Aaron a worthy Winner? Not sure + the future of BB

I am not sure if Aaron is a worthy winner of Big Brother or not. What I do know is that he was desperate to be on the show (10 attempts) and he studied every episode and every character and every possibility.
So much so, that I saw a lot of me in him as he went around casting his spell on the other dimwits in the house. He is certainly weird, but he won, against all odds, although in one of my first blogs I did say he would reach the final.
I am surprised to see Jay finishing so high. After being kicked off the Katy Price show, he should not of even reached the second round of Big Brother auditions. I know exactly why he was kicked off and hopefully the press do too and that it all comes out soon like one of his smelly farts.
Alex was the real winner here, pleasant, attractive to a point, kind, caring, thoughtful, but not very bright. How she did not win, I am not sure.
The sad fact is the channel will think they have a huge success on their hands. Well they do to a point. But it could be better. This is my ten point plan of what I would do.
1) Give Emma Willis the main presenting job. Two reasons: greater publicity in magazines (women celebs sell more magazines) and she genuinely loves the show.
2) Brian Dowling to present BBBITS as this is a man whose ad libs are delivered well and BBBITS would showcase his talent for spontaneous banter and fun better than the tightly scripted main show.
3) BBBITS should have more involvement from the panel and dump some of the pointless sketches.
4) Have 12 contestants in the Big Brother house of all ages and at least one should be from Scotland as well.
5) Have an early twist like removing one contestant from the house immediately by face-to-face voting.
6) No more soft tasks
7) No more giving contestants booze and parties for no reason.
8) No outside contact whatsoever.
9) Greater punishments for rule breakers.
10) Bring back the Live feed!
It wont take much to make this show great once more.

Let us wait until January to see. But please no Lauren!!!

The Great Reality Swindle - Anton

Until last night's reveal of a twist, released on the Big Brother Twitter account and BBITS and due to be shown on tonight's show, I could have told you who would NOT win and that was Anton, Jem and Louise. In essence the twist saves Jay and Anton...

Now, after Aden's exit, when even the housemates were surprised Anton stayed it is clear that Big Brother wants him and Jay in the final and what better way in protecting them by pulling this stunt (watch the show tonight to see what they do).

Jay though is already a losing finalist - did you spot him last night over on Sky with Katie Price's reality show, Signed By Katie where he reached the final 12. I watched and it seems to have taken a little bit of every reality show that has ever been on television and put it into the mix. But Katie is a smart cookie and I have nothing but admiration for her strong business sense and work ethic. Lets watch and see what happens to Jay.

I was beginning to think as as Big Brother past winners have included a gay man, a Scot, a Welsh girl and a mix of not bright and very dull contestants plus Pete that we might finally have someone who went to public school winning the show ie Harry - but this has been dashed. I still think despite the twist/stunt Alex might win.

Is Aaron becoming a little weird or is it a game he is playing? Tom and Alex are floating just below the radar, enough for them to be effectively edited out the show, and that is not a bad thing as the final is quite close. Jem who initially promised great things has gone into hibernation.

The proof is in the pudding and lets see how bright Anton is with the twist. But he has got one thing against him - the public do not like him. But then again when Jade was up for the most one-sided eviction ever, she survived. So stranger things can happen especially on 'reality' TV which we all know by now has nothing to do with 'reality'.

Do comment on this blog and let me know your thoughts about when producers alter voting patterns.

Nick

Anton the Snake

Unless Jay puts the contents of his morning visit to the loo, allegedly, in the fridge again and this time the edit actually shows it then Anton will be the first male to be evicted from the house. It is sad because at first his alter ego in the diary room was mildly amusing, (like Harry ordering all those banana's) but as Anton has failed to deliver in front of his housemates he is a coward first and snake second. He is going to get a huge shock to his over-inflated ego when he is booed to buggery on Friday night!


Although Jem (Faye's sister) might make good television she is equally unlikeable, if for not for ruining her sisters enjoyment in the house. However the house is a better place for her as it would have been duller than BB4 if she was not there


Once ex-housemate Rebekah entered the house for a date with Tom in last night's show I had to go and lie down in darkened room and scream. Her agent has probably and correctly diagnosed that the only hope for her t make any money (apart from appearing on various late night Sky channels) is to try and make her relationship with Aden work. The poor boy, he will in time look back and kick himself at his youthful naivety.


