I’ve been having an interesting debate with @Bang2Write on Twitter about how women and men are treated in the media. It comes in the face of Katie Price walking away from I’m A Celebrity after being consistently voted for a string of disgusting tasks. The conversation started with this comment:

I’m ashamed of the public’s bullying of Katie Price. I wonder if she wld be so hated if she was a man?

To be honest, it got me thinking – how many male celebs get the same level of stick for shameful antics in the public eye? You’ve got Liam Gallagher and Jay Kay (Jamiroquai) hassling photographers, Pete Doherty generally being quite a high-profile junkie. Bang2Write goes on to cite Eddie Murphy and Steve Bing for denying paternity of their respective children, Anton Du Beke for getting off rather lightly for his racial slur.

I found myself thinking she had a point, but I think there’s an important distinction here: the most vilified females in pop culture are the ones who (arguably) have no talent to trade on. It’s the unholy trinity of Katie Price, Kerry Katona and the late, great Jade Goody.

The careers of those three in particular either live or die on the back of their tabloid coverage. Look at Katie Price, who actually went on a nationally broadcast reality TV show saying she needed a break from publicity. The same woman who, when public opinion was turning against her started a story about a miscarriage and then dropped a bombshell about a rape in her past. The relevance? Looking for a sympathy vote. You can ask whether men get off lightly, but no man could ever pull off that kind of sick stunt.

Talent versus Celebrity?

That, I think, is a great contrast with the men Bang2Write mentions above – all of the above guys are generally recognised for their creative output: writing, dancing, acting, presenting. The odd incident shouldn’t be a career destroying thing, although even Du Beke feared that his outburst would cost him TV presenting work in the future. The thing with Price, Katona and Goody in particular is that they capitalise on their private lives and then sell stuff – perfumes, calendars, personal appearances, adverts – based on their celeb status.

Positive female role models

Another comment about Peter Andre (and male celebs in general):

I’m unconvinced, he’s got the same steely look in his eye as Katie, IMHO difference is women are called out for ambition

Women are called out for their ambition? Beyonce Knowles might be one of the most powerful females in music right now, and I rarely see negative press for her. In fact, her conduct toward Taylor Swift recently has a lot of people believing she’s the next Mother Teresa. And look for a moment at Rihanna – the victim of a serious domestic violence incident, a story which she couldn’t deny or hide from. Instead of selling her story and capitalising on it, she kept a stoic silence, kept a low profile and then returned to her music career. It was all tastefully handled.

There are a ton of positive female role models out there: in music, movies and TV. They’re ambitious, successful and entertaining. Whether it’s Angelina Jolie or more close to home, Holly Willoughby, there are women who are totally admirable.

My point?

I don’t agree that women have a harder time than men in pop culture. I think a certain type of female celeb has – the type that sells their private life to stay famous. The personal dramas of Katie Price and Kerry Katona have kept them minted for years, but at the expense of their dignity. And people are tired of it – they realise now that Price manufactures most of her own drama, and they’ve turned against her.

It’s a bit like when we found out Britney Spears was tipping the papparazzi off whenever she went out and about.

Anyway, over to you lot – do you think female celebrities are more likely to get a hard time with the press and the public than males are?

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey will reportedly cook Christmas dinner for the Beckhams in their Hertfordshire home next month.

The Sunday Mirror reports that normally Gordon sends a chef from one of his restaurants to cook for them at Christmas, however all his staff have other plans this year.

A source close to the Beckhams told the newspaper: “Gordon wasn’t going to leave his friends in the lurch. There is no one better to be cooking your Christmas dinner, so David and Victoria can’t wait.

“They’re great pals and their kids get on brilliantly together. So they are delighted they will all be around the same table with their families on Christmas Day.”

Any Dream Will Do winner Lee Mead, has revealed that he is extremely excited about his and wife Denise Van Outen’s impending arrival.

He told the Sunday Mirror: “Me, a daddy! This is just the greatest thing that has ever, ever happened to me.

“I always wanted to have my own family, find a woman, settle down and plan a future together. Now it’s really come true and both of us are just so happy.”

Lee also revealed that he plans to be a very hands on Dad.

He stated: “I’ll be a very hands-on dad. I’ll be there changing nappies and getting involved.

“As soon as we can, we’ll find out whether the baby’s a boy or a girl, so I can talk to my son or daughter before they’re born. And it means we can decorate the room, of course.

“I’ve been reading books and gone online reading up about pregnancy. The baby is the biggest thing I’ve ever prepared for, bigger than any role I’ve played or any job I’ve done.”

Aggie MacKenzie has said that the cancellation of How Clean Is Your House was ‘long overdue.’

