WHAT IS TEXTING FANS?
A fresh spin on the standard Q&A that connects fans to their faves in an unprecedented way, allowing them to see and experience how the celeb engages with the thing we all use constantly, every single day: our smartphones.
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Are they the type of person to text in proper sentence form?
Or all lowercase? Do they use emojis? Do they make spelling
and grammar mistakes?
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Using a smartphone populated with fan questions, the celeb reads and responds to the messages on camera while a screen recording captures their activity on the phone.
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Select lucky fans behind the texts will have their phone light up with an actual message from their favourite artist... some may even get to have a text convo with them in real time!
When I started at Bell Media in their grad program in 2019, I came with an idea for a digital interview format working titled “[Insert Celebrity Name Here] Texts Their Fans.”
The original pitch presentation had Tate McRae as the ✨ dream ✨ star to pilot the series with. In 2023, after many false starts and a pandemic, Texting Fans came to life at Etalk… with Tate McRae, nonetheless!
Now, there are over 20 episodes of the series featuring A-list talent Tate McRae, Gracie Abrams, Ella Purnell, Rachel Zegler, and the casts of Bridgerton, Wednesday, and Outer Banks. It has become Etalk’s most successful digital franchise, leading to a national television special celebrating its best moments.