah Goodhart getting manicures and pedicures.

And to add fuel to the fire, Simpson confirmed the show was scripted and fake. 

Fans noticed Simpson’s birthday did not match an upcoming episode that featured Simpson and the gang celebrating her 26th birthday bash. 

They noted the episode was probably filmed months ago. 

When a fan asked her about it on Twitter, she responded, “it’s coz it’s fake and scripted,” in a reply that has since been deleted. 

Holly Hagan Defends the Show

MTV declined to comment on the controversy, but Holly Hagan gave her two cents on the matter.

Hagan, who left the show after 13 seasons, said everything the cast went through was "completely real." 

She claimed Geordie Shore was ahead of the pack and did not rely on scripts like The Only Way Is Essex and Made In Chelsea. 

“Geordie Shore is not scripted reality like Towie, everything you see us go through is completely real,” said Hagan.

She added she made amazing memories and genuine friends like Henry and Sophie Kasaei, thanks to the show.

The reality star mentioned she would be down to film “a one-off special episode” for a future reunion.