‘Reality TV was difficult yet rewarding’ says Lee Reeves
LIMERICK boxer Lee Reeves has described his time on a BBC reality TV show as “one of the most difficult, yet rewarding” times of his life.
The overall winner of the BBC Survivor UK was crowned last weekend - Matthew Haywood.
The show saw a group of contestants, referred to as castaways, marooned on an island where they must provide for themselves while competing in challenges for rewards and immunity from elimination.
The Limerick pro-boxer says his lifestyle of training at home and pushing himself hard came as a great benefit to how he performed on the show: “I brought that attitude into the game. I am that person at home, I'm all about getting up and showing up when you don't want to.”
Despite his training, Lee still found challenges in the show.
“I'm able to go to dark places and push myself beyond what I thought I was capable, to be on a calorie deficit of that magnitude and do the stuff we'd done was huge.”
Lee experienced some backlash on social media after an episode aired in which he had been accused of being sexist by fellow castaways after being seen to prioritise male contestants for challenges. Lee felt that the drama was intentionally ramped up in the editing process to make better television.
“You're created to look a certain way to make the best storyline for the producers.”
Lee found that the person shown on the television screen often didn't represent his true self on the show.
“Going on to Twitter and seeing people say things like ‘He should be hung and sent back to the 1800s,’ I just laughed at it, because I was so detached from the human that they had edited.
“Like always, I rolled with the punches, this is social media, this is reality TV; you know what you sign up for.”
In spite of backlash he faced, Lee said that he would be eager to make an appearance on another reality TV show: “Definitely, 100%, that rewarding experience, meeting new friends for life. It's phenomenal.”
When asked if he has any particular shows in mind, Lee would like to appear on a show where he can focus on pushing himself physically.
“More physical stuff where I can push myself, rather than doing the hair in the morning to look perfect for the camera.
“Like, your family can't go telling people how good you look in swim shorts, but they can tell people about how hard you've worked.”
Lee admired the Netflix show Fit 100, and would ideally like to appear on a similar show.
“Those endurance challenges, digging deep, I'd love to do all that stuff.”
Before the announcement that Lee would appear on the show, rumours circulated online that the boxer would be appearing on the popular ITV show Love Island, finding humour in the rumours, Lee laughed: “What with me having a girlfriend, I wouldn't be appearing on Love Island. I think that's generally frowned upon.
He believes his no nonsense attitude, was central to the decision of his fellow castaways' to eliminate him at the point of the camps merger.
“Once people knew I'd pull them on things they said right we need to make up lies and get the tribe against Lee, they came for the king eventually” he laughed.
Despite this, Lee's still kept in touch and values his friendships with many of his Survivor contestants: “Me and Hannah got on super well in the show and we still text all the time.”
Two weeks ago, Survivor contestant Pegleg Bennett and his family travelled to Limerick to spend the weekend with Lee and his girlfriend.
Lee says he didn't reflect much on his time in the show until it aired.
“It's probably the best thing that I do, I got straight into the training and didn't have much time to think about it until I watched the show and thought oh wow I remember these chats and what was going on behind this and that.”
Lee is pleased to be home to spend Christmas with his girlfriend and his nieces and is excited to have total focus on them.