Featured Image Credit: Channel 4
Topics: Channel 4, Film and TV, Scotland
Niamh Shackleton
In 2016, 23 people were shipped off the Scottish Highlands under the impression that they were taking part in a year-long experiment that would be aired on TV.
Titled Eden, the contestants had to form a community, decide their own rules and laws, build shelter, and grow their own food in what could only be described as a Lord of the Flies-type concept.
As well as this, they were cut off from any outside communication while living on a remote 600-acre estate in the Western Highlands of Scotland, meaning they weren't allowed their cell phones.
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They were also unable to keep up with any news events going on around the world.
The first four episodes of Eden aired between July and August 2016 and showed the contestants' first few days together and getting to know one another.
But after the fourth episode aired, the show was abruptly canceled because of poor viewing ratings, despite the experiment being a year-long thing.
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While the show was canceled early on, the producers didn't tell the 23 people taking part in the experiment and simply let them go on as if the programme was still airing as planned.
At the time of its axing, Channel 4 said in a statement: "The appeal of Eden is that it was a real experiment and when filming began we had no idea what the results would be and how those taking part would react to being isolated for months in a remote part of the British Isles. That’s why we did it and the story of their time, including the highs and the lows, will be shown later this year."
But the end results weren't aired until August 2017; a year on from Eden's initial cancelation.
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Titled Eden: Paradise Lost, it showed the highs and lows the contestants endured, with only 10 of the 23 actually lasting the whole 12 months.
As to why producers didn't tell the contestants, apparently it was to keep the integrity of the experience.
After leaving the experiment early (without knowing about the TV shows' axing), contestant Tom Wah took to Twitter to share his thoughts on his experience.
Revealing the reason why he left, Tom wrote: "I left because it wasn’t what I was told it was going to be, what you see on TV is all bullsh*t."
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While the episodes did end up airing eventually, it's safe to say that the initial plans for Eden well and truly fell apart.