Bad Lads Army

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Bad Lads Army

Format	Reality
Run time	60 minutes
Channel	ITV1
Production company	Twenty Twenty Television, distributed by RDF Media
Air dates	2002 –
No. of series	4 series, 32 episodes

Bad Lads Army is a British reality TV programme shown on ITV1 based on the premise of subjecting delinquent individuals to the conditions of British National Service of the 1950s in order to rehabilitate them.

The programme came from Lads Army (a programme name which is itself a play on Dads Army) which put some volunteers into National Service conditions. The belief expressed by some that National Service would sort out young people if it was still used today naturally led to a repeat of the experiment with the volunteers being petty criminals.

The programme format is simple. The "recruits" are issued clothing of the era and fed and quartered according to the standards of the time. Their free time is limited to visits to the NAAFI with period refreshments and facilities. The recruits form a single platoon made up of two sections each under the care of a section leader. By turns the recruits compete as sections against other building a sense of competition but also of teamwork and loyalty. Success brings modest rewards. Praise is given for whole-hearted attempts at tasks.

Each series had a slightly different format to its predecessors. The show is now in its fourth series Bad Lads Army: Extreme

Within each series a small number of recruits have either walked out (after a 24 hour cooling off period, generally in the guard house), or been ejected. The majority of the remainder claim some benefit from the experience and some have chosen the British Army as a career at the end of it.

The narrator for Lads Army was Kevin Whately. The three Bad Lads Army series have been narrated by Dennis Waterman. Extra material was shown on the digital only channel ITV2 as Privates Exposed hosted by Lord "Charlie" Brocket. The music for all four series was composed by Daniel Pemberton.

1 Series
2 Staff (2006)
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Series

[edit] Lads Army (2002)

(10 episodes)

The first series, known as Lads Army was filmed in a disused Army camp near Gosport in 2002. The "recruits" were not 'bad lads', but ordinary young men. They were trained using 1950's Army techniques culminating in a passing out parade to mark its completion. This series featured interviews with celebrities who had done National Service themselves in the 1950's.

[edit] Bad Lads Army (2004)

(8 episodes)

The "recruits" in the second series were now not merely young men but self-professed delinquents - 'Bad Lads'. The format of this series was similar to the first in all other respects. The series was filmed in a disused Army camp near Salisbury Plain and also featured interviews with celebrities who had done National Service themselves in the 1950's.

[edit] Bad Lads Army: Officer Class (2005)

(7 episodes)

The "recruits" are trained as National Servicemen who were identified as possible officer material would have been. This includes deportment as well as developing leadership skills. The former tested by a visit to an old people's home for tea and cakes with the female residents.

[edit] Bad Lads Army: Extreme (2006)

(7 episodes)

The "recruits" are trained as paratroopers. One section will make a proper jump at the the end of the series.

Training focuses on the qualities expected; "courage" in particular. Activities include high ropeway exercises and cross-country runs.

Nine of the recruits each made a 3,500 foot jump, with one of the recruits needing to use his reserve chute.

The series was intended to be eight episodes, but was re-edited due to scheduling changes caused by two episodes losing their slots to football matches.

[edit] Staff (2006)

- Section leaders: Cpl. Richard Nauyokas, Cpl. Joe Murray
- Platoon Sergeant: Sgt. Alastair Rae
- The Officer: Captain Henry Dodds
- Provost-Sgt: Tim Weston
- PTI Jack Goodwin