MTV will be airing a new show that is a far cry from "The Jersey Shore" and "Teen Mom." MTV announced Wednesday that they will be airing a series chronicling the lives of virgins, signaling a significant departure from their usual bawdy fare.
Entertainment Weekly reports that the show, which is temporarily being called the "Untitled Virgins Project," will be a 12-episode docu-series about the lives of young adults, ages 18-25, who have made the commitment to chastity. The weekly, hour-long reality show will follow celibate teens from around the country, showing their struggles with relationships, parents, sexually active friends and ever-present temptation. MTV commented that the series will showcase young people who are "plagued with the overwhelming question of keeping their virginity... or losing it."
The "Untitled Virgins Project" will also include messages from MTV's Peabody-winning "It's Your (Sex) Life" campaign, a campaign intended to educate young people about sexual health, practicing safe sex and making better sexual decisions.
Endemol USA will controversially produce the series, which is a network known for producing shows that focus on sex and partying, like "The Jersey Shore," "The Real World" and "The Hills." It is the first time that the company will produce a show with a celibate cast. The only similar show was a one-time special that aired on TLC titled "The Virgin Diaries," which showed the lives of virgins in their 20s and 30s.
MTV has tried to produce a somewhat similar show in the past, albeit with a very different slant. MTV sent out a casting call last year for a project called "My First," seeking young adults who were looking to loose their virginity. The show was quickly abandoned due to outrage over its controversial nature.
Although the virgin reality show will undoubtedly stir up controversy as well, the show will feature young people who may or may not have sex. (If they do decide to become sexually active, the intercourse itself will not be filmed.)
In addition to the "Untitled Virgins Project," MTV will be cashing in on the reality cooking show trend. According to the Los Angeles Times, MTV will air a show about young chefs living in the same house, called "House of Food," in which they will compete in cooking challenges to win a chef apprenticeship.
Rob Dyrdek of "Rob and Big" is producing "Snackdown," another food-related show in which young cooks with chef aspirations compete to turn snack foods into gourmet dishes.
MTV will also be airing the new relationship show "The Ex and the Why," a reality show about young people resolving issues from previous relationships with therapists.
All new MTV shows are expected to air in 2014.