Aggie, who appears in the show with I’m A Celebrity’s Kim Woodburn, said that she and Kim are surprised that the show went on for so long.

Aggie told MSN: “I’d say it was long overdue myself.”

She went on: “It’s so funny because when we did the first series we said, ‘oh my goodness they want another series of this!’ And then there was the third, and the fourth, and the fifth and the sixth, and the few in America and we thought, ‘it can’t go on for much longer’.

“Essentially it’s dirty house, clean house. You can mix and match what you put in between but after a while it’s ’same old’ isn’t it really? I’ll miss it but you’ve got to move on and do other stuff.”

Jamie Archer has admitted that he occasionally felt “demoralised” whilst taking part in The X Factor.

Jamie was voted off the show last night after singing for survival against 16 year old Lloyd Daniels. He told the Press Association that constant battles over his song choices made him realise that his “journey had come to an end”.

He said: “It was really demoralising for me, because it made me feel like ‘Is it me? Am I being difficult? No-one knows what to do with me – maybe there just aren’t any songs?’ but I just got on with it really.”

Jamie denied claims that he planned to quit the show saying:

“I didn’t say I was leaving, I just said ‘Maybe it’s the wrong show for me’. It was after we did Unchained Melody and we tried it, and I had to change my song last minute.

“I said at this point ‘Maybe this show isn’t really the right show for me because we keep having to change my song, which means we quite clearly don’t know what to do with me’.”

Are you Andrew Lloyd Webber’s next leading lady? Could you be his Dorothy in the new West End production of The Wizard of Oz?

Do you want to follow in the footsteps of previous winners Connie Fisher, Lee Mead and Jodie Prenger? If yes – then you are in luck because the BBC has just opened applications for their newest reality TV show ‘Over The Rainbow.’

Auditions are open to everyone, no matter how much or how little experience you have and nationwide auditions for Dorothy begin in January 2010.

All applicants must have been aged 16 or over by 26 June 2009.

Apply now to book your place

Myleene Klass and Katherine Jenkins are reportedly planning a new opera reality TV show.

The Daily Mail claims that the show will air on ITV1 and will see current popstars trained to become opera stars.

Klass will present the show, while Jenkins will be one of the judges.

“They are looking for a male host to present with Myleene and a male judge to sit on the panel with Katherine,” a source said. “The producers are very keen on having Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts on the panel.”

The insider continued: “It will be the panel’s job to train popstars to sing opera – and each week one of the hopefuls will be voted off.

“There’s a lot of excitement about having Myleene and Katherine on the same show. They are both big names and they can both be divas.”

Amy Winehouse is reportedly boycotting The X Factor, after Lucie Jones’ shock departure last week.

Amy’s dad Mitch revealed on his new online show, Mitch Winehouse’s Showbiz Rant:

“What did Simon think he was doing? There’ll be murders over this. I think these kids are being exploited. The Jedward fiasco was just beyond belief.”

He continued: “[Amy] said she wasn’t going to watch anymore – what’s she going to do? So I sent her upstairs, she tidied her room. We were sitting down eating our curry. We couldn’t eat, we were so upset.”

Unreality TV needs some telly addicts to join our team! Do you LOVE TV? Do you regularly scream and shout at your box in the corner, or suffer withdrawal symptoms when you miss the latest installment of your favourite show?

Maybe you’re a person who can’t get enough of Big Brother, X Factor and all things reality. Perhaps you’re a mum who has a secret passion for Jeremy Kyle and Trisha, or are you a student who can’t get through the day without a dose of Phil and Fern.

As long as you have strong views, an interest in a wide range of TV shows, blogging experience and a funny way with words then Unreality TV wants to hear from you. There will sadly be no pay involved but you will be able to bask in the knowledge that thousands of people could be reading your posts every month.

Click here and tell us all about yourself. What you like, what you don’t and preferably a few examples of your writing style. Come on! You know you want to!

Channel 4 has axed Wife Swap and How Clean Is Your House? in a bid to shake up the channel.

Head of Channel 4 Julian Bellamy told The Guardian: “The decommission of Big Brother earlier this year has been the catalyst for a process of creative renewal right across Channel 4.

“When Wife Swap launched, it was a truly groundbreaking programme which heralded an era of new factual formats right across television.

“It was challenging, impactful and connected with a large mainstream audience. I am now looking to find new ways to challenge the mainstream through entertaining and provocative programmes.”

Bellamy added that the axing was a “creative decision on our part to make space for new ideas”.

I suppose that explains why ‘How Clean Is Your House’ star Kim Woodburn is appearing on I’m A Celebrity this month. She’s got to make her money somehow!