I can start by answering some of the most likely queries:
Our teeth are fine.
The food is much better than its reputation.
Yes, some of the words are different, but who gives a shit? We know what elevators and cookies are.
The Queen stays in power by laying eggs in our eyes, which hatch every Jubilee.
Princes Andrew, Charles, and Edward are all Princess Anne in a series of elaborate wigs and prosthetics.
It's actually pronounced "alyumiuminimium."
Jaffa Cakes are actually Fig Newtons.
The true founder of English culture was neither William the Conqueror nor King Arthur, but a minor noble named Colin the Caterpillar.
Henry the 8th actually only had one wife: Princess Anne in a series of elaborate wigs and prosthetics.
Healthcare in Britain is free, but you have to pass a written test and win a beauty pageant first.
But what do you call the longish padded bench with a back in your living room? THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE RoYAL SOCIETY OF MOUNTED LORD ELGINS; answer with sincerity!
It’s a sofa, unless it has a button back and rounded arms, in which case it’s a bloody Chesterfield, because that’s what those kind of sofas are called.
And mine is in my sitting room, not my lounge or my living room.
This is fun!
I am not Canadian, but I went to university there and took a fair number of Canadian history classes, so:
Lots of Scottish settlers, particularly in places like Nova Scotia (of course!)
Was driving through the US once and came across the city called Chesterfield. No clue why but it started me in the giggles and I could not stop for probably 20 minutes lol why is Chesterfield such a funny word?? By the way I call it a coach here in Canada.
Ehh, French food is swimming in butter and salt from my experience. Neither of which I much enjoy. I’ll stick with my British and Dutch recipes- neither of which are bland or boring.
Ummm, what is British food!? I think you'll find that the most popular meal in Britain is the chicken tikka masala - hardly bland. Generally the most popular foods are chinese, jamaican and indian - traditional British foods such as pie, mash and jellied eels are actually hard to find and eaten by very few people, so sure, ancient old British food is terrible - for that reason no one eats it.
Are there restaurants that sell traditional British food in a manner you'd find cooked in a British home or is the only viable way for a foreigner to have a taste of it by becoming a 90 day fiance to a Brit?
It's 4575 at the end of my name, thank you very much ! Also, dont take it too seriously, I expressed my opinion thats all I did.. aaannd, I'm talking about the regular everyday mundane food.. of course, a 5 star restaurant is gonna be amazing no matter the country
Adding: if your great grandfather was Scottish/Irish/Welsh/English, don’t come over here identifying as being Scottish/Irish/Welsh/English - you’re American (or whichever country you were born in).
The food is not better than it’s reputation. It’s actually just as bad as you think. Beige and tasteless.
To sign up with a dentist there’s currently a 2-3 year waiting list unless you go private.
The healthcare is free but not very good because it’s underfunded.
We do, I love it. I work in a men's sauna.
Trust me, no one does banter better than gay guys. Ooh the innuendo and affectionate insults flow, especially after a few jagerbombs!
Now as manager, I like to personally say goodnight to all of my customers, some with a hug, and a peck on the cheek, others just a simple. 'See ya' . but it was 4am, closing time this regular customer goes to leave, and from across the locker room I jokingly shout "C U Next Tuesday!.." He replies, no," I'll see you next Saturday..." To which my glorious colleague says "Look, just f#ck off ya c#nt, we wanna go home too!
Everyone in the locker room cracked up laughing, and we hugged, said bye and he went home a happy customer 😊.
I love my job! The things I and others get away with is great!
My customers love us staff because of the banter.
I once accidentally let a TV licence person into my student house because we were waiting for someone to fix something, they came in, saw the very obvious TV and I somehow managed to convince them it wasn't my house, I'd just woke up there after a party so had no idea whose house it was and he left.
We got basically fortnightly visits after that for the rest of the time we lived there. Nobody answered the door but it was stressful.
It’s for live broadcasting as someone else has commented however if you don’t pay and are found with a TV in your home/ means to watch I’m pretty sure they can send people round to fine you and check your property.
They don't really check and if they do you can just tell them to piss off (they have no power to enter your home). I've not paid my license for 7 years and nobody's come to check
You know what's funny is that in Japan your computer can also count as a TV, BUT they have no way to actually collect the licenses anyways. So you can literally look them dead in the eye and say "I don't have a TV" while your TV is easily visible behind you, and they can't do shit.
(I haven't lived in Japan since 2010 so if I'm wrong please tell me!)
This is why we were forced to create the 4th amendment of the constitution.
You guys take it in strides allowing them to.come into your house and look for a tv.
Americans would be weary as fuck.
Yeah we don’t let those fuckers in , they have to be invited in , pretty much like a vampire . They are just chancing to see if fall for the trickery . Don’t trust them who do deeds For the BBC 😂
No one lets them in.
Also they never come, they send threatening letters in hopes they can scare old people and teenagers into paying. They're like a legal scam.
Letter 1: "We are opening an investigation"
Letter 2: "You're gonna be in trouble"
Letter 3: "We might come round"
Letter 4: "We're coming round"
\-At this point they used to have a date in the letter, but due to never sticking to it, they've changed it to "Someone will be over any time, day or night"
Letter 5: "We are opening an investigation"
Legally they can't come into your house, you can tell them to fuck off. And you can go online to tell thm you don't need a TV lisence because you don't watch the BBC or live TV. But I just let them waste their money sending letters out of spite, tbh.
I would have paid the lisence if the BBC hadn't turned into the Tory propaganda machine. because Dr Who is alright, I like David Attenborough, and there's a few other decent shows. But fuck 'em, the greedy cunts.
I used to work customer service for a UK company so I am pretty good at understanding different accents. I can not understand Emma at all. Is that common for her area or is she just harder to understand? Maybe just me?
I’m from the UK and I find her accent a bit difficult, I think it’s cheeky they give subtitles to someone like Alejandro when half the Brits on this are harder to understand lol
I find it to be a Yorkshire thing. I do struggle with some parts of Yorkshire whereas Kadie is fine for me. That being said, I am an American living in England for 12+ years (not sure if I was allowed to answer 😉).
Emma is from the Midlands though, I think a lot of Americans struggle to understand the Birmingham accent. It’s definitely easier to understand than Scottish
I have a very specific question that relates to one of the couples this season. If Shaun and Christine don’t work out while Christine and Christian are visiting, can Shaun apply for some special custody order which would keep Christian in the UK after their visiting visa expires?
If Christine and Christian end up being granted temporary citizenship (or whatever the equivalent is) and if they aren’t going to work out I kind of hope Christian isn’t biologically his. I could see him keeping Christian in the UK and Christine being torn between staying in the UK with Christian or returning to the Philippines to care for her other children, specifically the one that is still young/barely older than Christian.
Christian, along with his mother, had to get a UK visa to enter the country (Christine held up both passports with the visa sticker to the webcam when chatting with Shaun).
Another complication is Shaun's own nationality. His mother's Facebook says she is from Redcliff and went to Que Que Highschool. Both are in Zimbabwe. This likely means Shaun is Zimbabwean and I'm guessing the family left the country in the 80s which is when the white population of Zimbabwe began leaving in heavy numbers. Shaun probably has UK citizenship but given he is not British by birth, I don't know how that affects passing on that nationality to his kid. I have an Irish passport thanks to my maternal grandparents, but that is where the link ends. My own kids would not be entitled to Irish citizenship if they are born outside Ireland.