As for the relationship between Jay and Louise, at least Louise had the foresight to end this. Now let us see if Jem moves in on Jay. They deserve each other.



Do let me know your thoughts.



Nick

out with old, in with the new

It was obvious Maisy was history, even before she was officially up for eviction. Being an ex housemate you get a good feel for what is really going on. I did not like her, she tried too hard and will be in the future one those of the ex contestants, who give the few a bad name, by turning up to the opening of a door.

I was not surprised a new contestant has entered the house, albeit someone 's sister, we might have for the first time someone who actually delivers on their promise to go in and cause trouble. But this will lead ultimately to their demise. I do not think a new person should enter after a month, they have far too much knowledge, and it usually puts them in an advantageous position.

I liked Jay at first, but there is something not quite right and I cannot put my finger on it yet. Do not get me started on Aden or Anton, one is a wimp and one a snake. I am surprised Harry is still there, him and Aaron are so diversely different from the other housemates, and that is why they get on.

I am more than sure that Alex will now win BB, she is going through a PLKE (positive low key edit) which means they are slowly building her up. So far my predictions have been correct, anyone disagree?

Heaven or Hell? Live Feed?

If the conspiracy theorists are right, Big Brother will edit Rebeckah in a good way in the next few days, thus resulting in Heaven going. This can happen as there is no live feed so it can not be proven either way who is the most two-faced in the house! They certainly won't edit it for Rebeckah to leave but of course the public ultimately decides.

There are five kinds of people that enter the house, although some run across more than one category:

1) THE MICE: People who should not really be there, but occasionally make a squeak like Tom, Harry and Alex.

2) THE WATCHERS: Mainly observe from the sidelines like Louise, Harry and Heaven.

3) THE DARK HORSES: They could make the final like Mark, Faye and Jay.

4) THE EMULATORS: Anton (acts like Vic Ebuwa did) Aaron/Rebeckah (copying me!)

5) THE GAME PLAYERS: Rebeckah, Aaron, Maisy and those who say they have no game plan but do like Aden and Anton.

Generally all of THE MICE survive until halfway through the show, THE WATCHERS, and THE EMULATORS leave before and just after halfway through the show. The obvious GAME PLAYERS fall in the final few weeks week, leaving a few MICE and THE DARK HORSES fight until the end.

This Friday we have a WATCHER and a GAME PLAYER/EMULATOR up for eviction. The game player is going to lose eventually, because if you play the game you have to do it without too much malice and with a twinkle in your eye. Rebeckah has over compensated her game playing, played her hands too early and has led the hapless Aden around much as a child does to a new puppy at Christmas. Had she not led him on, she might have survived this time. I also think she has cruel side to her that has betrayed the true her on a few occasions.

Heaven is mad, but not in a criminally insane scary way, but in the nice way that a pat on the head and a polite smile will do wonders for her and for you. But she is slightly too mad to stay in the house too long, unless she is up, like she is this week, with someone like Rebeckah in an eviction. I think she will survive this week, and go next week, thus giving credence to the fact that the WATCHERS always survive a little too long.

Word from Elstree is that the live feed was discussed by the executives, however I do not know what became of those conversations and wether or not the pats on the back (after great ratings for Celebrity Big Brother), have turned to 'where have all the viewers gone'?

I tell you where and that is to bed. This is term time and for a lot of viewers 10pm is just too late. I do think perhaps there should have been a five week break between the end of Celebrity and the start of civilian.

In my last blog, I argued for and against the live feed.

I believe the cost of the live feed is around £600,ooo. If you imagine what they paid Sally Bercow and Pamela Anderson, and assuming combined they were paid more than this (they were) but for arguments sake let us pretend their combined fee was £600,000. I personally think Pamela was under used and I think most fans would have rather had a live feed than have Sally or Pamela, who added nothing to the show.

I would not urge they bring back the live feed as it is not up to me, but I hope the channel consider what the fans want. I know that advertisers cannot buy the space as it already has been sold out this year and next year for Big Brother, so it cannot be about money.

