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| The Village is yet another 'grim up north' TV caricature | The Village is yet another 'grim up north' TV caricature |
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| One task that persistently occupies the minds of mainstream TV executives is the need to include more positive coverage of minority groups in their programming. Naturally, the aim of this is to promote inclusiveness and to prevent the most popular channels from appearing too white and London-centric. | One task that persistently occupies the minds of mainstream TV executives is the need to include more positive coverage of minority groups in their programming. Naturally, the aim of this is to promote inclusiveness and to prevent the most popular channels from appearing too white and London-centric. |
| I say that's all well and good, but if we're talking about the subject of inclusiveness, could they please do something about their portrayals of people from the North? I appreciate that we're also viewed as a minority group by TV controllers – even with the creation of Salford's Media City – but when screen time is given to the North the results aren't always pretty. | I say that's all well and good, but if we're talking about the subject of inclusiveness, could they please do something about their portrayals of people from the North? I appreciate that we're also viewed as a minority group by TV controllers – even with the creation of Salford's Media City – but when screen time is given to the North the results aren't always pretty. |
| Northern shows, whether they are sitcoms, dramas or light entertainment, almost always include negative portrayals of the region and its people. If you were to name a few notable TV shows set in the north you would likely choose the likes of Shameless, The Royle Family and Coronation Street, among others. | |
| Although these shows all have their own merits (yes, even Corrie, bless its woodenly acted heart), the comedy tends to rely on a few age-old stereotypes of northerners that are kept alive by many programs. The comedy fall guys of Jim Royle and Frank Gallagher all portray that lazy, feckless, grumpy northerner image. Even the likes of Karl Pilkington, as funny as he is, has arguably made a living from this 'Ey up, I'm a bit thick me' image. | Although these shows all have their own merits (yes, even Corrie, bless its woodenly acted heart), the comedy tends to rely on a few age-old stereotypes of northerners that are kept alive by many programs. The comedy fall guys of Jim Royle and Frank Gallagher all portray that lazy, feckless, grumpy northerner image. Even the likes of Karl Pilkington, as funny as he is, has arguably made a living from this 'Ey up, I'm a bit thick me' image. |
| As a northerner these stereotypes didn't tend to cross my mind, it's only when I sat down to watch TV with people who hail from other regions, who aren't laughing at what Jim Royle is saying but instead are giggling at how 'he's just what I imagine all Scousers are like'. Do viewers from other regions really think that all northern people behave like an episode of Benidorm? Of course they don't – some of us holiday in Ibiza – but these shows don't contribute much to help our image. | As a northerner these stereotypes didn't tend to cross my mind, it's only when I sat down to watch TV with people who hail from other regions, who aren't laughing at what Jim Royle is saying but instead are giggling at how 'he's just what I imagine all Scousers are like'. Do viewers from other regions really think that all northern people behave like an episode of Benidorm? Of course they don't – some of us holiday in Ibiza – but these shows don't contribute much to help our image. |
| I'm not saying that the dim-witted northerner character is a not great comic device. Superb programs such as Alan Bennett's Talking Heads and Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies arguably relied on it, and the North's wide collection of dour, dry-witted dialects lend themselves nicely to laughter. Bennett himself once said that northerners can never compliment something with a positive statement but would be more likely to say something was "not unpleasant". However, I think there is a need for more positive portrayals of northern people to be included in mainstream programming alongside these comedies. | I'm not saying that the dim-witted northerner character is a not great comic device. Superb programs such as Alan Bennett's Talking Heads and Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies arguably relied on it, and the North's wide collection of dour, dry-witted dialects lend themselves nicely to laughter. Bennett himself once said that northerners can never compliment something with a positive statement but would be more likely to say something was "not unpleasant". However, I think there is a need for more positive portrayals of northern people to be included in mainstream programming alongside these comedies. |
| I was picking my brains for this article wondering what shows encouraged me to laugh with the northern characters and television personalities, rather than at them. The only legitimate one I could think of was any show featuring Ant and Dec, who are both rightly proud to be Geordies but hardly ever use their Geordie identities to gain laughs. It's lucky for Newcastle that Ant and Dec are still going strong, what with their other most prominent media representation being the spectacularly awful 'Geordie Shore'. Arguably, this highlights the need for the inclusion of more northern television personalities that don't have a second job as a 'professional northerner'. | I was picking my brains for this article wondering what shows encouraged me to laugh with the northern characters and television personalities, rather than at them. The only legitimate one I could think of was any show featuring Ant and Dec, who are both rightly proud to be Geordies but hardly ever use their Geordie identities to gain laughs. It's lucky for Newcastle that Ant and Dec are still going strong, what with their other most prominent media representation being the spectacularly awful 'Geordie Shore'. Arguably, this highlights the need for the inclusion of more northern television personalities that don't have a second job as a 'professional northerner'. |
| Recently, shows such as the Village only serve to perpetuate that tired old 'grim up north' image. I'm sure a lot of northerners would be keen to see less 'cartoony' portrayals of themselves, and more accurate representations of northern life. Where have comedy-dramas such as Cold Feet and Our Friends in the North gone? As much as 'comedy northerners' are funny, where are the serious portrayals? Perhaps it's time for a TV executive to be bold and bring back quality programming set in the north, such as Jimmy McGovern's acclaimed series The Street. If this doesn't happen, tired stereotypes will continue to be fed by lazy television executives. | Recently, shows such as the Village only serve to perpetuate that tired old 'grim up north' image. I'm sure a lot of northerners would be keen to see less 'cartoony' portrayals of themselves, and more accurate representations of northern life. Where have comedy-dramas such as Cold Feet and Our Friends in the North gone? As much as 'comedy northerners' are funny, where are the serious portrayals? Perhaps it's time for a TV executive to be bold and bring back quality programming set in the north, such as Jimmy McGovern's acclaimed series The Street. If this doesn't happen, tired stereotypes will continue to be fed by lazy television executives. |