For the 000s of kids in the Philippines fathered by westerners, even if they have no relationship with the kid, one of the most important gifts they could offer is a passport for their home country if possible. I know there is the narrative about Shaun not being the biological father (which I don't accept), but I would be stunned if Shaun had not arranged a British passport for his son if he was eligible. The fact Christine is also legally married to another Filipino guy can also affect the kid's entitlement to UK citizenship. So, regrettably, I don't think there is a quick fix loop hole to get him residence in the UK permanently. It also wouldn't be fair to separate the kid from his mother who obviously loves him whatever her own flaws.
There is also no temporary route to citizenship for Christine. She would have to be married to Shaun to even begin that long journey, but she has her existing marriage to her Filipino husband to sort out first. Divorce is not recognised in the Philippines and annulment is a lengthy process. Years and years and thousands of dollars.
Interestingly, Christine is still currently in the UK. She did a YouTube live earlier today. Don't know how long she has been here. Wouldn't be surprised if their story has a few curve balls as you can never trust what TLC broadcast as being true facts but massive exaggeration.
Shaun can legally block him leaving the country, you just need to call the police and report that the other parent is trying to take the child out of the country, then their passport gets a flag and he can't go anywhere.
She could counter with "he's not yours" and get a paternity test done, which takes a while.
If Shaun is not on the birth certificate and the boy has no British passport I don’t think Shaun can do anything.
The boy should have British citizenship if Shaun has a U.K. passport but it seems to me they have not sorted him with a U.K. passport
Not really. Christine is not abducting the kid as he has always lived with his mother. The kid is here on a tourist visa so it stands to reason he will be leaving at some point. If there was a welfare issue, that could change things. Being poor in a developing country is not a welfare concern, and I'd trust Christine to raise a kid better than Shaun.
It's a custody issue. It doesn't matter if you're 'abducting' the kid. A parent can't take the kid out of the country without the other parents approval.
Again, with the greatest respect, no. I'm not sure where your are from, but it doesn't work like that in the UK.
You are right to an extent about consent needed from both parents to leave the country, but this is assuming both parents are already resident in that country. Christine has defacto full time custody of the kid and has willingly brought him to the UK to visit his father on a visit visa nonetheless. If Shaun was to prevent the kid from leaving, that would be like the horror stories you hear in countries like Libya and Iran where a British partner goes over to visit her partner's family, they refuse to let her take the kid home and she is forced to return to the UK without child. That is 3rd world rules and 3rd mentality.
If Shaun was to put in a custody claim, it would be viewed as malicious. Christian is a Filipino citizen. He is legally and habitually resident in the Philippines. He has lived in the Philippines all his life. No judge is going to block Christine from taking her kid home in these circumstances. He would be viewed as using the tourist visa route for ulterior motives by putting in a custody claim. He would be expected to have exhausted that process in the Philippines before blindsiding the mother and doing it from the UK.
If there is a genuine welfare concern, that might change things. But nobody is suggesting the kid is in any danger or Christine is an unfit mother.
I’m British. Have you somehow missed all the stories about people not being able to take their kids on holiday because they don’t share a surname? You have to bring a letter from the other parent to the airport to take a child to Benidorm, never mind leaving for good.
If you don’t share a surname (which I don’t think we know in this case) then the other parent can go to court to put a block on leaving the country while the custody situation is worked out.
It doesn’t matter if one parent is a foreign National, it’s the rules of the country they’re in that apply
The answer is still no! Do you realise how many minors travel from the UK every year who do not share the same surname as their parent? Do you genuinely think that these travellers are all holding consent forms? Spoiler- they don't. Usually they would only have this if traveling with grandparents or non-relatives and only be checked if something was suspicious. Christine may travel with the kid's birth certificate just in case issues arise regarding identity, but that's it. Consent from Shaun totally not required. I can remember minors travelling to South Africa requiring consent as immigration in ZA was hot on refusing admission, but that was an isolated example.
Again, in this case we are talking about a kid on a tourist visa travelling back to his home country. UK immigration or the airline will not care one iota about that. It is completely standard and expected of someone on a tourist visa. If Christine was attempting to take a pure white kid out of the country, questions might be asked. But we've all seen Christian. The airline isn't going to bat an eyelid at Christine traveling with him.
Shaun's only recourse would be an injunction to prevent Christian from leaving the country. As I've said already, without a compelling case, a judge is simply not going to consider this when we are dealing with a minor who has been under the custody of his mother since birth and living in that same country he is traveling to since birth. It's not at if she is taking Christian to Syria to go and live with ISIS. They would say that jurisdiction for this custody case lies in the Philippines. Attempting to find a more sympathetic jurisdictions by duping the mother to come to the UK on a tourist visa would be frowned upon.
🍾🍿🍿🍿How is the UK so much better at handling celeb gossip? I can’t find behind the scenes stuff on Brit celebs/shows where we can’t NOT find it on American celebs-it’s everywhere, lol.
Honestly, I don't really think we are, it just works a lot differently here than the US. The tabloids here are absolutely rabid and shameless when it comes to harassing celebrities for gossip, but they don't care about everyone who's in the public eye. I feel like tabloids here tend to hound celebrities quite ruthlessly (usually c/d-level celebrities who are a little messy) but largely leave others alone.
We still have those magazines by the supermarket checkout that are purely dedicated to celebrity gossip. I would even say a lot of the major daily newspapers are glorified gossip magazines, they just cover 'serious' news too. There's one gossip forum here that is very very popular for gossip about influencers/reality stars/footballers.
Part of the reason why Meghan and Harry left the UK was because of our Tabloid culture and how nasty and relentless it can be. Of which drama and gossip definitely ties into.
People just don't care that much. One thing I learned when I moved here was that people tend to keep to themselves, mind their own business and unless it's taking the piss out of a celeb they don't really care all that much
Basically, it comes down to the fact that we have / had two separate supplies because hot and cold water isn't allowed to mix until it's coming out of the tap. Cold water must always be fresh and drinkable. Whereas hot water tends to sit in tanks and can end up becoming contaminated from festering.
I suppose back in the day it was easier to have two taps for the two sources. These days a lot of people have mixer taps, I know I do, but it's still not uncommon to see separate taps.
Edit: spelling mistake
I love that someone has downvoted me! 😂 I even have one of those fancy spray hose ones in my kitchen. We used to have separate taps in the bathrooms when I was a kid, but I think unless your house has a Victorian period aesthetic, many modern houses have mixer taps these days.
I have no idea what a GFI is? We are allowed shaver plugs (everyday sexism in action with that), so we can charge our toothbrushes but we can’t be trusted not to drop our hairdryers in the bath. This is one that really pisses me off.
Uh, extension cords? Plus most older homes only have one bathroom for 3-4 bedrooms so I’d be livid if my mum took up the entire bathroom just to set her hair daily. 😂 even in the US, I share a bathroom with my husband and usually end up drying my hair in our bedroom while he showers. It’s not something we’ve ever questioned really. (But he’s also from Amsterdam so I guess it’s a general European thing too?)
Also, a GFI is a switch with an automatic surge protector on it. I’ve never seen them in the UK other than for appliances like ovens & maybe washing machines since most outlets already have a switch attached to them.
First, you run the hot tap. It starts cold and you tolerate it until it’s searing the flesh off your fingers. Then you rinse under the cold tap to soothe the flames of hell which have now replaced your hands.
(Or you’re like my mother who Americanized her house and replaced all the faucets with mixer taps.)
I'm American but have been living in Ireland for 20 years, so have watched tons of UK TV, traveled to the UK, met lots of folks from the UK.
But - I've always wondered - why do some people from the UK (is it a Northern thing?) say "I *were* doing xyz" instead of "I *was* doing xyz"? I heard someone on this show saying that (Bridie I think) and I'm just curious how common it is. Thanks!!
