History
The first series of Trinny and Susannah Undress the Nation, which consisted of five episodes, started to air on 7 November 2007. The first episode gained high viewing figures of 5.35 million, becoming the most-watched programme in its timeslot. The first episode, which featured breasts and bras, prompted numerous complaints to ITV when scenes of topless women were broadcast before the 9pm watershed. An ITV spokesman commented "The context of this programme fully justified the use of footage of women topless and in bras. The presenters were pursuing a serious subject in an engaging and entertaining way."
| "But this series is more campaigning. It is more journalistic, but still hugely entertaining. It's a show we feel more proud of than anything we've done to date." |
| — Susannah Constantine talking about Trinny & Susannah Undress the Nation. |
The new show aims to tackle some of the main fashion problems in Britain, where ITV filmed numerous stunts to be broadcast on the programme to promote Trinny and Susannah's points. Some of the stunts included Susannah being transformed into a 70-year-old to look at how people dress according to their age, and Trinny and Susannah accomplishing a redesign of the supermarket Somerfield's uniform in just two weeks. Somerfield's bosses later decided not to use the newly styled uniform after it had been deemed too impractical. The themes covered during the first series included breasts and bras, men, shape, age and uniforms. Constantine stated "it is putting a microscope on certain areas that affect us all."
The scene filmed for Undress The Nation on 2 July 2007 generated some controversy. The culmination of the programme involved Trinny, Susannah and 100 women giving the East Sussex chalk figure, the Long Man of Wilmington, a temporary female form by adding pigtails, breasts and hips. The women created the effect by lying down in white boiler suits to make different shapes. The hillside chalk carving was not permanently changed or affected. However the scene prompted twenty-two Neo-Pagans to protest at the historical site during filming. The Long Man is claimed as "sacred" by the Council of British Druid Orders, who said the "stunt" would "dishonour an ancient Pagan site of worship". A statement made by ITV stated that they were given permission for the event by Sussex Archaeological Society and that they took "the utmost care ... to protect this historical site". The owners, Sussex Archaeological Society, later apologised for any offence caused to any "individuals or groups" by the filming. An e-petition demanding that the broadcast be stopped attracted 782 signatures.
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