A participant in a local reality show has spoken out against producers after being widely condemned as a bully by viewers.
The show, Reality Trip, was filmed two years ago and follows five young Kiwis as they travel to the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to discover the circumstances around the manufacturing of cheap clothing.
The fourth episode, which aired on Monday night on TV3, showcased the strained relationship between DJ Kieran Bell and IT technician Peter Harvey, who was reduced to tears in a video interview.
In the episode, Bell said he was going to "make a concerted effort to get under his skin and upset him", which caused a stir on social media as viewers accused him of bullying.
However, Bell told the Herald today he felt his comments were unfairly taken out of context by the show's producers.
"It's out-of-context comments creating a fabricated or fictitious situation, which was more than what it was," he said.
"I just feel like the producers, what they've portrayed on the show, is not what we were told it would be.
"They've stepped away from being a documentary, which we were told it was, to more like a Geordie Shore-type show."
However, executive producer Laurie Clarke denied Bell had been misrepresented and said the show portrayed "an accurate and balanced version of events".
"Many of the insights into Kieran's personality and relationship with Peter are by his own admission - if you watch the final episode you will hear Kieran say on camera: 'I think the trip as a whole has made me think how I should just try harder to be a nicer person to be around. Don't be a p***k, to put it bluntly.'"
At no point in the series was Bell portrayed as bullying Harvey, he said.
"The conflict between Kieran and Peter wasn't like that - they are very different personalities, living in close proximity to one another for more than five weeks and out of that arose conflict."
Harvey himself has denied he was bullied by Bell and said he wanted the online criticism to stop.
"Kieran doesn't deserve all the s**t that he's getting and it needs to stop," he said. "If anyone was going to be angry at him, it's me, and I'm not angry with him."
He said he cried on the show not only because of Bell but because of the people and places they were visiting, but enjoyed the experience overall.
Bell said much of the tension between the two was due to the fact that they shared a room for most of the series and were "complete opposites".
"Each night I was getting three hours' sleep a night and having to sleep in the lobby of the hotel because Peter was a chronic snorer.
"There was a lot of frustration on my behalf there and I suppose I dealt with it wrong with how I approached Peter."
Seeing themselves on screen two years after filming had been a strange experience for both Harvey and Bell.
"I never in a million years thought I would come across like that from my experience on the show," Bell said.
"It's tough seeing it come out two years later and seeing how you dealt with it at the time."
His portrayal on the show had also been difficult for Bell's young family. He said his partner had been questioned about his behaviour on the show by his son's kindy teachers.
"I don't want a situation where other kids' parents don't want them to play with him because they think that's how I am," he said.
"I don't cry much, but it's quite upsetting when I think about my son and how it's affecting my family."
Reading online comments about himself had also been tough.
"The majority of people's comments that they're making online for this are so contradictory, it's like 'Kieran's a bully, if I see him on the street I'm going to punch him in the face.'"
The two participants have not kept in touch since the filming of the show, but Bell said they parted on good terms and Harvey said he holds no ill-feelings towards him.
"I respect the guy," Harvey said. "We don't go and have a beer or anything, but I respect him and I don't think he deserves any of this."
Clarke said support was offered to participants during the filming.
"During the interview where Peter cried, the director explored many coping strategies with him, including asking Peter if he'd like to go home.
"Peter declined saying wanted to stay and make the most of the opportunities the show offered him.
"This realisation seemed to bolster Peter's confidence and shortly after this incident, he proved to himself and the crew that he was more than able to stand up for himself."
- nzherald.co.nz