Beauty And The Geek may seem like a scandal-free show, but fans have long been suspicious that some of the geeks are simply cool guys with their hair grown out – and now we have proof.
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Since the show’s return in 2021, sceptical viewers have mused that some of the geeks seem a lot less nerdy and awkward than others.
In 2021 there was a huge group of fans convinced that James Letheby and George Goldfeder were actors who were faking their geek status.
While James seemed to prove he was the real deal on the show, many BATG aficionados are still convinced George – who does have a background in acting – wasn’t quite as geeky as he let on.
And how do they know? Well, many fans claim that photos of James, George and some of the other geeks before signing up to the show prove they’re actually just normal guys.
In fact, scrolling through many of the geek’s old Instagram photos will reveal snaps of them looking downright handsome and posing with friends before turning up on the show as dishevelled nerds.
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Not only has this given rise to rumours that some of the TV geeks are actors, it’s also got fans convinced that the blokes are encouraged or even contractually obliged to grow out their hair and beards before filming begins.
The theory goes that having long, poorly maintained hair will make the geeks look more… well, geeky when filming starts.
Messy beards help hide handsome faces and also make the results of any on-screen makeovers all the more dramatic.
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And given the makeovers are one of the biggest draws of the show, producers would have every reason to make sure they’re explosive.
Now, new photos have emerged of the 2022 cast and it looks like the theory may hold water, as older snaps of the latest batch of geeks shows some looking very different before signing up.
New geek Mike Gambaro appears in promo photos with a massive beard and long, messy hair – but a photo on his Instagram dated October 2021 tells a different story.
Posing in a Ghostbusters costume for Halloween, the 20-year-old Batman fanatic looks downright handsome with short hair and stubble.
Other photos reveal that he used to dress in casual t-shirts and jeans, unlike the oversized lobster shirt and shorts he sports in promo photos.
And he’s not the only one hiding a secret handsome past.
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Michael Gebicki appears on the show with long hair and a sparse beard, but he used to rock a trendy short cut and stubble in July 2021.
And Alexander Waters’ beard looks notably fuller in the cast photos, compared to the well-groomed scruff he was sporting in a snap from May.
So does this prove the geeks are faking it? Not according to host Sophie Monk.
“The boys would be so flattered to hear that,” she told our sister site, Now To Love, of the rumours the geeks are actors.
“Someone even asked me if we geek them up more and I’ve watched their audition tapes, if anything they are less geeked up in the promo!”
Need more proof? Though many of the men on the show seem to grow out their hair and beards before filming starts, a quick scroll through their social media quickly proves their nerdy passions are legit.