From time to time, I have no issue to admit, I do find the time to consume a smidge of reality entertainment to wind off the week. Locally, it took us our sweet time to convincingly jump on the reality TV train, a phenomenon which has characterised entertainment for the better part of the past 25 years abroad. With shows such as Love Island and Big Brother now being produced locally, under their original international licence, the quality level has decidedly seen a stark improvement.

However, I feel compelled to write about the potential dangers that lie within such formats, which may have long-lasting effects on the contestants and their loved ones.

This is not a new debate. In fact, as from the fledgling days of this phenomenon in the early 2000s, people have observed how putting one's life in front of a camera 24/7 could reserve its perils. The difference is that today, a quarter of a decade on, we are constantly surrounded by user-generated entertainment, which has nurtured an audience which is addicted to this sort of content.

Through the never-ending supply of social media content, audiences cannot have enough of what they perceive to be authentic and intimate content, by influencers and the like sharing the very latest about their personal preferences in shopping, weird habits, personal relations, and so on.

Similarly, audiences feel enthralled when following the latest antics of the residents in Big Brother's house, such as the latest on who is flirting with whom, who is getting on who's nerves and anything else that makes for an interesting watch. So, it is no surprise that the format is proving to be extremely successful and hasn't lost any of its shine after so many years. Some might say that it only has space to grow, in fact!

However, I cannot but feel concerned about the wellbeing of the residents, especially those who end up in the crosshairs of public controversy due to an infinity of reasons.

Granted, they are all consenting adults, who know full well what they got themselves into, yet I suspect that once in the house, like in any other situation, everything becomes normalised - even being spied upon by a hundred cameras. And the format kind of relies on this. If the residents remained guarded all throughout their stay, just as they would have been in the first minutes when entering the house, it would make for some very boring TV. Au contraire, house mates are known to quickly shed their inhibitions and self-regulation, and act at liberty and as if they were at home.

Audiences expect drama, plot twists, full blown quarrels, back-stabbing and some more drama, just like in a regular movie. The difference is that the protagonists in front of the camera in such circumstances are not professional actors, acting out lines prepared for them by a professional script writer. The characters on the screen will not return to their normal lives once the camera stops rolling, unhindered by their performance. The participants in reality TV are real people, who are placing their real selves at play, together with their personal lives, their loved ones and friends. The consequences of their actions are real, this time round.

So, a modicum of caution seems to be in order here. Let's not get carried away when discussing, judging, and passing comment about the goings on of Malta's most spied house. Let's try to keep in mind that these are fellow humans who have families, children, partners, parents, grandparents and friends who are watching.

This goes for us the audience, but also the production who ultimately controls each inch of the show. It is rather unsettling seeing characters being absolutely assassinated, people being bullied on national TV, and outright ridiculed for audience numbers.

I think we can do much better than that. I think we can create great television, while maintaining a level of humanity and respect.

Alexander Mangion is Deputy Mayor of Attard