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.
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?
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.
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.