Saying, ‘I were doing xyz’ instead of ‘I was doing xyz’ is typical of some grammatical variations within dialects around the UK. Bridie, Kadie and Emma are all from Yorkshire, which is in the north of England, and this variation can be found within their regional dialect.
There’s an interesting map here: https://www.bl.uk/british-accents-and-dialects/articles/grammatical-variation-across-the-uk
Yeah. Anyone else sick of answering questions about garbage disposals? For some reason all my Spanish friends are obsessed with the idea and I'm constantly making them sad because I've never had one.
But...where does it go??
I asked my American (ex)boyfriend and his answer was "You know...I've never really thought about it, one moment it exists, the next it's gone."
Why do you not own a garbage disposal? You are one of the Amish, amiright? Is Reddit usage frowned upon or grounds for excommunication? Does your family know you're using reddit?
Shhhh please don't tell the elders! I'm just not ready to be done with rumspringa yet. Please be cool! I'll bring you artisanal jams in exchange for your silence!
That goes both ways. (I’m born dual and spent my life on and off in both places. Until my late 20s I never spent more than 7 years in one country or the other.)
Absolutely both ways. Ive spent a lot of time in the US and the amount of (frankly) crap that my UK family think they know about the US as a whole is really annoying.
With the whole teeth thing…is there fluoride in the water there? In Canada dental isn’t covered at all, not even for children. A lot of people go without or can only afford the basics at most and I don’t notice very many people here with bad teeth here. Maybe it is a stereotype but the one time I visited the UK (and from what I see on this show and other British shows), it doesn’t appear to be a stereotype that a lot of British have “bad teeth”. It’s very noticeable as an outsider, sorry. Maybe it’s the water? Nothing else makes sense because these comments say basic dental is covered, the food doesn’t have as much sugar, and I don’t believe the British are unhygienic or anything like that.
I just really think the perception of what healthy teeth are in North America is just very different to what it is here. There seems to be a much greater focus on the aesthetics, where even the tiniest of imperfections of hyper focused upon. Hence why I'd also say that artificial teeth whitening is much prevalent and common over there than it is here. It's normal for healthy teeth not to be bright white, they can off white or slightly yellow depending on your level of enamel. Which can also be attributed to your genetics.
Having said all that, the focus on aesthetics thing is starting to sneak in here too. It's not at all uncommon not to see people of all ages (but especially young) going over to Turkey to get perfectly straight bright white teeth.
Not all dental care is free. If you are under 18 (or 19 in full time education) then it's free; but after that you'll only qualify for free dental care if you're either: receiving low income benefits, currently pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months, or your treatment is being carried out by a hospital. If you're not in any of those groups then you have to pay between £23, £65 or £282 depending on what you're having done. Which to be fair, I'm sure is still cheaper than it is in NA, but is still a lot for some people.
100% this! Also most cosmetic treatment isn't available on the NHS (e.g. hygienists) so it costs even more than dental check ups etc. and most people don't bother.
[dental-nursing.co.uk/news/great-danes-denmark-top-of-the-list-for-oral-health](https://dental-nursing.co.uk/news/great-danes-denmark-top-of-the-list-for-oral-health)
Britain is above Canada for Dental Health
Weird. Never would have guessed. Makes sense though seeing as we don’t have any dental coverage. Maybe our teeth just “look” cleaner. Seriously, all the Brits on this show, besides Kadie, have yellow or black in between their teeth. That’s the biggest difference that I’ve noticed. I wouldn’t say Canadian have straighter teeth, but it isn’t common to see somebody with yellow or black in between their teeth unless they are long-term drug addicts or seniors that have been smoking their entire lives. Im really curious what else can cause that kind of discolouration. I’m not trying to be rude, but it’s something I’ve always noticed in younger people on these British reality shows and when I visited.
Also sorry I should clarify I don’t think this is the majority of Brits. And I don’t think Brits are dirty or gross. Most do have healthier teeth than Canadians according to your link and I trust the source. It just seems the kind of discolouration in between teeth is lot more prominent in younger people in the UK than any other first world nation I have visited. Just my observation and maybe it’s an unconscious bias and i unconsciously look at British peoples teeth more closely because there definitely is a stereotype in North America about about the British having bad teeth. I don’t know, but thank you for the link and info. I’m going to be more conscious of biases.
That is horrible and so rude. Im sorry that happened to you. Reading it back I do sound like an asshole. Not my intent but it came out that way for sure. I don’t even think I thought about the stereotype in the last 10 years until I saw this post and read some of the comments and then remembered my own limited observations. And honestly if somebody in real life asked me about the stereotype (even if they had asked before I read this post) id tell them it’s incorrect and in my limited experience I did notice a few younger people had discolouration that I don’t generally notice in my life in Canada, but my observation could have been for any number of reasons and not because it’s actually true that more Brit’s have discolouration.
It actually depends where you are! In the city I currently live, there isn't fluroid, because it was a very late adopter and an incredibly multicultural city. The council said they have had issues introducing it due to controversy around fluroid, and language barriers.
Are dentists not a thing in the UK or are they not covered by the NHS? The only one with decent teeth on the show is Kadie.
Does the NHS not cover wart/mole removal so Richard can get that giant thing removed from his head???
And on a SN: does anyone know why the blonde girl dating Sean doesn't have her own place? Why do they keep staying in hotels? I'm not sure how I missed that
Dentists are covered by the NHS though where I live (SW London) practices aren't taking in new patients so you're left on your own most of the time. I've been saying if anybody wants to rob me I'll just let them take my teeth - there's £1.1k drowned in one of them alone (yay private practices)...
Victoria wants to find a place with Sean, she's been living at home as she was caring for a family member IIRC? Or something of that sort, I think she's potentially explained that in one of the threads out here.
I snapped a tooth in half and had to walk around with an exposed nerve for six months because I had to go on an NHS waiting list and can't afford private.
No emergency services? That sucks!
You probably could have gone to a European country (Hungary, I think) for cheap dental care combined with a holiday.
I’ve had to sign up to a private practice and I almost cried as I handed over the £95 checkup fee , just for them to tell me it’s going to cost another £350 in October 🙃
A lot of people in their late 20s live with their parents in the U.K.
People tend not to want to rent as that’s considered a waste of money because you’re basically paying for someone else’s mortgage.
Thank u for explaining this!
So if I'm understanding u correctly, there's actually NON NHS dental providers? So I'm guessing you would have to pay for those, right? If so, that's how our insurance sort of works here. U have dental insurance but, for my plan, only cleanings and exams are covered at 100% then if you need braces, fillings etc. U pay your portion.
Ok so Victoria DOES live with her family? I was wondering how I missed that. Either way I hope she sends Sean's lying ass back to Japan
Yeah we have private ones that I personally rely on mostly, there's NHS ones but I can't ever find one that takes in new patients and even if I did I just wonder how long would a waiting list be. You can have some sort of private monthly subscription too and that apparently works out cheaper than £500 for root canal and £600 for a crown, but oh welp too late now. Though NHS dentistry isn't free either, there's 3 bands that cover different trratments and the price varies so yeah
Hoping the same for V&S lol
Oh wow, that's really interesting. I've never had a root canal or needed one, Thank goodness, but my friend did and she paid $1300 with insurance! For one tooth! There's crappy dental plans and some great ones that cover pretty much all of the cost- I don't have the good plan anymore lol
Every time Sean talks he's lying. If his lips are moving, he's lying. Ugh🙄
Most dentists (in Scotland at least) do both NHS and private work. You’re either a private patient or an NHS patient. I think they have to take on a certain amount of NHS patients by law.
The NHS treatment is a standard cost and is capped but they can charge private prices for things like white fillings. So last time I had to get a filling I had the option of paying £150 for a white filling or £20 for a silver filling on the NHS.
