Prostitutes, hookers, gigolos, hustlers, escorts, call girls, ladies of the night – however you want to label them, sex workers are aplenty on television, both women and men alike (although, the latter group is much smaller).
Unfortunately, they tend to get a bad rep. After all, the practice of selling oneself for money isn’t socially accepted and is believed by most to be taboo.
Have you ever considered, though, the reasons why people enter this industry? From financial problems to abuse, their backgrounds, although often sad and disconcerting, are nevertheless intriguing – and, when applied to TV, make for some scintillating storylines.
Take Secret Diary of a Call Girl, for example. Based on the blogs and books of a real-life high-class escort in London, this hour-long drama (which has drawn many comparisons to HBO’s Sex & the City for its humour) follows university graduate Hannah Baxter as she leads a double life, with adventures that are as touching and thought-provoking as they are funny.
With Season 3 kicking off Monday, it got us thinking about other call girls (and guys) on TV. From daytime to prime time, we racked our brains and came up with 30 – some real-life, some fictional, some former and some in disguise.
Can you think of any others? diana@tvguide.ca
Secret Diary of a Call Girl airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT beginning Feb. 1 on The Movie Network/Movie Central.
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