- Title: The Carrot Or The Stick
- Date: 11th March 2004
- Summary: Twelve young men handpicked for their lack of motivation are divided into two teams of equal fitness for training by two completely different methods: while the Carrrot team are encouraged, rewarded for doing well and never punished, the Stick team are subjected to extreme military beasting, punished severely for failure and never rewarded. Each team's trainers usually use both punishment and reward: how will the Carrots cope without discipline and how will the Sticks react to a lack of motivation? Will the Carrots turn into slobs and will the Sticks revolt? The teams don't know what awaits them and neither knows of the other's existence. They are both taken to the Brecon Beacons mountains in Wales, which are used by the army for training due to the unpredictable conditions. They are subjected to extreme military exercises usually reserved for the army and taught army survival techniques, including washing with just a tin of cold water. The Carrots are welcomed to their camp with a cup of tea and a game of frisbee, followed by group drumming around the campfire and meditation. Among the team are Graham, a timid sci-fi fanatic from Lowestoft; and Fraser, the self-styled "laziest man in Scotland." How do they react to the "hippy" conditions? The Sticks have their heads shaved (including tennis fan Jim from Reading, who has just spent 50 pounds on a haircut), their clothes confiscated and are each given a number instead of a name. How do they respond to the extreme training methods? The teams don't even know of each other's existence until the first competition, a race over a tough assault course with a 40lb log. If the Sticks don't win they have to do it all again. If the Carrots win, they are rewarded with spending money and hot showers - an attractive proposition after four days washing with a tin of cold water. And then there's the small matter of a race to the summit of a 2,000-foot mountain... Which technique will get the results, the carrot or the stick ?
- Description:Sixteen layabouts are divided into two groups and put through four weeks of gruelling military training - one group trained by former Paras commandos,the others led by tough ex-Marines. Which group will win the final competition?
- Broadcaster:Channel 4
- Collection: Channel 4
- Genre:Documentary and Factual
- Producer:RDF Media Ltd.
- Programme Episode:Episode 3
- Transmission Date:11/03/2004
- Rights:UK and Eire
- Decade: 2000s