Where iconic Snog, Marry, Avoid contestants are now 15 years later as BBC Three TV channel to be axed
For those who remember Snog Marry Avoid, it was a complete guilty pleasure, marking a firm favourite with reality TV lovers in the mid 2010s.
The hit series focused on transforming a bunch of over the top Brits into more natural versions of themselves.
But it came with a good dose of public shaming, as contestants were exposed to random members of the public who rated them on their appearance. Ouch.
Home to the golden era of Supernanny, wild fights on Big Brother and brutal X Factor auditions, many of these era's shows wouldn't be suitable for airing in 2026.
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But looking back at certain memorable moments on the likes of Snog Marry Avoid and its contestants, they look entirely unrecognisable almost two decades later.
It comes after it was announced that the BBC was closing BBC Three, as well as BBC Scotland and BBC Radio 4 Extra linear broadcast services as part of cost cutting measures.
BBC Three content, which has a younger-skewing audience, will be available on BBC iPlayer and on other platforms, including YouTube.
It is not the first time BBC Three has been cut from linear TV. It returned as a fully-fledged TV channel in January 2022, six years after it moved online.
Looking back at contestants who willingly signed up to Snog Marry Avoid, many now look unrecognisable years later as they opened up about their experience on the iconic show.
Geisha Davis
Filmmaker and performance artist, Jah ‘Geisha’ Davis said she had a 'life-changing experience' when appearing on the show back in 2011.
Her unique make-up was certainly eye-catching and was influenced by the Suri tribe and Dogon culture, paying homage to her African heritage.
She also credited the show to opening the door to more TV work and said people's comments, including one which referred to her as 'minging', actually pushed her to embrace her artistic flair more openly.
The Pod told her she had 'gruesome makeup and bizarre clothes' that made her look like a 'cartoon calamity'.
After undergoing a make under, she said: "It's cool, I think I'm going to go out tonight like this" and looked completely stripped back.
Speaking after the show, she said: "I've got nice makeup, nice new clothes, I think that it's absolutely fabulous. It was an absolutely life-changing experience."
Britains Got Talent fans may then have recognised a familiar face when, the following year, Geisha appeared on stage before the judges to sing an eerie rendition of humpty dumpty.
She described how her name meant the 'artist of all arts' which she described as her 'whole life' and shocked judges with an eerie RIP book.
Now, Geisha describes herself as a performer and theatre designer, continuing to share snaps to her 3,000 followers in bright coloured makeup and outfits.
Her most recent shows her filming herself on the escalators on the London tube in blue face makeup and red top hat, with her profile describing her as being 'from another world'.
Her IMDb does not show any other credits and there is little other public information about what she's up to these days.
Sophie Bow
Sophie Bow also didn't get an easy ride on the show after she was brutally told that 93 per cent of people would avoid her because of how she looks.
The content creator who goes by @sophiebowsfashion was labelled a 'Yeti Headed Bonkers Barbie' by the Pod before receiving her 'make-under' during her appearance 14 years ago.
She was described as an 'aspiring glamour model' and walked into the Pod wearing a bedazzled bra and hip-length bright blonde extensions.
After being told that 93 percent of the public would 'avoid' her, Sophie underwent a make-under to turn her into a 'Sophisticated, Sexy Siren'.
LADbible reported earlier this year how now aged 33, Sophie revisited the long-forgotten series on her TikTok account to watch the episode back through gritted teeth.
"I remember it being an amazing experience but also embarrassing at the same time," she said.
"Looking back now, I can't believe how different I look, it's crazy. At the time I was terrified."
However she also admitted that overall she had an 'amazing experience' which had 'changed the direction' of her life.
"I would say appearing on telly back in the day definitely helped my career," she said in another post.
Now, she styles petite clothing on the likes of TikTok and describes herself as a fashion content creator, with more than 50,000 followers on the platform.
In addition to the cutting of BBC Three, around 100 jobs will also be cut at BBC News, as the corporation faces pressure to make savings of £500 million by 2028.
It is not the first time BBC Three has been cut from linear TV after moving online-only some six years before its return in 2022.
The channel has since been responsible for major hits including Fleabag, Normal People and Killing Eve.
In a note to staff setting out the changes, BBC Director-General Matt Brittin said: “We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world. We all know that means tough choices.”
He added: “Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy them on iPlayer and Sounds. While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues.”
Topics: BBC, TV, Entertainment
James Holt