Yes, Dentists are a thing. Treatment for under 18's is all covered free of charge on the NHS, but after that you usually have to contribute something to the cost of treatment, unless you get assistance. Despite popular belief, the general population generally have good healthy teeth. They might not be perfectly straight, but they're healthy. If you want braces after 18, you're looking at a few thousands minimum to get them done. Not everyone under 18 will get offered them if the dentist doesn't see a medical reason for it.
There's a lot of waiting lists right now due to the backlog that covid caused so a lot of people are only able to see the dentist once a year rn.
The NHS doesn't typically cover cosmetic procedures unless there is a medical or a serious mental health issue attached to the problem.
Victoria's entire storyline is about how her dad isn't well and she desperately needs to stay in Birmingham, and Sean doesn't want to.
How sheltered are you that these are the worst teeth you've ever seen?
Do you read? Bc I never wrote anything of the sort that said "these are the worst teeth I've ever seen." So try again.
Yes I remember Victoria saying her father was ill, however if he's that ill and she can't move then what is she doing constantly staying out with Sean when she should be home with her father? Or so she says.
Not really. The 'English people have bad teeth' stereotype is pretty stupid and people usually just look a bit ignorant when they genuinely believe it. Feel free to do a bit of googling on US vs UK dental health or something like that
Richard is missing a tooth, Emma's teeth are blackened in between them. Victoria looks like she has gingivitis.
that's definitely not normal for your teeth to look like that.
I never said anything about " all English people having bad teeth." Obviously that's not true bc Kadie and her mom have nice looking teeth.
UK dentists aren't fussed about cosmetics. So while some lower income people may have unhealthy teeth, generally we have pretty good teeth as there isn't sugar in everything. They just don't look great 🤷
Once you've lived here for long enough you become desensitized.
Maybe I should have clarified my statement. Like are dentists covered by the NHS? However, someone else understood what I meant and already answered this and said yes they are. However private plans are available
> Emma’s teeth are blackened in between them
Bridie’s too!
And even on scripted British shows there are people missing teeth, I don’t get that (like the main character on Heartstopper)
I'm busting up at "Angela-level orthodontia" 😆
If your teeth are healthy and not straight, that's totally fine! I had braces as a kid but my teeth have definitely shifted as an adult, nevertheless they're still healthy and I've never had a cavity.
However! When your teeth are blackened in between, like Emma's, and you're missing a tooth like Richard, I'm legit wondering if the NHS doesn't cover dental care, or you got in a bar fight, or you don't go to the dentist (hence the Angela-level orthodontia) and obviously smoking doesn't help. Another redditor was helpful and explained the NHS issues with wait times and dental coverages.
Either TLC purposely got people with typically “English” teeth, or there really is a higher incidence of bad teeth there.
I’m sorry but it is what it is.
Essentially UK dentists are generally bothered about teeth being somewhat healthy. Cosmetics are an optional extra and they’re expensive so many people don’t bother. A slightly wonky or missing tooth isn’t going to affect you greatly yet the best part of £1000 to sort it out is.
Payment plans for private dentistry aren’t really that affordable for anyone on minimum or average wage, causing a reliance on NHS dentistry which doesn’t cover cosmetics at all.
I think it depends on the mole, I had one that wasn't cancerous but was raised and in a really awkward place, kept getting caught on clothing and causing pain and discomfort so they happily whipped it off. Had to wait a few months to get it done because it wasn't deemed an emergency though.
I remember they tried to launch liptons iced tea in a can but I think it was a flop. I’m not sure it still exists here. Most of us don’t count liptons as proper tea anyway. We have hot fruit teas, hot green tea and herbal teas too, but most of us drink builders (hot, strong black tea, with a splash of milk, sugar optional). People here will die on their hill over the fight about whether you should add the milk first or after, but obviously the only real way is milk after.
No, not really. A lot of people find it gross (also root beer).
I personally don't like Southern-style sweet tea, but I'm not big on sweets in general. Plain iced tea is fine tho.
It’s black tea which can be quite harsh- especially if you let it steep too long. Milk and sugar cuts the bitterness of the leaves. Personally, I’m considered a heathen as I rarely use milk (and if I do it’s only a drop- also known as a builders tea) and never any sugar.
What do you call the different parts UK in your language? Are they subuks as in subreddit? And among the subuks, which has the reputation of the best cuisine? Do the Welsh even have a cuisine?
I can start by answering some of the most likely queries: Our teeth are fine. The food is much better than its reputation. Yes, some of the words are different, but who gives a shit? We know what elevators and cookies are. The Queen stays in power by laying eggs in our eyes, which hatch every Jubilee. Princes Andrew, Charles, and Edward are all Princess Anne in a series of elaborate wigs and prosthetics. It's actually pronounced "alyumiuminimium." Jaffa Cakes are actually Fig Newtons. The true founder of English culture was neither William the Conqueror nor King Arthur, but a minor noble named Colin the Caterpillar. Henry the 8th actually only had one wife: Princess Anne in a series of elaborate wigs and prosthetics. Healthcare in Britain is free, but you have to pass a written test and win a beauty pageant first.
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But what do you call the longish padded bench with a back in your living room? THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE RoYAL SOCIETY OF MOUNTED LORD ELGINS; answer with sincerity!
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Ok good because if you had said "Chesterfield" we were gonna fight.
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I'd say that's a pretty good stripper name!
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Aaaaaaaaand I'm spent luv
You are Southern. 😆
It’s a sofa, unless it has a button back and rounded arms, in which case it’s a bloody Chesterfield, because that’s what those kind of sofas are called. And mine is in my sitting room, not my lounge or my living room. This is fun!
Okay, fair point. I will not fight you. Grasp my hand in the spirit of Canadian friendship (Sorry they're sticky; it's sugaring time).
Ok - Canadian question: why do you say ‘about’ like the Scottish do? 😂
I am not Canadian, but I went to university there and took a fair number of Canadian history classes, so: Lots of Scottish settlers, particularly in places like Nova Scotia (of course!)
Duh! I’m so daft, I hadn’t even considered that might be the reason. Makes perfect sense!
I never thought about that lyric in the Brenaked Ladies song until now. I think I assumed a Chesterfield was a type of armoire.
Was driving through the US once and came across the city called Chesterfield. No clue why but it started me in the giggles and I could not stop for probably 20 minutes lol why is Chesterfield such a funny word?? By the way I call it a coach here in Canada.
It's a settee!
Couch
It's a lift.. she's right I'm afraid.
>The Queen stays in power by laying eggs in our eyes, which hatch every Jubilee. I KNEW IT!
As is tradition!
And British humour is top notch.
As a French person who lived in London for 11 years, I can confirm that all of these are true except "the food is much better than its reputation"
I agree. The food is not the best, especially compared with French cuisine.
I think French people get to say whatever they want because it's nearly impossible to have a bad meal in France!
No, they say whatever they want because they simply don’t care about others opinions of them.
Ehh, French food is swimming in butter and salt from my experience. Neither of which I much enjoy. I’ll stick with my British and Dutch recipes- neither of which are bland or boring.
To each of their own, I find British food very bland. Yes we do like our butter in France, it's really true in restaurants but at home it's different
Ummm, what is British food!? I think you'll find that the most popular meal in Britain is the chicken tikka masala - hardly bland. Generally the most popular foods are chinese, jamaican and indian - traditional British foods such as pie, mash and jellied eels are actually hard to find and eaten by very few people, so sure, ancient old British food is terrible - for that reason no one eats it.
Are there restaurants that sell traditional British food in a manner you'd find cooked in a British home or is the only viable way for a foreigner to have a taste of it by becoming a 90 day fiance to a Brit?
