Hunt for 'Most Average Person' begins (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Hunt for 'Most Average Person' begins

8:58am Wednesday 23rd May 2007 in Swindon By Gazette Reporter

TV producers are searching for Britain's most average person - and their quest is beginning in Swindon.

Century Films is making its Average Briton documentary for Channel 4.

Places like Northampton, Chelmsford and Rotherham are on the list.

But Swindon, statistically one of the most average places in Britain, is where the programme makers hope to strike gold.

The town - famously described as "the a******e of the world" by author Mark Haddon in his award-winning novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - has long been a favourite for market researchers because its population accurately reflects that of the UK as a whole.

Other M4 corridor alternatives like Slough, Basingstoke and Reading are ignored as statisticians traditionally head for the shopping malls of Swindon, at the same time savouring its numerous roundabouts and 60s architecture.

A spokeswoman for the production company said: "From our point of view, Swindon is a great starting place when you are first casting the net."

Her colleague added that the programme was "a homage to averageness, rather than anything disparaging" against places like Swindon.

The makers of the documentary, due to air in August, want to hear from anyone, living in Swindon or otherwise, who answers 'yes' to five or more of the following questions: 1. Do you know the words to God Save the Queen (first verse and chorus)?
2. Are you married with two children?
3. Is your house worth approximately £175-225k?
4. Do you own a Ford Fiesta?
5. Do you work over 40 hours a week?
6. Do you have 9-14 close friends?
7. Do you consider yourself working class?
8. Does your home contain one of the Harry Potter books?
9. Are you repaying debts or loans totalling more than A£3,000 (excluding mortgage)?
10. Do you usually take one foreign holiday per year?