So the question is why not? What's the answer Channel 5?

Live Feed or not? and why it is going slightly wrong.

The lack of a live feed is perhaps the most contentious issue for BB fans. But let us not lose sight that it was Channel 4 who forced the issue and took away the live feed citing quite reasonably, the cost, the extra staff and of course the legal issues in having a 24 hour feed.

I would like a live feed or live BB on TV 24-7 but it is not going to happen. Some say that there is no live feed because it leaves BB to edit how they feel. Again, I think this is true to a certain extent, but the live feed can also be manipulated equally as much as the real show, so the point is mute. However I believe there could be a live feed, but the cost per person would be quite high and therefore as a business it is not really viable for the channel in these tough economic times.

From an ex contestant point of view, I can identify with some really positive aspects of the show. The opening sequences are slick, the new contestants by and large are well cast, (give or take Harry and Alex) and the edit is fair. I think the mistake is having too many young people, as if they are trying to appeal to Daily Star (the owner of Channel 5 owns the newspaper too) viewers only. If they (5) want a show like this, then they should hire a villa in France and fill it with booze and young people and let the camera's roll.

I think 5 are trying to stamp their own identity on the show, and that is taking away from what us viewers really want. I am sure 5's hands have been tied by a greater power.

I am no producer, but I have argued before that the few ex-contestants that do have a brain should be employed by BB, because we know more than most what works and what does not with BB. Television is not always rocket science. Keep the format as is, cast people that job titles do not include models or singers, limit booze and food and have tough tasks.

BB should work and can work, but not if it is altered too dramatically to suit a certain audience, then it cannot work.

I am enjoying the series, but I believe it could be better - I am not saying I could change this overnight, but to make a difference you have to take a risk and if this means Endemol, the production company, saying to channel 5: "Sorry this is not working, we make it, you broadcast it but butt out as it is our franchise."

If indeed there are crisis meetings happening, as rumoured, then someone somewhere knows something is not right.

This is what I would do:

1) Face to face nominations

2) Endurance/24 hour tasks, or tasks that are designed to be failed then be passed. I have many ideas for this.

3) Booze and cigarettes need to earned not given

4) Cancel the oven clock to disorientate them (they don't have watches in the house)

5) Bring back the parrot or something that repeats key conversations

6) Wake them up earlier

7) Live streaming of some sort

8) No contact whatsoever with the outside world

What do you think can save the show? Do comment on this blog.

Nick

It is all in the casting, Day 2 in the Big Brother House.

Having thought very carefully, I think the key to any successful Big Brother is about having the correct mix of people. In the year 2000, they chose a farmer, a builder, a marketing worker, a tour guide, a city broker (me, clearly), a single father, a mortgage broker, an unemployed person, and an office worker.
Nobody extraordinary, no wannabes, just normal people with something about them that the producers liked. It was the same for Big Brother 2 and Big Brother 3, then it all changed. This was probably because Big Brother 4 was so dull, which was purely down to bad luck/chemistry.


Then the producers thought that by having more extreme contestants that Big Brother would again be a success. Instead we hated some of the contestants (not all) in the next few series, as some behaved like thugs , a few were wannabes and the show became predictably inane. This inertia lasted until series 11, where the funny tasks and normal contestants made the show worth watching again.


It is simple to get this right: get ten normal people, no hairdryers, no watches, hot water once a day and give them hard tasks where they are more likely to fail which will give them a small food budget, which in turn causes strains and arguments and then you have a show. To try and force situations in Big Brother never works.


The new contestants are revealing far too much about themselves. Come on, it is the first 24 hours - have some mystery about you...although Pammie doing the washing up is classic BB. I think she is heavily under utilised by Big Brother.


Aaron is playing a very good game by making sure he talks to everyone on a one to one basis. Rebekah and Harry last night and Tashie and Louise today. Clever.


Maisy is a classic example of a huge wannabe who should have a tee shirt with desperado printed across the front.


This years housemates seem to have the intellectual capacity of badly beaten badgers, apart from Harry and Aaron who have quickly identified that their fellow housemates are thick, maybe they are right.

The New Housemates 24 hours on.

Too much reality TV this week, not something I ever thought I would say.

