Channel 4 is to put people’;s life-changing decisions in the hands of an audience of 50 complete strangers as part of a new seven-part factual series, ‘The Audience”. The programme will explore how ordinary people can be helped to make up their mind and move forward in their life, by a group of people who have never met them, or each other.

‘;The Audience’; is produced by The Garden (24 Hours in A&E, Seven Dwarves) and ordered by senior specialist factual commissioning editor, David Glover.

In each programme, ‘The Audience” will spend a week with a person at a crossroads, whose issue could be: should I leave my job?; should I start again and move abroad?; should I kick out my troublesome teen?; should we get married or separate?

Commenting on the project, Glover said: “I used to daydream about what life would be like if one were constantly followed around by an audience. The Garden suggested we do it for real, like a golf crowd follows golfers. This series has huge potential and we are now waiting to see how the wisdom of the crowd unfolds.”

The 7 x 60 min series is made by The Garden and the executive producers are Jonathan Smith and Tom McDonald (series producer on The Apprentice, executive producer Who Do You Think You Are?).

Smith said: “It’;s taken nearly two years to develop this idea and we’;re thrilled that it’;s been commissioned. This is a very important project for The Garden. It demonstrates our continuing commitment to innovate and make distinctive programmes. We’;re finding, during filming, that living with an audience of 50 people for a week is an incredibly intense experience. Although they can sometimes be cruel to be kind, they really do want to help – and we’;re seeing lives change for the better as a result.”

‘The Audience” (working title) will be broadcast later this year.

Will the show lead to more ‘;audience-led-decision shows’;? Or is it merely the next logical step from what we already have? Why not discuss on The Knowledge’;s linkedin group?