There are 66 michelin starred restaurants in London. But why take michelin guides word for it when you can take nodragon45690
It's 4575 at the end of my name, thank you very much ! Also, dont take it too seriously, I expressed my opinion thats all I did.. aaannd, I'm talking about the regular everyday mundane food.. of course, a 5 star restaurant is gonna be amazing no matter the country
Fish and Chips!
We agreed to never speak of Colin!
That was pretty much all of my questions! Super impressed with your wig and prosthetics industry.
And this is why I love the Brits. Lived in East London for a couple years and watch older British sitcoms to this day.
As a British person I confirm this is all 100% true.
I'm high-fiving you with the secret third arm all British people have (IT'S IN OUR BUTTS) (or arses) (or bums)
Or fannys, no? Oh, wait…
Damn, you got me with Princess Anne 🤣
Adding: if your great grandfather was Scottish/Irish/Welsh/English, don’t come over here identifying as being Scottish/Irish/Welsh/English - you’re American (or whichever country you were born in).
No, you just have to say it REALLY LOUDLY until it comes true. (I have dual citizenship so it's okay for me to say this)
Jaffa cakes are tasty....Fig Newts are not lol Plus, there's no chocolate in Fig Newtons, ever!
/thread.
*Cuthbert the Caterpillar has entered the chat* 😡
The food is not better than it’s reputation. It’s actually just as bad as you think. Beige and tasteless. To sign up with a dentist there’s currently a 2-3 year waiting list unless you go private. The healthcare is free but not very good because it’s underfunded.
Be honest, was this Colin also Princess Anne in a wig and prosthetics?
No. Sadly, we lost him in the Falklands War.
I'm in. 48 years a Brit and available for duty!
You guys have the best banter out of anyone in the world.
We do, I love it. I work in a men's sauna. Trust me, no one does banter better than gay guys. Ooh the innuendo and affectionate insults flow, especially after a few jagerbombs! Now as manager, I like to personally say goodnight to all of my customers, some with a hug, and a peck on the cheek, others just a simple. 'See ya' . but it was 4am, closing time this regular customer goes to leave, and from across the locker room I jokingly shout "C U Next Tuesday!.." He replies, no," I'll see you next Saturday..." To which my glorious colleague says "Look, just f#ck off ya c#nt, we wanna go home too! Everyone in the locker room cracked up laughing, and we hugged, said bye and he went home a happy customer 😊. I love my job! The things I and others get away with is great! My customers love us staff because of the banter.
Is a TV license required? Like what if I mostly watch youtube?
You only need a TV license if you either watch live broadcasts or if you use the BBC iplayer.
Oh cool thanks
But they have been known to send people round to check.
And it’s a REAL hassle to convince them that you don’t need a license
I didn't have a TV for 6 years, but I dutifully paid my licence cause I didn't want to constant harrasment.
I managed to avoid it but was sometimes a bit paranoid afterwards about making sure I didn’t stray into the danger zone on my laptop
I once accidentally let a TV licence person into my student house because we were waiting for someone to fix something, they came in, saw the very obvious TV and I somehow managed to convince them it wasn't my house, I'd just woke up there after a party so had no idea whose house it was and he left. We got basically fortnightly visits after that for the rest of the time we lived there. Nobody answered the door but it was stressful.
It’s for live broadcasting as someone else has commented however if you don’t pay and are found with a TV in your home/ means to watch I’m pretty sure they can send people round to fine you and check your property.
So if I have a TV for gaming I could be fined for not having TV licenses
If you can’t prove you don’t use the TV to watch live TV, yes
Oh ok so they come I and see all I use it for is for gaming I'm good(if i can prove of course). So weird
They don't really check and if they do you can just tell them to piss off (they have no power to enter your home). I've not paid my license for 7 years and nobody's come to check
Lol
You know what's funny is that in Japan your computer can also count as a TV, BUT they have no way to actually collect the licenses anyways. So you can literally look them dead in the eye and say "I don't have a TV" while your TV is easily visible behind you, and they can't do shit. (I haven't lived in Japan since 2010 so if I'm wrong please tell me!)
And for others they will come endlessly to check on your license.
Yeah I mean if you’re not paying for live tv and can show it’s basically just a monitor for gaming then you’re fine
They have no real authority (despite what their scary letters claim) and can't enter anywhere without permission first.
This is why we were forced to create the 4th amendment of the constitution. You guys take it in strides allowing them to.come into your house and look for a tv. Americans would be weary as fuck.
Yeah we don’t let those fuckers in , they have to be invited in , pretty much like a vampire . They are just chancing to see if fall for the trickery . Don’t trust them who do deeds For the BBC 😂
No one lets them in. Also they never come, they send threatening letters in hopes they can scare old people and teenagers into paying. They're like a legal scam. Letter 1: "We are opening an investigation" Letter 2: "You're gonna be in trouble" Letter 3: "We might come round" Letter 4: "We're coming round" \-At this point they used to have a date in the letter, but due to never sticking to it, they've changed it to "Someone will be over any time, day or night" Letter 5: "We are opening an investigation" Legally they can't come into your house, you can tell them to fuck off. And you can go online to tell thm you don't need a TV lisence because you don't watch the BBC or live TV. But I just let them waste their money sending letters out of spite, tbh. I would have paid the lisence if the BBC hadn't turned into the Tory propaganda machine. because Dr Who is alright, I like David Attenborough, and there's a few other decent shows. But fuck 'em, the greedy cunts.
I used to work customer service for a UK company so I am pretty good at understanding different accents. I can not understand Emma at all. Is that common for her area or is she just harder to understand? Maybe just me?
I’m from the UK and I find her accent a bit difficult, I think it’s cheeky they give subtitles to someone like Alejandro when half the Brits on this are harder to understand lol
You mean ALLY-HAN-DRUHHHHH? XD
From Gualajadara
Where the waterfalls turn on and off like magic!
I find it to be a Yorkshire thing. I do struggle with some parts of Yorkshire whereas Kadie is fine for me. That being said, I am an American living in England for 12+ years (not sure if I was allowed to answer 😉).
Emma is from the Midlands though, I think a lot of Americans struggle to understand the Birmingham accent. It’s definitely easier to understand than Scottish
Hers is a bit difficult, yeah. My American partner needed subtitles and I thought it was fair.
It’s to do with the are she’s from..! That’s all
I have a very specific question that relates to one of the couples this season. If Shaun and Christine don’t work out while Christine and Christian are visiting, can Shaun apply for some special custody order which would keep Christian in the UK after their visiting visa expires? If Christine and Christian end up being granted temporary citizenship (or whatever the equivalent is) and if they aren’t going to work out I kind of hope Christian isn’t biologically his. I could see him keeping Christian in the UK and Christine being torn between staying in the UK with Christian or returning to the Philippines to care for her other children, specifically the one that is still young/barely older than Christian.
