"when I was 16, I couldn't get a 16 year old for love nor money!"

"I've fingered every girl I've ever been with, I've licked 'em out, I've been tossed off and sucked off..." No, not one of Sir Alans opening Apprentice monologues, but the words of young Jack, one of the many teenagers who signed on for MTV's The Virgin Diaries.

Now, as a 22 year old man, there's something not quite right about watching 16 year olds talking about losing their virginity. That sort of behaviour can get you put on a register, especially if you're doing it outside a High School with your hands in your pockets making a rubbing motion. (But enough about my afternoon....) But there is something watchable about it.

Each episode is a video diary by a self-confessed virgin talking about sex, and whether or not they're going to take that step into sexual maturity. (Thank you MTV press release!) I've only seen two full episodes, I gave up during the third because I was increasingly aware I was alone in my room watching a 16 year old buy lube. The first episode focused on a 16 year old girl, who started out as being really annoying, but you eventually warmed to her as she giggled her way through a description of cybersex and eventually found love at the Tesco deli counter, deciding that her beloved could be the right guy but she wasn't quite ready to have sex with him. Nice social message there, especially as the Daily Mail would have us believe this show is a disgusting television programme created by paedophile terrorist asylum seekers. (Though the headline for their attack was Virgin on the Ridiculous which I really wanted to use for this piece!)

The second episode, young Jack's story was an altogether different kettle of fish. Jack was exactly the sort of odious little prick that the girls I like end up going for. Too much hair, posh Southern English accent and he probably owns more than a few pairs of flip-flops. It was altogether too clear that I was not going to like him. His opening boast about how he would gleefully set about doing everything else didn't ring quite true to me. He seemed to suggest that he'd been with quite a few girls and had poked, prodded, licked and probably spunked in the eye of every one of them, but didn't want to have sex with them. Now come on, either that's utter bollocks or he's in denial. The stupid little prick even met a girl he quite liked but fucked it up by getting off with a bunch of girls because they weren't properly going out. Now apparently I'm supposed to feel sorry for him because he just wants a proper relationship...I suppose the real message was a bit of a parable. He tried to stick his tongue down as many throats (or indeed other parts) as he could, but just wanted a healthy stable relationship where he could pop his irritating English cherry. Rather doing that than sticking his cock down as many throats (or indeed other parts) as he could...do you see?

The Virgin Diaries is nowhere near the signal of the apocalypse that the right wing press would have you believe. In fact every episode I have seen has ended with the subject realising that maybe sex is an important thing and losing your virginity to the first Velma lookalike who gives you the eye is not strictly the best course of action. Still, whether that message is getting out is clearly up to debate, after all the thought is that a 16 year old talking to a 16 year old might have a lot more success in preaching this message than an uncomfortable guidance teacher. God hasn't youth television come a long long way?