First off on Saturday night was Strictly Come Dancing, where the celebs were rather obviously paired off with the dancers who were either the right height (see tallest girl dancer with 6ft6in Audley) or the right status (see Brendan with Lulu) - this was all obviously pre-arranged ie the celebs and dancers knew, but us the viewers were supposed to be duped into believing it was a kind of lottery. I predict loveable Jason Donovan to win and clumsy-footed Audley Harrison to be out first.

The X Factor was more like the Gary and Kelly show, but the usual sad stories and obvious twists still made entertaining viewing. Just when are Tulisa and Louis going to shine? Is Louis had enough do we think?

I can't blog today and not mention Big Brother - 24 hours in and it is great a touch to have the 'milf' Pamela Anderson on the show. I always hate the first couple of days as there are just too many people to get to know (14 this year) and too much noise. However having the name checks on screen is very helpful.

The bitching already has started, which is slightly early and calling Pamela names has probably lost Rebekah the Spearmint Rhino dancer a fair few voters already - plus telling Aaron she has wee'd on a guy was a seriously bad move. First rule is always keep a low profile and do not boast in the first week and starting early friendships too early is a dangerous tactic. Arden for example is an ass boasting about how many girls he has slept with...

Here is the first exit poll (who is most popular) gained from what is said on millions of internet websites and kindly provided by data analyst extraordinaire Christian Howes.

The New Housemates: My First impressions

The 14 new housemates in the Big Brother house were chosen from 10,000 people who applied, but there are no Scots, Welsh, or Irish ones, none are disabled, no housemate is over thirty and I note no one is fat...

Mark 26, Salesman, quite normal, bit thick and slightly over friendly.

Maisie 19, Actress, not liked by the crowd, in the house for the wrong reasons, self-promoter.

Aaron 30, Arrogant, but well cast, will be good housemate.

Heaven 30, Model, dancer, healer, loopy.

Tom 20, Geeky, annoying, will do well.

Tashie 21, Actress/singer, might annoy others

Aden 19, Student. Normal young guy! Finalist.

Alex 18, Typical BB housemate! Girl next door but with hair extensions. Works at McDonalds.

Harry 23, Token posh boy, will be out fast! Has milkshake company

Rebeckah 28, Too good to be true, promises a lot (charity dance school), but will she deliver?

Anton 23, Cheeky likeable, maybe not as cocky as he likes to think.

Faye 23, Quite normal, well almost. The first to argue.

Jay 27, Token Geordie, loves his Mum, vote winner, plumber.

Louise 26, Another Model, dull.

Not bad casting, would have ditched the models and actors as too obvious. Think this series might be quite fiery.

Goodbye CBB

Welcome to my new blog. I am Nick Bateman. I was in the 1st UK Big Brother in 2000 and in Ultimate Big Brother last year. Here are my views on reality TV.

I think the last three weeks of Celebrity Big Brother were sexier, brighter and better than ever before with new broadcaster Channel 5. The ratings were perhaps not as successful as they would have liked, but paradoxically they were still a success in the grand scheme of things.

I feel that the show was fun, it had an absence of malice, apart from the male model Bobby and the controversy of 'sweatgate', but it was all a little bit too nice. The show needed more tasks, and less take away meals, treats, and booze. Also there was too much contact with the outside world, which is strange as the whole concept of the show is no contact, except with Big Brother.

Paddy the traveller deserved to win in the 'nice' stakes but twins Jedward should have won on entertainment value alone. I am surprised who won, as were the bookies. It seems the public go for who they like rather than who was the best housemate.

Nice and reformed as she is if Kerry had won I would have cried fix!

The housemates did OK and little damage was done to their careers. The real winner will be Channel 5 who have bought the franchise from Channel 4 at the same time as product placement on TV gets the green light - how clever is that. Owner Richard Desmond is one bright cookie.

You can just imagine.

Camera slowly pans over blatantly placed products in the kitchen...

Contestant 1: "Whats for lunch?"

Contestant 2: "How about some Heinz Baked Beans, with Lidl's own brand bacon?"

"This is Big Brother, can someone clean the camera glasses with Johnson's Wax, for a better shine!"

Somewhere at Channel 5, a constant ringing of a cash till is heard....