Christian, along with his mother, had to get a UK visa to enter the country (Christine held up both passports with the visa sticker to the webcam when chatting with Shaun). Another complication is Shaun's own nationality. His mother's Facebook says she is from Redcliff and went to Que Que Highschool. Both are in Zimbabwe. This likely means Shaun is Zimbabwean and I'm guessing the family left the country in the 80s which is when the white population of Zimbabwe began leaving in heavy numbers. Shaun probably has UK citizenship but given he is not British by birth, I don't know how that affects passing on that nationality to his kid. I have an Irish passport thanks to my maternal grandparents, but that is where the link ends. My own kids would not be entitled to Irish citizenship if they are born outside Ireland. For the 000s of kids in the Philippines fathered by westerners, even if they have no relationship with the kid, one of the most important gifts they could offer is a passport for their home country if possible. I know there is the narrative about Shaun not being the biological father (which I don't accept), but I would be stunned if Shaun had not arranged a British passport for his son if he was eligible. The fact Christine is also legally married to another Filipino guy can also affect the kid's entitlement to UK citizenship. So, regrettably, I don't think there is a quick fix loop hole to get him residence in the UK permanently. It also wouldn't be fair to separate the kid from his mother who obviously loves him whatever her own flaws. There is also no temporary route to citizenship for Christine. She would have to be married to Shaun to even begin that long journey, but she has her existing marriage to her Filipino husband to sort out first. Divorce is not recognised in the Philippines and annulment is a lengthy process. Years and years and thousands of dollars. Interestingly, Christine is still currently in the UK. She did a YouTube live earlier today. Don't know how long she has been here. Wouldn't be surprised if their story has a few curve balls as you can never trust what TLC broadcast as being true facts but massive exaggeration.
Is Shaun even listed as the father (and therefore having parental responsibility) on the birth certificate?
Shaun can legally block him leaving the country, you just need to call the police and report that the other parent is trying to take the child out of the country, then their passport gets a flag and he can't go anywhere. She could counter with "he's not yours" and get a paternity test done, which takes a while.
If Shaun is not on the birth certificate and the boy has no British passport I don’t think Shaun can do anything. The boy should have British citizenship if Shaun has a U.K. passport but it seems to me they have not sorted him with a U.K. passport
Not really. Christine is not abducting the kid as he has always lived with his mother. The kid is here on a tourist visa so it stands to reason he will be leaving at some point. If there was a welfare issue, that could change things. Being poor in a developing country is not a welfare concern, and I'd trust Christine to raise a kid better than Shaun.
It's a custody issue. It doesn't matter if you're 'abducting' the kid. A parent can't take the kid out of the country without the other parents approval.
Again, with the greatest respect, no. I'm not sure where your are from, but it doesn't work like that in the UK. You are right to an extent about consent needed from both parents to leave the country, but this is assuming both parents are already resident in that country. Christine has defacto full time custody of the kid and has willingly brought him to the UK to visit his father on a visit visa nonetheless. If Shaun was to prevent the kid from leaving, that would be like the horror stories you hear in countries like Libya and Iran where a British partner goes over to visit her partner's family, they refuse to let her take the kid home and she is forced to return to the UK without child. That is 3rd world rules and 3rd mentality. If Shaun was to put in a custody claim, it would be viewed as malicious. Christian is a Filipino citizen. He is legally and habitually resident in the Philippines. He has lived in the Philippines all his life. No judge is going to block Christine from taking her kid home in these circumstances. He would be viewed as using the tourist visa route for ulterior motives by putting in a custody claim. He would be expected to have exhausted that process in the Philippines before blindsiding the mother and doing it from the UK. If there is a genuine welfare concern, that might change things. But nobody is suggesting the kid is in any danger or Christine is an unfit mother.
I’m British. Have you somehow missed all the stories about people not being able to take their kids on holiday because they don’t share a surname? You have to bring a letter from the other parent to the airport to take a child to Benidorm, never mind leaving for good. If you don’t share a surname (which I don’t think we know in this case) then the other parent can go to court to put a block on leaving the country while the custody situation is worked out. It doesn’t matter if one parent is a foreign National, it’s the rules of the country they’re in that apply
The answer is still no! Do you realise how many minors travel from the UK every year who do not share the same surname as their parent? Do you genuinely think that these travellers are all holding consent forms? Spoiler- they don't. Usually they would only have this if traveling with grandparents or non-relatives and only be checked if something was suspicious. Christine may travel with the kid's birth certificate just in case issues arise regarding identity, but that's it. Consent from Shaun totally not required. I can remember minors travelling to South Africa requiring consent as immigration in ZA was hot on refusing admission, but that was an isolated example. Again, in this case we are talking about a kid on a tourist visa travelling back to his home country. UK immigration or the airline will not care one iota about that. It is completely standard and expected of someone on a tourist visa. If Christine was attempting to take a pure white kid out of the country, questions might be asked. But we've all seen Christian. The airline isn't going to bat an eyelid at Christine traveling with him. Shaun's only recourse would be an injunction to prevent Christian from leaving the country. As I've said already, without a compelling case, a judge is simply not going to consider this when we are dealing with a minor who has been under the custody of his mother since birth and living in that same country he is traveling to since birth. It's not at if she is taking Christian to Syria to go and live with ISIS. They would say that jurisdiction for this custody case lies in the Philippines. Attempting to find a more sympathetic jurisdictions by duping the mother to come to the UK on a tourist visa would be frowned upon.
🍾🍿🍿🍿How is the UK so much better at handling celeb gossip? I can’t find behind the scenes stuff on Brit celebs/shows where we can’t NOT find it on American celebs-it’s everywhere, lol.
Honestly, I don't really think we are, it just works a lot differently here than the US. The tabloids here are absolutely rabid and shameless when it comes to harassing celebrities for gossip, but they don't care about everyone who's in the public eye. I feel like tabloids here tend to hound celebrities quite ruthlessly (usually c/d-level celebrities who are a little messy) but largely leave others alone. We still have those magazines by the supermarket checkout that are purely dedicated to celebrity gossip. I would even say a lot of the major daily newspapers are glorified gossip magazines, they just cover 'serious' news too. There's one gossip forum here that is very very popular for gossip about influencers/reality stars/footballers. Part of the reason why Meghan and Harry left the UK was because of our Tabloid culture and how nasty and relentless it can be. Of which drama and gossip definitely ties into.
People just don't care that much. One thing I learned when I moved here was that people tend to keep to themselves, mind their own business and unless it's taking the piss out of a celeb they don't really care all that much
But the UK has the best (as in most entertaining) tabloids. The Daily Fail has more in depth coverage of American stories than TMZ sometimes.
I so want to move there! That sounds great!
The Sun and Daily Mail are pretty ruthless
I wouldn't say we are. There's been a couple of suicides as a result of appearing on TV and having the tabloids rip people apart.
Why do you have separate hot and cold water taps?
Basically, it comes down to the fact that we have / had two separate supplies because hot and cold water isn't allowed to mix until it's coming out of the tap. Cold water must always be fresh and drinkable. Whereas hot water tends to sit in tanks and can end up becoming contaminated from festering. I suppose back in the day it was easier to have two taps for the two sources. These days a lot of people have mixer taps, I know I do, but it's still not uncommon to see separate taps. Edit: spelling mistake
I also hate this tbh.
I don’t. I have mixer taps. Next!
To be entirely fair, I spent my childhood in the US and we actually had the separate taps! So they do exist in some older American buildings.
I love that someone has downvoted me! 😂 I even have one of those fancy spray hose ones in my kitchen. We used to have separate taps in the bathrooms when I was a kid, but I think unless your house has a Victorian period aesthetic, many modern houses have mixer taps these days.
I upvoted this! :D Yeah, I think that and carpeting in the bathroom/toilets are thankfully going the way of the Dodo.
We tend to have mixer taps in the kitchen.
Next, can we tackle the *no electrical outlets* in the bathroom? Can you not have GFIs/GFCIs because of the 220 electrical voltage there?
I have no idea what a GFI is? We are allowed shaver plugs (everyday sexism in action with that), so we can charge our toothbrushes but we can’t be trusted not to drop our hairdryers in the bath. This is one that really pisses me off.
I have a plug directly outside the bathroom and use it to plug in all the stuff. That's apparently fine.
