In the noughties, reality TV is in an arms race. Shows compete for viewers by one-upping each other with increasingly shocking and controversial formats. The Dutch production company behind Big Brother, Endemol, has a bold idea. What if, instead of money, the contestants competed for a chance to live? What if the prize was a human kidney?
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Further Reading
Protagonists on the Great Donorshow reminisce about the programme on BNNVARA and Villamedia, clips of the show can be seen on YouTube, and contemporary commentary comes from the BBC, NYT and BMJ.
Nora Kenworthy’s book is Crowded Out: The True Costs of Crowdfunding Healthcare. Ted Closson’s story about Shane Patrick Boyle can be found here. You can read more about Eliza on the Cure Sanfilippo Foundation website.