‘Too Hot To Handle’ Intimacy Expert Brenden Durell Makes Surprising Reveal About Wild Workshops [Exclusive]
Too Hot To Handle intimacy expert Brenden Durell admitted that he isn’t necessarily the brains behind those wild workshops on the Netflix series.
From bondage to integrating bizarre props, Durell’s purpose on THTH is to lead the contestants on a journey of self-exploration. And while the participants on THTH are usually in the dark when it comes to the workshops, Durell admitted that he too is often surprised when he arrives on set.
“A lot of people believe, they think that I create the workshops by myself, and that’s actually not the case,” he dished with Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “They have a workshop team. So I just come in and just see how am I going to do things? So it’s funny because like this is a little BTS stuff.”
Brenden Durell gets intel on ‘Too Hot To Handle’ workshops at the last minute
Durell offered an example of a regular occurrence on set. “Let’s say I’m chilling in my villa at the beach and I haven’t heard from the production for a few days because they’re filming other stuff,” he said.
“And then at 9 p.m., for example, they’ll be like, ‘Hey Brenden, we need you on set at 8 a.m.’ and I’m like, ‘OK cool.’ And like, I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know who I’m going to see,” he shared.
“So I rock up the next morning and today is the men’s workshop. And we have four crayons. We have some sand, we have a balloon. Teach them about intimacy. This is an example, a fake example,” Durell said.
“But that’s kind of how my experience is on the show. It’s kind of just improv and kind of weave what the amazing production team has done,” he said. “And then I get to weave a message through that, through like play, simplicity. And also so it looks good for the camera.”
He has to be ‘comfortable being uncomfortable’ on ‘THTH’
Durell doesn’t go in completely blind but still has to think on his feet.”They give me some hints on the direction of the storyline of what’s happening,” he said about production. “But as far as like, the props and what we’re doing, I have no clue.”
“I remember in season 3, people thought that I was using this puppet with Nathan (Soan Mngomezulu). Like that was my idea. Actually, that wasn’t my idea,” he said.
“I got there, I was like, ‘Well, we’re going to have to film something.’ And you know what? I have to be adaptable,” Durell said. Adding, “I have to be comfortable being uncomfortable. And this is the whole premise of my life’s work. And also what I want to inspire the viewers and also the contestants as well.”
‘Too Hot To Handle’ is designed to reduce gameplay strategy
Durell added that producers maintain the element of surprise on THTH, which adds to the authenticity of the show and reduces strategic gameplay, which ultimately happened on a series like The Bachelor.
“This one happens so fast, as far as the whole filming thing, it’s within a month,” he said. “And The Bachelor is spread out over time. I feel like this happened so fast. It’s like a big boom that they don’t even have time to create a strategy or work together.”
“And also, there’s 24-hour CCTV things like in the retreat,” he added. “So if anybody’s going to be conspiring, it’ll be found out pretty quickly.”
Too Hot To Handle Season 5 begins streaming on Netflix on July 14.
