It appeared, at the time, one of the stranger moves in media when Seven announced on Tuesday that former reality star and unemployed radio host, Sam Frost, was pulling on the bikini after snaring a role in its long-running soap Home And Away despite having no actual formal acting training.
Seven, extolling at the time: “Her natural ease in front of the camera makes her a wonderful addition to the Home and Away family.”
However, Frost’s move to Summer Bay has been lambasted as a poor publicity stunt and, worse, an insult to the acting and screenwriting professions.
A number of local Aussie actors have taken to social media inferring Frost’s move was an insult to the acting profession. One tweeting it was “an insult to trained actors”, while another wrote, “It’s made a mockery of the acting industry”.
Another wrote: “Sam Frost is nothing more and does not deserve the role. She’s stolen it from those who’ve attended NIDA”.
After Home And Away promoted the announcement on its Facebook page, fans were left fuming, even suggesting it marked the beginning of the end for the show.
Acting coach Brendan Glanville told Brisbane’s The Courier Mail that the move was a “stunt” by Seven and it “demonstrates that Home and Away has lost faith in its writers if directors are resorting to this kind of stunt, rather than using their story lines to pull viewers”.
But not everyone’s been scathing of the move. Frost finding support from NOVA host and former Home And Away star Kate Ricthie.
Ritchie telling her radio audience, “I just don’t know why people are so mean spirited towards an opportunity that’s been given to someone” before adding a lot of people who have appeared on the show didn’t come from an acting background.
Frost, herself, appears to have ignored the fury too, posting on social media yesterday: “I am not afraid to challenge myself, to push through barriers. I work incredibly hard professionally & personally to constantly grow, learn and evolve.
“I have chosen to live my life embracing opportunities & challenges with open arms. It may work, it may not… but at least I can say I was brave enough to give it a shot.”
Frost will reportedly begin join the Home And Away crew next month, although her she won’t hit TV screens until 2018.
