Reality shows are made about all sorts of situations, people, places and the like nowadays, and one of the latest reality shows is Timber Creek Lodge; a series which allows viewers to go behind-the-scenes of a five-star mountain retreat to see the on-and-off duty staff navigate both their personal and work lives.
Mark Milburn
We got the opportunity to catch up with one star of the show, Mark Milburn to find out a little bit more about the new series, the reaction he’s had from those watching and more…
What can new viewers expect from Timber Creek Lodge?
It’s a showcase of adventure, high stress and how people work in close proximity of each other. We also deal with miscommunication and how when something doesn’t work well, it doesn’t work well and when it does, it does. There’s also a lot of humility and modesty and therefore I think it’s a show that people can connect to on a real personal level. An example of when things don’t work well is early on the show when Jamie, the manager and I butt heads. He has a very different managing style to what I’m used to, as he liked to micro-manage me, so it was a really challenging relationship. We didn’t succeed in our relationship, but in the end the guests had a great time so that’s all that matters.
How did you come about making the decision to star on a reality show?
I’ve been in the entertainment and modelling business for 10 years now, and I always knew I wanted to work in adventure tourism. When the opportunity came up to become a mountain host, I didn’t really care if it was for a reality show because the job sounded fun and amazing.
How have you found the response from viewers to-date?
To be honest, the response has been great. However, something I do want to highlight is some of the negative responses and the enormity of internet bullying that comes with it. We chose to take risks in our lives and play out these characters and relationships for people and it’s unfortunate that some people feel like they have the voice to insult some of us. Don’t get me wrong, people love the show, but there is a sadness that comes with those who feel as if they can bully us.
Are there any moments of the show you look back on and wish you could change?
I don’t believe in regrets so I wouldn’t want to change anything. I do however have moments in which I wish we had communicated better as a team and delivered differently. The experience taught us so much and we walked away as stronger and better people which I think is an amazing thing to accomplish.
A lot of people who star on reality TV have a lot to say about the edit they receive – do you think you’ve received a fair edit?
I think the edits do test you. A reality show is all about an algorithm and fitting into the algorithm. You’ll never know the full story of what’s been going on. We would be around each other for 20 hours a day and the crew would only see three hours of it. However, if you look at it with a grain of salt, you’ll see we had a great time so yeah, I think the edit is fair, but you only see 45 minutes of it. There is so much that people don’t know, and that leads to interpretation on both the show and on us.
Do you think the public still have negative views on reality TV or do you think they are changing?
Like I said earlier, I think the audience need to take it with a grain of salt. I do think people’s views are changing but it’s more important that people realise that reality TV is a depiction of moments and not a series of events which I think is a really important way to look at it. It’s a great source of entertainment but also a lot of information doesn’t get relayed.
Aside from being on the show you’re very much into your fitness and athletics – where did your passion for all of that start out?
When I was a kid I grew up in the country so I had to keep myself entertained. I was always playing soccer, or as you call it over in England, ‘football’. I used to love mountain biking and really just being outside. At 13, I stumbled across a gym and that’s when I really started getting into fitness. I knew at that age I would want to open my own gym up and being able to say that I’ve actually managed to achieve that goal is incredible! I’m super lucky that I’ve been able to accomplish that.
Having opened gyms in the past, is this something you’re hoping to continue doing in the future?
Yes and no. I love that it’s happened and I have a gym that has the best staff. I would love to take my love of fitness to the next level but I’m not quite sure what the next level is. I would love to educate myself and others more in the fitness world.
Aside from starring in Timber Creek Lodge, what else do you have planned for the coming months?
Unfortunately, I can’t disclose too much, but I have a movie role and TV show that I’m in negotiations with at the moment. I’m also working with a couple of fitness magazines but I think something I’m going to spend a lot more time working on is anti-bullying campaigns, because I do think it needs more attention.
Timber Creek Lodge Season 1 is available to stream and download on hayu, reality on demand.