Chart Throb, Ben Elton
Chart Throb, Ben Elton
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Chart Throb

Author: Ben Elton

Narrator: Adam Godley

Abridged: 3 hr 27 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/02/2006


Synopsis

Brought to you by Penguin.

Chart Throb.The ultimate pop quest.

Ninety five thousand hopefuls. Three judges. Just one winner.
And that's Calvin Simms, the genius behind the show.

Calvin always wins because Calvin writes the rules. But this year, as he sits smugly in judgement upon the mingers, clingers and blingers whom he has pre-selected in his carefully scripted 'search' for a star, he has no idea that the rules are changing. The 'real' is about to be put back into 'reality' television and Calvin and his fellow judges (the nation's favourite mum and the other bloke) are about to become ex-factors themselves.

Ben Elton, author of Popcorn and Dead Famous returns to blistering comic satire with a savagely hilarious deconstruction of the world of modern television talent shows.

Chart Throb. One winner. A whole bunch of losers.

© Ben Elton 2006 (P) Penguin Audio 2006

Reviews

Goodreads review by Michelle on August 25, 2023

While I'm not so keen on Ben Eltons' recent works, I love his older stuff, and he has an insight into pop culture that I'm here for. We've all watched X Factory, The Voice, Pop Stars along with many other 'reality' shows like Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity get me out of here etc etc, so you know Chart......more

Goodreads review by Cass on March 22, 2012

After reading "Chart Throb", by Ben Elton, I don't think I will ever be able to watch a reality tv series again. I feel kind of dirty and want to cry. It rings so true that it is almost upsetting. The story revolves around the producer of a hit reality television show similiar to Idol or X Factor. Th......more

Goodreads review by Baba on March 24, 2020

Another biting satire, slash, dark comedy, looking at the world of faux reality, celebs and pop talent TV shows… very believable and biting. Ben tears apart the reality TV competition process for all to see, but inadvertently the story just looks like a personal attack on the UK TV show X-Factor and......more

Goodreads review by Rachel on August 22, 2012

This book is essential reading for everyone in the world who has ever watched and enjoyed a reality television ‘talent’ show. Seriously. If you love them, it will open your eyes to how foolish you have been in trusting them, and if you are already a sceptic, you will enjoy the fantastically witty way......more

Goodreads review by Thomas on September 16, 2023

Disappointing book after the very funny and clever "Inconceivable". This is unbelievable both in characters and events and even if the "revealing" story about how this kind of TV-shows are made probably is (at least partly) true, it is not very interesting. Since I do not enjoy watching "talent sear......more