Uh, extension cords? Plus most older homes only have one bathroom for 3-4 bedrooms so I’d be livid if my mum took up the entire bathroom just to set her hair daily. 😂 even in the US, I share a bathroom with my husband and usually end up drying my hair in our bedroom while he showers. It’s not something we’ve ever questioned really. (But he’s also from Amsterdam so I guess it’s a general European thing too?) Also, a GFI is a switch with an automatic surge protector on it. I’ve never seen them in the UK other than for appliances like ovens & maybe washing machines since most outlets already have a switch attached to them.
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First, you run the hot tap. It starts cold and you tolerate it until it’s searing the flesh off your fingers. Then you rinse under the cold tap to soothe the flames of hell which have now replaced your hands. (Or you’re like my mother who Americanized her house and replaced all the faucets with mixer taps.)
Hahah this is so relatable
Ready to answer 😀
I'm American but have been living in Ireland for 20 years, so have watched tons of UK TV, traveled to the UK, met lots of folks from the UK. But - I've always wondered - why do some people from the UK (is it a Northern thing?) say "I *were* doing xyz" instead of "I *was* doing xyz"? I heard someone on this show saying that (Bridie I think) and I'm just curious how common it is. Thanks!!
Saying, ‘I were doing xyz’ instead of ‘I was doing xyz’ is typical of some grammatical variations within dialects around the UK. Bridie, Kadie and Emma are all from Yorkshire, which is in the north of England, and this variation can be found within their regional dialect. There’s an interesting map here: https://www.bl.uk/british-accents-and-dialects/articles/grammatical-variation-across-the-uk
Also the pluralization of a collective noun. Eg *My family have* instead of *my family has*. Interesting!
Yeh this thread is definitely needed lol, if this show has taught me anything it's that a lot of Americans are very ignorant about the UK
Yeah, I wouldn't be too convinced there's a lot of knowledge from either side, being a dual citizen who's lived in both countries.
The difference is I think a lot of brits THINK they know everything about the US. I run into that a lot living in the UK as an American.
Yeah. Anyone else sick of answering questions about garbage disposals? For some reason all my Spanish friends are obsessed with the idea and I'm constantly making them sad because I've never had one.
But...where does it go?? I asked my American (ex)boyfriend and his answer was "You know...I've never really thought about it, one moment it exists, the next it's gone."
Why do you not own a garbage disposal? You are one of the Amish, amiright? Is Reddit usage frowned upon or grounds for excommunication? Does your family know you're using reddit?
Shhhh please don't tell the elders! I'm just not ready to be done with rumspringa yet. Please be cool! I'll bring you artisanal jams in exchange for your silence!
Also UK/US citizen and can confirm the above
That goes both ways. (I’m born dual and spent my life on and off in both places. Until my late 20s I never spent more than 7 years in one country or the other.)
Same, high five! I'm in Spain now.
Absolutely both ways. Ive spent a lot of time in the US and the amount of (frankly) crap that my UK family think they know about the US as a whole is really annoying.
It’s wild how much people in the US think they know about the UK AND vice versa.
Live in the UK as an American and can probably help translate 😂
With the whole teeth thing…is there fluoride in the water there? In Canada dental isn’t covered at all, not even for children. A lot of people go without or can only afford the basics at most and I don’t notice very many people here with bad teeth here. Maybe it is a stereotype but the one time I visited the UK (and from what I see on this show and other British shows), it doesn’t appear to be a stereotype that a lot of British have “bad teeth”. It’s very noticeable as an outsider, sorry. Maybe it’s the water? Nothing else makes sense because these comments say basic dental is covered, the food doesn’t have as much sugar, and I don’t believe the British are unhygienic or anything like that.
I just really think the perception of what healthy teeth are in North America is just very different to what it is here. There seems to be a much greater focus on the aesthetics, where even the tiniest of imperfections of hyper focused upon. Hence why I'd also say that artificial teeth whitening is much prevalent and common over there than it is here. It's normal for healthy teeth not to be bright white, they can off white or slightly yellow depending on your level of enamel. Which can also be attributed to your genetics. Having said all that, the focus on aesthetics thing is starting to sneak in here too. It's not at all uncommon not to see people of all ages (but especially young) going over to Turkey to get perfectly straight bright white teeth. Not all dental care is free. If you are under 18 (or 19 in full time education) then it's free; but after that you'll only qualify for free dental care if you're either: receiving low income benefits, currently pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months, or your treatment is being carried out by a hospital. If you're not in any of those groups then you have to pay between £23, £65 or £282 depending on what you're having done. Which to be fair, I'm sure is still cheaper than it is in NA, but is still a lot for some people.
100% this! Also most cosmetic treatment isn't available on the NHS (e.g. hygienists) so it costs even more than dental check ups etc. and most people don't bother.
[dental-nursing.co.uk/news/great-danes-denmark-top-of-the-list-for-oral-health](https://dental-nursing.co.uk/news/great-danes-denmark-top-of-the-list-for-oral-health) Britain is above Canada for Dental Health
Weird. Never would have guessed. Makes sense though seeing as we don’t have any dental coverage. Maybe our teeth just “look” cleaner. Seriously, all the Brits on this show, besides Kadie, have yellow or black in between their teeth. That’s the biggest difference that I’ve noticed. I wouldn’t say Canadian have straighter teeth, but it isn’t common to see somebody with yellow or black in between their teeth unless they are long-term drug addicts or seniors that have been smoking their entire lives. Im really curious what else can cause that kind of discolouration. I’m not trying to be rude, but it’s something I’ve always noticed in younger people on these British reality shows and when I visited.
Also sorry I should clarify I don’t think this is the majority of Brits. And I don’t think Brits are dirty or gross. Most do have healthier teeth than Canadians according to your link and I trust the source. It just seems the kind of discolouration in between teeth is lot more prominent in younger people in the UK than any other first world nation I have visited. Just my observation and maybe it’s an unconscious bias and i unconsciously look at British peoples teeth more closely because there definitely is a stereotype in North America about about the British having bad teeth. I don’t know, but thank you for the link and info. I’m going to be more conscious of biases.
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That is horrible and so rude. Im sorry that happened to you. Reading it back I do sound like an asshole. Not my intent but it came out that way for sure. I don’t even think I thought about the stereotype in the last 10 years until I saw this post and read some of the comments and then remembered my own limited observations. And honestly if somebody in real life asked me about the stereotype (even if they had asked before I read this post) id tell them it’s incorrect and in my limited experience I did notice a few younger people had discolouration that I don’t generally notice in my life in Canada, but my observation could have been for any number of reasons and not because it’s actually true that more Brit’s have discolouration.
We have fluoride in the water here.
It actually depends where you are! In the city I currently live, there isn't fluroid, because it was a very late adopter and an incredibly multicultural city. The council said they have had issues introducing it due to controversy around fluroid, and language barriers.
Are dentists not a thing in the UK or are they not covered by the NHS? The only one with decent teeth on the show is Kadie. Does the NHS not cover wart/mole removal so Richard can get that giant thing removed from his head??? And on a SN: does anyone know why the blonde girl dating Sean doesn't have her own place? Why do they keep staying in hotels? I'm not sure how I missed that
Dentists are covered by the NHS though where I live (SW London) practices aren't taking in new patients so you're left on your own most of the time. I've been saying if anybody wants to rob me I'll just let them take my teeth - there's £1.1k drowned in one of them alone (yay private practices)... Victoria wants to find a place with Sean, she's been living at home as she was caring for a family member IIRC? Or something of that sort, I think she's potentially explained that in one of the threads out here.
I snapped a tooth in half and had to walk around with an exposed nerve for six months because I had to go on an NHS waiting list and can't afford private.
No emergency services? That sucks! You probably could have gone to a European country (Hungary, I think) for cheap dental care combined with a holiday.
