Reality TV has been one of the biggest trends of the last few decades, and every year millions of us tune in to watch the latest hopefuls on Love Island, the Traitors, Married at First Sight or Big Brother. Film and television production companies are mindful of public perception, and want to try everything they can to stop people appearing on TV who have a dubious past. If a production features someone who could potentially poses a risk to staff, the audience, or the public, it could seriously damage their reputation. Because of this, background checks and criminal records checks have become standard for people applying to star in a reality TV show.
Contestant Background Checks
Crew and staff working on the production routinely undergo checks during the hiring process. Contestants on reality TV and game shows are also subjected to background screening, which can vary depending on the type of production. At the very least, production researchers will run the names of potential contestants through a search engine, and look at their social media profiles. Contestants appearing on one episode of a game show are usually asked to confirm they have no unspent criminal convictions. Companies casting people for shows where they will appear on screen for longer periods will spend longer checking out backgrounds, with basic DBS checks, identity checks, and more in-depth social media checks.
The Basic DBS Check is the most frequently requested background check from film and television production companies. These checks are quick to process—often completed in around 9 minutes—and involve a search of the Police National Computer for any unspent convictions. A Basic DBS check will only ever confirm someone’s current and unspent criminal record. More detailed checks are only available in connection with certain types of employment, and being on a reality TV or game show does not fall into that definition.
What Is a Spent Conviction?
A Basic DBS Check will only show any unspent convictions or cautions on someone’s record. A conviction becomes "spent" after a set rehabilitation period has passed, although some of the most serious convictions will never become spent. Standard and Enhanced DBS checks are more detailed and can reveal spent convictions, but these cannot be performed on people appearing on TV. The process for working out what is spent and what is unspent is quite complex, but there are lots of calculators online which help people work out when any issue might become spent.
Enhanced DBS Checks for Film and TV
Although contestants, crew and extras on a film set will not need anything more than a basic DBS check, there are some people who do require an Enhanced disclosure. Regulation around children working on a film set is strict, and chaperones are employed to look after the child actors, contestants and extras. Their job is to safeguard the welfare of the children, but also to make sure they get the right breaks and finish on time. Chaperones generally work through an agency, which will make sure they have all the proper checks before starting work.
