Channel 4 representatives came face to face with Aberdour residents on Wednesday night to put its case for a television programme that has split opinion in the village.
Aberdour Institute filled up for three meetings led by Stuart Cosgrove, who is responsible for Channel 4’s productions strategy outside London.
The channel has commissioned independent production company Studio Lambert to film a series in which eight outsiders live in Aberdour over the summer, with locals given the chance to vote people out and the winners given a £300,000 house and village life as their prize.
Representing Studio Lambert was the firm’s creative director Jamie Isaacs, who was behind The Choir and who told those at the 7pm meeting the show will be nothing like Big Brother.
“We don’t want to make a reality TV show,” said Mr Isaacs.
“There would be no fixed cameras, no camera rigged inside the house, no voting with the public and no live element.”
He added, “We absolutely don’t want to give the impression this is some kind of construction made for a car crash of values.
“We’re not looking to film extreme characters, but interesting characters who make good television.”
People at the meeting had a number of concerns. Studio Lambert’s executive producer lost his previous job as creative director of RDF Media over the “Crowngate” affair.
According to BBC director general Mark Thompson, Stephen Lambert “behaved disgracefully” for his part in the controversy in which the chronology of footage of the Queen during an Annie Leibovitz photoshoot was altered.
Mr Isaacs said the incident had been an “error of judgement” on Mr Lambert’s part and that lessons had been learned, and that, following investigations, Studio Lambert had gone on to make programmes for the BBC.
Concerns were also raised about how the idea was sold to the community, with it being suggested the idea had been mooted as a documentary but that it has become a “game show.”
When asked if the format could be altered again, Mr Isaacs said once people sign up it cannot be changed.
Mr Cosgrove said, “I can give you a cast iron guarantee that this is not a game show and will not be morphed into a game show.”
Aberdour is the only village in the UK to be involved in such in-depth talks about the programme, which has been given the provisional title “The Village.”
Mr Isaacs said there is a budget of £250,000 to £300,000 for a property in the village.
Programmes made by Studio Lambert include Secret Millionaire and Undercover Boss.