I don't think she was against him because he had a north country accent. I know there's a lot that we don't see, and it may be unfair to judge him based only on what we see on the program, but I thought Adam was way out of his depth. I could have achieved at the same level or better, and I don't think I'm anywhere near what is required for the role.
I don't think they're actors. What I would like to know is who selected the candidates. Some of them are/were obviously unsuited for the job, and you have to wonder whether they were selected only to make the program more entertaining.