Soapbox

I'm the first person to admit that I love a bit of trash reality TV. Shows such as X Factor, America's Next Top Model, The Hills, Take Me Out, Don't Tell the Bride and - my new favourite - My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, really tickle my fancy. And I love to tune into big red carpet events like the Golden Globes and the Oscars to catch a glimpse of the stars slinking up the red carpet in their stunning dresses and accessories.

But this obsession that some people have where they need to know every little intricate detail of a celeb's private life really baffles me. And it grinds my gears when the "news" that Jordan has dumped the rebound husband she married on a whim in Vegas is deemed worthy of FRONT PAGE coverage. One of the things that gets to me the most is that the majority of these "celebs" the newspapers go gaga over are minor, fame-hungry Z-listers. Actually, the best part is when these Z list wannabes moan and groan about the invasion of their privacy and how much they hate the media being up in their faces - and yet they're the first ones to go to the press if they want to promote their rubbish perfume or clothing line, or their "I've had the most exciting life taking my clothes off and hanging on to as many footballers as I can possibly can" autobiographies.

So here's an idea - Dan Wootton you serial offender - stop giving them the time of day. Why, I beg of you, do you feel the need to give these people that sort of media coverage. I just don't understand this obsession with them. Honestly, who cares about the state of a washed up glamour model's love life, or a WAGs latest platinum hair extensions and tacky manicure.

What happened to the things that really matter in life making the front page of a national newspaper? And I mean a widely circulated 'popular' newspaper - not just the quality broadsheets where the editors actually seem to have a conscience. Where are the articles about the really newsworthy things that are going on in the world? Where are the stories about the devastating floods affecting Brazil and Australia? Oh that's right, they're buried among the absolute drivvle written about a host of Britain's Z-listers.

I used to work for a paper not unlike Dan Wootton's tacky, crass, rag and the garbage they print on the front page quite literally makes me sick to my stomach. If a news story isn't about models, footballs, sex scandals or drugs it simply isn't worthy of the newsprint. If it's written about all four they'd probably nominate you for a Pulitzer Prize - with a certain newspaper mogul in the judging seat.

I have nothing against people who want to know what's going on in a celebrity's life but I genuinely don't understand the fascination behind it in the newspapers. As a journalist myself it really upsets me to see talented writers - and I'm not referring to Dan Wootton here - being forced to produce such crap simply in order to get their byline in the paper and keep their jobs.

Unfortunately judging by tomorrow's headlines, it's sad days in the world of journalism. Let's just hope that some day in the near future something will change and the news that really matters takes priority. And that Dan Wootton will stop being the Pied Piper for fame-hungry wannabes.

Here's what really matters....

Not this...