As anyone who’s tried it will tell you, quitting cigarettes ain’t easy. But the five participants in the opening episode of Channel 4’s “docu-social branded entertainment series” Future Me (online) all had good reasons for giving it a go.
For soon-to-be grandma Allie it was her nagging son who told her she couldn’t hold the baby while still puffing. Joel was doing it in honour of his mum, who died of lung cancer. And Logie’s brain damage diagnosis meant she wanted to make the most of her health now.
The wannabe smoke-free crew were challenged by the show – commissioned by Nicorette – to quit in 60 days and document their experience in selfie videos and interviews.
Following the various ‘gameplans’ to do so, the actual quitting part was slightly hurried. There were some quick selfie videos in which the quitters shared their “moody” times and shame at caving in to a craving for a rollie, but there was little in the way of screaming into pillows and gorging on chocolate.
The emotional back stories and telegenic cast was all familiar reality TV stuff, as was the ambient piano music. The product placement by Nicorette was subtle enough. The brand’s patch, spray and inhalator products featured alongside other techniques: like Allie’s trick of ready access to small fruit – “every time I feel like I want a cigarette, I have a grape” – and several participants exercising the cravings away.
But these worthy journeys might have better shared with a touch more humour and honesty and a little less gloss.
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