Sandisiwe Mbhele

By Sandisiwe Mbhele

UX Content Writer


Russian model ‘escaped’ a Chinese TV show – here’s how

Despite his best (actually worst) efforts, it took three months to get kicked from boyband reality show.


Reality TV is becoming known as the fastest way to fame and a quick buck. This wasn’t any different for Russian part-time model and translator Vladislav Ivanov.

Ivanov competed in a Chinese boyband competition, Produce Camp 2021. But he was recently booted from the show and you while would think he would be sad about this, think again. He was working as a translator when producers noticed he was good looking and asked him to join the show, The Guardian reported.

Produce Camp 2021 is similar to singing competitions such as X-Factor and Idols but centred on groups rather than individuals. Singers perform against each other to train and eventually form an 11-member international boyband voted by the public.

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Despite the perks of reality TV and the possibility of becoming a pop star, Ivanov wanted out. He wasn’t able to leave without breaching his contract and paying a fine.

Instead of begging for votes, he asked viewers to send him home, purposely performing badly in order to be voted out. He would even write songs that were clear he didn’t want to be there, with lyrics such as “please don’t make me go to the finals, I’m tired”.

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However, his attempts fell on deaf ears. Ivanov made it far in the competition, staying on for three months.

People were incredulous as to why Ivanov thought this was “hell” and being “trapped”.

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