I know what you're saying, but the bolded areas are where we differ slightly, as i don't see them as entertainers working in entertainment / show business, yeah some may have originated there, but they're working in retail (Shopping Channel) directly selling to the public, different rules should apply, and they definately went further than just 'dubious selling technique' on many occasions.
Yeah they are using the TV medium (and web) to connect with the public but that doesn't mean what they are doing is similar to actors etc creating a persona in an entertainment program..
An actor playing a character in a drama show but who is a totally different person in real life, is fine, his fake persona is for entertainment purposes only and doesn't affect anyone directly, maybe effects the viewers emotions depending on the character they're playing, but that's it. On the other hand, IW presenters so called play acting / using a persona to increase sales, isn't entertainment, in reality it is bordering on fraudulent behaviour, and it does effect the viewer directly, deliberately giving false and misleading product information in a bid to persuade viewers into purchasing an item under false pretense is wrong and as i say bordering on fraud and whether they are nice off screen or not matters not to me as they've still broken the rules, just a shame that the authorities that are supposed to regulate channels like IW don't have the guts to regulate them properly.