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MTV's The Valleys was an iconic reality show and it's time for it to return to our screens

It has been over a decade since controversial Welsh reality TV show The Valleys hit out TV screens

The Valleys
It has been over a decade since the controversial reality TV show hit our screens (Image: MTV )

It's been dubbed cheap, tacky and off the mark, but let's be real this Welsh reality TV gem is pure television gold.


Cast your minds back to 2012, and a bunch of delusional youngsters from small towns with big city dreams, all hope to find fame and make a lot of quick cash by simply existing.


Tackling life in the heart of Cardiff, these hopefuls were chucked together under one roof and it's safe to say that's what made the telly magic happen.


As expected when you put a load of larger-than-life characters into one house - think Big Brother, Love Island vibes - and you're guaranteed non-stop drama for the entire run.

The show I'm talking about is none other than The Valleys, three series of MTV glory that I'd do quite literally anything to see back on my screen.

The Valleys
The Valleys followed a group of young Welsh people from small towns with big city dreams
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Despite the criticism, The Valleys was branded "a huge hit" by the channel, rocketing to MTV UK's second most-watched programme ever.

Boasting an average viewership of 563,000, it smashed the ratings in its time slot on subscription services for the 16 to 34 crowd – more reason for a grand return, if you ask me.

The first season featured cast members Aron Williams, Carley Belmonte, Darren Chidgey, Jenna Jonathan, Lateysha Grace, Leeroy Reed, Liam Powell, Natalee Harris, and Nicole Morris.


Minus Aron, the gang was all back for round two, with twins Jason and Anthony Suminski stirring the pot, and Jack Watkins joining the fray in the final season.

The Valleys
The series was pure television gold for reality TV fans (Image: MTV )

But one thing's crystal clear, no matter who was living it up in Cardiff, the show followed the same chaotic formula.


The Valleys was essentially Geordie Shore on caffeine, boasting a cast of strippers, builders, and models who embodied the wild spirit of Wales.

The show was a constant tug-of-war between fun and responsibility, as the cast tried to balance their antics with impressing their boss at the time, Jordan Reed.

It's been a decade since the show graced our screens,
It's been a decade since the show graced our screens, (Image: WENN.com)
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It's been a decade since the show graced our screens, so perhaps it's high time for a new batch of South Wales' most ambitious hopefuls to take on the notorious Valleywood Nights tours and wreak havoc in the city.

The series was pure television gold for reality TV fans with every episode filled with petty fights and backstabbing.

For some reason, it didn't quite hit the heights of similar shows like Geordie Shore or its American counterpart, Jersey Shore. Maybe it was just too chaotic - but isn't that what makes great telly?

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