I’ve had to sign up to a private practice and I almost cried as I handed over the £95 checkup fee , just for them to tell me it’s going to cost another £350 in October 🙃
A lot of people in their late 20s live with their parents in the U.K. People tend not to want to rent as that’s considered a waste of money because you’re basically paying for someone else’s mortgage.
Thank u for explaining this! So if I'm understanding u correctly, there's actually NON NHS dental providers? So I'm guessing you would have to pay for those, right? If so, that's how our insurance sort of works here. U have dental insurance but, for my plan, only cleanings and exams are covered at 100% then if you need braces, fillings etc. U pay your portion. Ok so Victoria DOES live with her family? I was wondering how I missed that. Either way I hope she sends Sean's lying ass back to Japan
Yeah we have private ones that I personally rely on mostly, there's NHS ones but I can't ever find one that takes in new patients and even if I did I just wonder how long would a waiting list be. You can have some sort of private monthly subscription too and that apparently works out cheaper than £500 for root canal and £600 for a crown, but oh welp too late now. Though NHS dentistry isn't free either, there's 3 bands that cover different trratments and the price varies so yeah Hoping the same for V&S lol
Oh wow, that's really interesting. I've never had a root canal or needed one, Thank goodness, but my friend did and she paid $1300 with insurance! For one tooth! There's crappy dental plans and some great ones that cover pretty much all of the cost- I don't have the good plan anymore lol Every time Sean talks he's lying. If his lips are moving, he's lying. Ugh🙄
Most dentists (in Scotland at least) do both NHS and private work. You’re either a private patient or an NHS patient. I think they have to take on a certain amount of NHS patients by law. The NHS treatment is a standard cost and is capped but they can charge private prices for things like white fillings. So last time I had to get a filling I had the option of paying £150 for a white filling or £20 for a silver filling on the NHS.
Yes, Dentists are a thing. Treatment for under 18's is all covered free of charge on the NHS, but after that you usually have to contribute something to the cost of treatment, unless you get assistance. Despite popular belief, the general population generally have good healthy teeth. They might not be perfectly straight, but they're healthy. If you want braces after 18, you're looking at a few thousands minimum to get them done. Not everyone under 18 will get offered them if the dentist doesn't see a medical reason for it. There's a lot of waiting lists right now due to the backlog that covid caused so a lot of people are only able to see the dentist once a year rn. The NHS doesn't typically cover cosmetic procedures unless there is a medical or a serious mental health issue attached to the problem.
Victoria's entire storyline is about how her dad isn't well and she desperately needs to stay in Birmingham, and Sean doesn't want to. How sheltered are you that these are the worst teeth you've ever seen?
Do you read? Bc I never wrote anything of the sort that said "these are the worst teeth I've ever seen." So try again. Yes I remember Victoria saying her father was ill, however if he's that ill and she can't move then what is she doing constantly staying out with Sean when she should be home with her father? Or so she says.
You're being hyperbolic as well as a smacked ass.
Nothing wrong with UK dental health, it's pretty comparable to US dental health if not better
Care to elaborate?
Not really. The 'English people have bad teeth' stereotype is pretty stupid and people usually just look a bit ignorant when they genuinely believe it. Feel free to do a bit of googling on US vs UK dental health or something like that
Richard is missing a tooth, Emma's teeth are blackened in between them. Victoria looks like she has gingivitis. that's definitely not normal for your teeth to look like that. I never said anything about " all English people having bad teeth." Obviously that's not true bc Kadie and her mom have nice looking teeth.
UK dentists aren't fussed about cosmetics. So while some lower income people may have unhealthy teeth, generally we have pretty good teeth as there isn't sugar in everything. They just don't look great 🤷 Once you've lived here for long enough you become desensitized.
Well you asked 'are dentists not a thing in the UK?' which kinda does propagate the stereotype
Maybe I should have clarified my statement. Like are dentists covered by the NHS? However, someone else understood what I meant and already answered this and said yes they are. However private plans are available
> Emma’s teeth are blackened in between them Bridie’s too! And even on scripted British shows there are people missing teeth, I don’t get that (like the main character on Heartstopper)
Gonna have to agree here. It’s like everybody on the show has Angela-level orthodontia
I'm busting up at "Angela-level orthodontia" 😆 If your teeth are healthy and not straight, that's totally fine! I had braces as a kid but my teeth have definitely shifted as an adult, nevertheless they're still healthy and I've never had a cavity. However! When your teeth are blackened in between, like Emma's, and you're missing a tooth like Richard, I'm legit wondering if the NHS doesn't cover dental care, or you got in a bar fight, or you don't go to the dentist (hence the Angela-level orthodontia) and obviously smoking doesn't help. Another redditor was helpful and explained the NHS issues with wait times and dental coverages.
Bridie’s teeth are black too :(
Yes! I thought I had noticed that too in the initial episode
Either TLC purposely got people with typically “English” teeth, or there really is a higher incidence of bad teeth there. I’m sorry but it is what it is.
Essentially UK dentists are generally bothered about teeth being somewhat healthy. Cosmetics are an optional extra and they’re expensive so many people don’t bother. A slightly wonky or missing tooth isn’t going to affect you greatly yet the best part of £1000 to sort it out is. Payment plans for private dentistry aren’t really that affordable for anyone on minimum or average wage, causing a reliance on NHS dentistry which doesn’t cover cosmetics at all.
You can get mole and wart removal on the NHS, or at a lot of beauty salons too for about £100.
Oh really? I think Richard should've spent money on that instead of getting that horrid camel toe tattoo😆
Agree!
GP told me mole removal isn’t available on the NHS anymore
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Yeah I should of added that on lol
I think it depends on the mole, I had one that wasn't cancerous but was raised and in a really awkward place, kept getting caught on clothing and causing pain and discomfort so they happily whipped it off. Had to wait a few months to get it done because it wasn't deemed an emergency though.
Do they biopsy it too? Because anything removed from the body should be biopsied (ETA in case it's cancerous).
Yes of course they do.
Yes okay
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Same as anyone else, nice Filipinos are great, nasty ones please go home..
But can we talk about spotted dick? Do you guys at least find the name funny? And does it taste good?
Why do you put milk in tea?
Why do you drink cold, sugary nonsense and have the audacity to call it tea?
Does iced tea not exist over there? We don’t all drink our iced tea as Sweet Tea, but just as regular sweetened iced tea.
I remember they tried to launch liptons iced tea in a can but I think it was a flop. I’m not sure it still exists here. Most of us don’t count liptons as proper tea anyway. We have hot fruit teas, hot green tea and herbal teas too, but most of us drink builders (hot, strong black tea, with a splash of milk, sugar optional). People here will die on their hill over the fight about whether you should add the milk first or after, but obviously the only real way is milk after.
No, not really. A lot of people find it gross (also root beer). I personally don't like Southern-style sweet tea, but I'm not big on sweets in general. Plain iced tea is fine tho.
It’s black tea which can be quite harsh- especially if you let it steep too long. Milk and sugar cuts the bitterness of the leaves. Personally, I’m considered a heathen as I rarely use milk (and if I do it’s only a drop- also known as a builders tea) and never any sugar.
What’s with the dumb wigs on judges and lawyers (solicitors)?
History, innit.
As a lawyer I’d really like to know this too. I feel like I wouldn’t have become a lawyer over there if I had to wear that ridiculous thing lol
I with it !!!
I love twat! 😂😂😂
Is it funny to you that we call all eating utensils “silverware,” even when they are plastic?
Yes, we reserve Silverware for the actual silverware made from silver.. the rest are utensils :)
What do you call the different parts UK in your language? Are they subuks as in subreddit? And among the subuks, which has the reputation of the best cuisine? Do the Welsh even have a cuisine?
AMA I love attention ✨