Reality is Sick: As I implied below, the hick reality shows may be the stupidest thing ever. But the stupidest people ever are the ones who will participate in Sick Day.

TV bosses are making the sickest reality show - with contestants trying to get as many illnesses as possible.

In Sick Day, three lads will live in the same house for two months and try to catch ailments like nits, lice, flu, venereal diseases and warts.

Oh, heck, don't bother to click through. I'll just quote the rest.

It is being made as a pilot for digital channel E4 by Princess Productions, which also makes breakfast show RI:SE.

Teacher Ray Downing, 23, from North London, auditioned for the show and said: "I was shocked when they told me what it was about.

"It’s up to contestants to find ways to catch the disease, but they talked about snorkelling in sewage."

Contestants were told they would be paid and that a doctor would make sure they did not become too ill.

An E4 spokeswoman said: "None of the illnesses will be life threatening."

John Beyer of Mediawatch UK, which fights for TV decency, said: "This proves reality TV is scraping the bottom of a very deep barrel."

Are you kidding? They've scraped through the bottom of the barrel and underground into the septic tank (where one of them said, "Ew, man, could you imagine snorkeling in this?" and the other said, "That's the ticket!")

This just can't be real. It's satire. It must be. Somebody tell me it's satire. Please.