What it's like to get naked on TV
If you've seen the British series How to Look Good Naked you know how this transformational reality show series works: women are photographed in (and appear on the show in) their underwear, are led through a series of exercises in self-acceptance, and given fashion and beauty coaching in order to become confident enough to strut down a catwalk.
And now it's coming to Canada on the W Network. Jillian Bathgate's well aware: She's the woman who's transformed in the first show (her before photo is above; check out the show for her transformation!). When I speak with the 45-year-old, of course I have to ask: What motivated her to apply to be on the show?
Why go on a reality show?
"My daughter and I like the British one. I saw a small ad for the Canadian one...[my daughter] said to me 'You need to do that.' And that in itself was enough: I got pissed." She shares that the application process is long: A 17-page application and pictures—yes, in one's underwear.
I ask what kept her going through it and she shares, "There were other things going on; I've been working on myself for the last few years, inner things, and I think it all ties together. One of the lessons I learned [from doing the show] is that when you carry yourself a certain way on the outside you get treated better. You get more respect from people."
"It doesn't change who you are. You just present outwardly who you are on the outside."
Learning to be kind to yourself
What part of the show surprised her the most? "I think it was how much my daughter [she's 17] hated what I was wearing." The other moment was the fashion show at the end. Bathgate shares that the first two times she came down the runway she was mostly just trying to get through it. But on the third walk "it became really important to find my daughter and my friends...when I found my daughter she was cheering and laughing. It really helped me to connect with her again, and to me that's just magical."
"I also didn't realize how emotional I was going to get. I thought it was going to be funny and a laugh, and just on the surface. But for me it was more than that...it's about being kind to yourself."
Zain Meghji, the show's host, would likely be glad to hear it. When I asked him what made him want to host the show, he shared his own transformational moments with me. "I did a series of personal development courses in 2003 and it reminded me that I wanted to be a talk show host." After theatre school, Meghji spent time teaching. On a field trip to New York he had had a moment of clarity: "I was standing on the Empire State Building with the kids and I looked at the Chrysler Building, and I had this moment. I felt this weird resonating in me and I thought "I know I'm a great teacher, but I need a bigger classroom."
So he made the move into television. And then later, after a career setback, he was inspired by—who else?—Oprah Winfrey. "I aspire to have a platform to influence people to do better for themselves, similar to her....I remember I would watch her show a lot and it would give me hope. I would ask myself, how can I do this for other people?"
