Matchbox Pictures has produced a reality show about a group of young, pampered and immature adults who are forced to live together in a house and fend for themselves on a basic weekly budget, for the Seven network.
Young, Lazy & Driving Us Crazy is based on the Sony format Young, Dumb and Living Off Mum (which screened on the UK's BBC 3, produced by Monkey Kingdom).
The 10 contestants were recruited from NSW, Queensland and Victoria after an Australia–wide casting call. The show was shot in Bondi, hosted by Lawrence Mooney. The winner gets a $20,000 trust fund and the respect of his or her parents.
“We pitched it to Seven knowing that World's Strictest Parents had worked well for them, particularly co-viewing with parents and teens,” said co-executive producer Susie Jones, Matchbox Pictures factual entertainment development executive.
The co-executive producer was Emily Griggs (The Farmer Wants a Wife, When Love Comes to Town) and the series producer was Leigh McSwan.
Each week the participants compete in different work challenges, set by their parents, to test various factors of maturity, from team work and responsibility to good, old-fashioned hard work. The parents watch what the kids have been up to and vote out the ones who make the least effort.
There have been three series in the UK so the eight-part show could be renewed here depending on the ratings. Seven has not revealed an air date.
Matchbox’s non-scripted unit has just delivered The Real Housewives of Melbourne for Foxtel, exec produced by Kylie Washington.