It's cos he is posher than she is....

That could be an underlying reason I suppose Vids, but she has been careful not to imply that.
There does seem to be something about Ben that riles her intensely. Her behaviour towards him is totally unreasonable.
Even a pleasant remark is twisted into something malicious in her mind.
She does, though dislike him with an intensity, and the real reason may be something as yet unspoken - in her head.

Bang on! And he's more comfortable with his poshness.....he's not pretending to be a street urchin from Olde Worlde Dickensian books 

But Shabby seems to be pretending to be some kind of working class hero from what I've seen of her. lol

But she is posh....no matter how she tries to dress it up she can't hide the fact much as she'd like to so shes try to deflect the posh hating onto Ben

Well I think Shabby dislikes Ben because he isn't a Dexy's Midnight Runners fan.

 I thought that.

Neither have any class. 

I don't know who they are.  But they don't.

I don't think Ben pretends to be higher class.  People (like Shabby) just assume he does because he bothers to talk properly.

Yes, as only self-proclaimed would be members of the 'Islington Elite' can!

I can't help thinking of Ben as having the accent of a young Brian Sewell.

It's probably because he pays rent.

It was also, " Neither has any class ", not have.  I was just testing.

Dahlink he looks like he owns 

Don't fret...I don't think anyone gives a toss

True.  But you get my drift...

Broad sweeping generalisation alert!!!!



There's two power blocks in this country IMO, the traditional and generally right wing rich which own almost everything and then there's the thorn in their side with the entertainment and media industry, which is generally populated and influenced by the liberal thinking left.  They both look after their own both usually come from wealthy backgrounds and both hate each other quite passionately.

Carnelian...you said it yourself 'Broad sweeping generalisation'

I have a pretty huge extended family and we can cover all the bases you mentioned. If we can get along and just get on with it, surely the Nation is ready too!. Unless, of course, some staunch class warriors from both sides want to keep this bollox going for another couple of thousand years. Then feel free, we do afterall live in a Democracy

Absolutely, it is a very broad sweeping generalisation and like all broad sweeping generalisations it doesn't quite stand up to exact scrutiny and certainly can't be applied as a general rule.



It's just an observation of the how the left in the media and entertainment generally disparage the right for their selfishness and perceived lack of class while often looking after their own interests, i.e. sending their kids to private schools etc.  I think of Shabby as a knowing example of that type and knowingly confirming to the "Daily Mail" stereotype of a Guardian reading liberal lesbian lefty.  A post-Islington elitist if you like. 



While on the other side there's the right who sneer at the 'champaign socialists' and moan about the 'liberal elite' owning the media and entertainment industries - hence the hatred of the BBC, forgetting that they tend to have ownership everything else.



I just put it out there as a general underlying explanation of antipathy that some people on both sides can sometimes display and why they display such attitudes.  That's why I think Shabby doesn't get along with Ben.

I think you're right. Class consciouness (sp) is alive and well in this country and very deeply ingrained .............................Ben and Shabby have differences ............................now - Nathan and Ben are totally opposed ............the awful thing is - I buy into it. I champion the under dog and revert to type ............ I don't know too much about Nathan at all but kind of empathise with him over Ben (even though it's Ben who's getting all the sympathetic coverage - or coverage at all for that matter). It's really shameful to admit that class is an issue - but it kind of is with me. I'm working class and will always champion the working class hero over the toff.


There - I've said it now.

Carnelian, behave yourself with the sweeping statement line, VBen doesn't hate Shabby, he has tried to chat with her but she rejects him and any contact with him.


The issues all come from her side.

BTW Carnelian, im not from the right in opinions,  I just dislike those who seek to be "different" when actually they are far from different to the rest of us.


Shabby rolls into the house claiming to be things she clearly isn't, she is a rebel just for the sake of it and tries to play us at her game, Ben is being himself and isn't ashamed of it, I admire him for that.


Those like you who are the real snobs look down on Ben as some kind of posh toff fool who deserves no respect and pretend working class hero Shabby is the defender of all things left wing labour values...she is this years job dodging Lisa to Ben's fine but polite and decent Freddie.


I feel that the big brothers big mouth crowd mentallity is alive and well and living in working class BB viewers homes across the country.

In the latest bathroom chat - Caoimhe, Shabby and Ife - they were being hyper-critical of Ben, to the point of invention.
A noticeable aspect was desperately trying to analyse his hand and arm gestures (as if they could possibly accurately re-create them??), but more than that they did impersonations of his voice.
I would consider their  impersonations of Ben's "posh"  voice were blatant mockery, and sneering. Not just an impression, but an impression with mocking and disrespectful intent.

Does it really matter what class or background we are from?   just because we are not from Ben's background do we have to sneer at his politeness and the fact that he's intelligent and well spoken?  is that something to be disliked?


Are we meant to admire the Shabby's of this world, rude and vile in attitude and behaviour?


It doesn't matter where we are from or background we come from,   a good person is a good person.

Yes,   thats what disrespectful people do to others that they cant understand, they mock and abuse.

I think Carnelian is being misunderstood.

I took it as an explanation of why Shabby might be behaving like a total arse towards Ben, not as in agreement with her.

Hmmm maybe, but im still putting my point across how I feel the general population seems to think in these situations,   sadly the class war is still raging in some peoples minds.

I'm not convinced Shabby has a problem with with Ben.  I think she has a problem with authority.

Very much so...and they are more often than not the ones striving for some form of egalitarianism..but I suppose to it gives some a purpose to keep this idea perpetuated 

Interesting discusiion.


Perhaps Shappy's intense dislike is mere jealousy?  Shaby wants to become a film maker and Ben has already been a writer and broadcaster - something that a film maker would aspire to do to gain experience.


For all her rebelling and living outside the rules of society, I find it interesting that she chooses to squat in a house in Mayfair rather than say Peckham.

i reckon its far more basic and shallow than that, she hates ben based on a pre conception of him, same with jj hating rachael based on his preconception of her.

shabby hears the voice and sees  the man and shoves him into 'upper class tosser'  file, doesn't bother to speak to him, to have this denied or confirmed, and to support her preconception of him, she distorts anything he says or does conform to her  opinion  of him, thereby she is always right.it says far more about her ambition to be seen as insightful,clever  and wise than anything else she's said or done.

 exactly the same can be said of jj concerning  rachael

And she doesn't really like men (she said it herself!!!). I'm no psychologist but it's funny how she has the 2 boyish looking females (Ife and Caimhe) following her around like little ducks, there could be some intentions of turning in Shabby's shabby little mind 

Bliddy trustafarians
Jarvis Cocker wrote a song about people like her. Slumming it a while isn't the same as having no choice in the matter. Stupid cow.

Bea was like that Deman! I know quite a few of them myself...always harping on about some cause or other, always going to Festivals (but not slumming it in tents), extremely unforgiving about their parents (even though they invariably Bank roll them through their lives) and incredibly snobbish (inverted or otherwise) 

And lets face it can't be cheap looking like a Victorian street urchin in 2010...more theatrical outfitters than Primark I think!

She's fame hungry wannabe....shttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281136/

She thought she was the token posh one but she's been outposhed...

 suzybean, that's it exactly.

Many thanks Deman  Whoa Croc  She was a child starlet (just googled)...I knew there was a little Violet Elizabeth Bott going on there (or as Deman pointed out some Verruka Salt haha) 

so another she doesn't like Ben is cos he mentioned her acting in the house (which she obviously is) and shes trying to deflect the attention regarding that awy from her in case anyone else realises he was actually on to something.