Dr. Lori Beth Bisbey, aka ‘Dr. Lori Beth’, the resident therapist and intimacy expert at the heart of smash hit reality series Open House: The Great Sex Experiment, says she is proud of the show’s bold representation of poly-curious couples as they navigate threesomes, foursomes and more in front of a national audience.

Love it or hate it, Channel 4’s “most shocking show ever” has Brits’ tongues wagging over the sexed-up social activities that take place at Open House’s scenic country retreat, where very willing participants get to know each other by mingling at social events, drinking poolside and playing sexy games, as Bisbey guides them on their erotic adventures.

“More people are exploring non-monogamy and polyamory, and yet there is still a stigma that persists, as if it’s some ‘out there’ lifestyle choice,” says Bisbey, who cites a recent BBC article about the rising trend of open and multi-partner relationships. “Folks would be surprised to know what their friends, co-workers and neighbors are into, and the show presents a window into that world.”

Critics have expressed a diverse range of opinions about the six-episode series, with The Independent hailing Open House as “a win for everyone in an open relationship”, while The Guardian called it “a horribly compelling peek at threesomes” that’s “hard to resist”. Daily Mail mused that the sexual themes of the show “makes Love Island look tame”, and social media was more succinct in its appraisal: “I’m not watching that again! …until next Friday,” joked a Twitter user.

Bisbey, who identifies as queer, polyamorous and is engaged in a “full-time authority transfer- based relationship” with her husband, emphasizes that inviting other people into a relationship isn’t for everybody – and that’s OK.

“It works for me and for some people, and it doesn’t for others,” she wrote in a recent first-person article for Newsweek. “If you choose monogamy, that’s great. What I am is pro-choice. I want people to know enough about themselves and what is out there in order to make good choices.”