SOUTH AFRICA'S TV WEBSITE
SIGN IN SEARCH MENU
SOUTH AFRICA'S TV WEBSITE


The Simple Life

Genres: Reality

Rate:

2.9

Add to Show Favourites

Description

The Simple Life throws two young, wealthy urban socialites, Paris Hilton, heiress to the Hilton Hotel fortune, and her friend Nicole Richie, daughter of singer Lionel Richie, into the deep end with "normal" people and gives them the opportunity to experience the values of varied environments.

The idea for The Simple Life was generated in Fox's comedy department.   It was inspired by Green Acres, a sitcom about a New York society couple who moved to a farm.

At the same time the comedy department at Fox was developing the idea, Paris Hilton was meeting with the studio's casting department. They realised they had an idea for a show: Send Paris Hilton, who had never worked a day in her life, and her sister Nicky to live and work on a farm. 

Paris was convinced to come on board, however Nicky, being somewhat shy to the limelight at the time, opted out. Paris told some media that she was in talks to do the show by herself, but ultimately, FOX decided the city-living cast had to be a duo. 

Paris allegedly asked several friends onboard, including Bijou Phillips and Kimberly Stewart, but ended up making an agreement with her then-close friend, Nicole Richie. 

Fox hired established reality producer Bunim/Murray to produce.  Bunim/Murray found the Leding family in Altus, Arkansas, for the girls to move in with.   With everything ready to go, production began May 2nd, 2003.

In the first season, Paris and Nicole agreed to leave behind their cellphones, credit cards and celebrity status to move in with the Leding family in Altus, Arkansas for a month. 

What was supposed to be an assignment in learning how to adapt to doing chores and getting their hands dirty turned out to be an experiment in failure.

In the process they would ruin a dairy farmer's milk supply, wreak havoc at a local Sonic Drive-In and take advantage of an employer's credit card, ultimately getting fired from every job they took up.

This was greatly upsetting to the Leding family. Despite all of this, the two would often get a lesson in reality check 101 from the family themselves. As for whether the girls took it to heart left something to be desired. 

The show started airing on Fox December 2nd, 2003, to surprisingly well received ratings. The premiere episode drew 13 million viewers. The second episode drew 13.3 million viewers, an increase of 200,000 viewers. 

During the airing of the series, Fox added two extra episodes and a reunion special, which continued to draw ratings. With results like this, it was only natural that Fox would order a second season. 


LATEST ARTICLES

Revealed! Cast and story details for Mzansi Wethu's new telenovela Homecoming

A doctor in a white coat gets a check-up from a doctor wearing beads.


Uzalo Teasers - August 2025

It's a beef buffet at the hostel and MaDlala asks God to lead her not into temptation.


Gelukbringers Teasers - August 2025

Azra receives a mysterious letter about her dad's murder and chaos unfolds when a video is leaked.


New on TV today: Monday 14 July 2025

Based on real life miniseries Happy Face is on M-Net and Magda Louw returns to kykNET.


New on TV today: Sunday 13 July 2025

Hitler and Churchill take centre stage on HISTORY and Jaws @ 50 debuts on National Geographic.


New on TV today: Saturday 12 July 2025

There's a Predator Countdown on BBC Earth and the return of 1000-lb Sisters and F*ck, That's Delicious.


On Carte Blanche: a dark underworld in our national defence force

12 SANDF members are in court on charges of car theft, kidnapping and murder - and they've just been granted bail.


Lost in Love Teasers - August 2025

Laxmi vows to ruin Mukta and her children's lives if they return home - and then they return home...


Jhanak Teasers - August 2025

Vihaan grows suspicious when Jhanak firmly claims not to know Aniruddha.


New on TV today: Friday 11 July 2025

Disney+ documents Jaws @ 50 and Discovery finds out how to go Faster with Finnegan.

LATEST SITE ACTIVITY


More activity at TVSA Central



LATEST SOAPIE TEASERS



LATEST SOAPIE TEASERS





×
×

You browser doesn't have Flash, Silverlight, Gears, BrowserPlus or HTML5 support.