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Life Stripped Bare is a bizarre one-off documentary looking at whether an individual can live without any of their possessions. For example, fashion designer Heidi has 1027 items in her flat. This includes her phone, television and her clothes. Yes, clothes.
(Note that this review includes a picture from the episode, for those of a sensitive disposition… although it is work-safe)
Then again, ask Heidi (below) when she strips down to the altogether and no longer has curtains with which to hide her shame. If she can’t manage, she will be able to get back one item per day, of her choosing.
There’s a good reasoning behind such a documentary since we probably don’t need half the junk we own. Actually, I’m sure I do. However, for those involved in this, all of their stuff will be put in a container for the 21-day duration of the experiment, as apparently it takes 21 days to break out of the habit of messing about on Facebook and the like. They also have to continue with their lives as best they can, so that means going to work in the buff. That’s fine if you’re a ‘Butler in the buff’, but not for anyone else.
That said, if you ever sent workmen into my house to dismantle my home cinema, especially without removing their shoes on entry, they would lose their hands quicker than if they’d stolen from a supermarket in Saudi Arabia.
Heidi crawls outside to rescue her dignity by picking some big leaves to cover her wares about inside, even though, by then, we’ve already seen what she has to offer.
Thankfully, none of them are shy about coming forward, especially when it comes to selecting the first item, as they must run outside to the container whilst not containing their nakedness (see below).
The first thing you’d expect them to pick up is some form of clothing. Sleeping is also an essential, and it even helped Heidi make some new friends who helped her bring her mattress back to her house. Trouble is, if they gave her their numbers, she couldn’t enter it into her phone, nor could she write it down anyway. Remember when we used to be able to memorise phone numbers? Yes, it was a long time ago.
Strangely, it takes until day 3 or 4 before most of them dig out their wallet!
At one point, Laura (top-right with flatmate John) points out at work that she’s not wearing any underwear. No need to worry – Richard Madeley admitted on last week’s Sunday Brunch that he never wears underwear!
Naturally (or ‘au naturelle-ly), this programme was broadcast after the watershed.
Overall, Life Stripped Bare isn’t the best thing you’ll see on TV all week, but it’s certainly interesting and I can see it spawning a full series, as everyone has a story to tell… and enough of them will want to strip off! (and please don’t ask for Richard Madeley to be on the celebrity version!!)
Life Stripped Bare starts tonight on Channel 4 at 9pm and will then be available to view on All4.
Score: 6/10
Producers/Directors: Kieran Carruthers, Martin Hicks and Lucie Holmes
Series Producer: Tom Coveney
Music: Sam Hooper
Narrator: Arsher Ali
Inspired by the documentary ‘My Stuff’ by Petri Luukkainen
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.