While it feels like the doors to the ‘Big Brother’ house have only been closed for all of five minutes, it’s nearly time to fling them open again and welcome a new batch of housemates.
Fresh from January’s ‘Celebrity’ run, featuring Kim Woodburn and a bunch of other “chicken-livered buggers”, ‘BB’ will be back for its 18th civilian series this summer, with reality fans braced for another summer of bitching, arguments and showmances, with (hopefully) a few laughs along the way.
While many details about the new season are still under wraps, here’s everything we know about it so far...
When does it start?
‘Big Brother’ bosses have confirmed the new series will launch on Monday 5 June at 8.30pm on Channel 5, with a special live show.
The launch will be going head-to-head with ‘Love Island’ in the schedules, as the first episode of the ITV2 series also airs on the same night. However, ‘BB’ will have a half hour’s head start over its rival, with bosses seemingly intent on stealing ratings glory.
What does the eye logo look like this year?
The eye has been given a ‘Best of British’ makeover, hinting at the theme of this year’s series.
A statement released by bosses said: “At a time of political upheaval and tough questions about unity in the UK, ‘Big Brother’ brings you an alternative look at Britain.
“The first taste is revealed today with the new ‘Big Brother’ eye, formed from a multi-coloured Union Jack flag, featuring a patchwork of eclectic images representing modern Britain.”
It seems Channel 5 are making a concerted effort to return the show to its social experiment roots too, as they added we should be ready “for a very British summer of contrasts, conflicts and collaboration...and more fireworks than you could imagine, as a selection of people, from a range of backgrounds, come together.”
Who is hosting?
Emma Willis is back to front the live shows, ushering in a new batch of housemates on launch night, chatting to them during evictions, as well as presiding over the finale.
Rylan Clark-Neal has also confirmed he will be back to host spin-off show ‘Bit On The Side’, fresh from presenting his new gameshow, ‘Babushka’.
What will the house be like?
Channel 5 has revealed the official house pictures, which have revealed the famous bungalow has been transformed into the ‘Big Brother’ Village. It is suitably British, complete with a tea room and a beauty parlour, and eagle-eyed fans have also noticed there are two bedrooms this year - one luxury, and one not so luxury.
Take a look at all the snaps below...
It currently remains unclear what use the second house - which was used as a task room during January’s ‘CBB’ - will have this time around.
During a recent appearance on ‘BUILD’, Rylan told HuffPost UK: “The house is SO different. When we did the second house last year, that was a massive change for us, but I’m totally just disregarding that for the moment because what we’ve done in the main house is absolutely unbelievable. It’s unreal.
“I got lost looking at it, and I go into that house every single day, I walk around the camera runs and look at the housemates... But when I was looking at the plans, I couldn’t even work out why that was there or here.”
He added: “There is something in the house I have been wanting for years, and it’s in there!”
Are there any housemates yet?
In a departure from previous years, six housemates have been officially unveiled ahead of this year’s launch.
Among them are a former MTV reality star (naturally), a mixed-faith married couple who have had to defy all kinds of hurdles to be together, and a stripper determined to prove people’s preconceptions about his job wrong.
Meet them below...
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In a nutshell: The pair are two sisters from London, with Deborah admitting she often finds herself caught up in Hannah’s “battles”.While Deborah says she “prides herself” on being a strong and independent woman, Hannah - the reigning Miss Nigeria UK - adds that she hopes being on ‘Big Brother’ will “inspire the youth of today’s UK-born Nigerians to embrace their culture”.
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In a nutshell: The two met at school when they were just eight years old, but come from different backgrounds. Imran was raised in a “strict Muslim” household, Sukhinder family are Sikhs, meaning their relationship was “frowned upon” in their early days, with their dates often having to be kept secret. They married when Imran was just 17, and they’ve been together ever since.Imran says he hopes to be a good example of a modern Muslim, while Sukhinder warns that she is blunt and lacks patience.
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In a nutshell: Kayleigh once starred in ‘Ex On The Beach’, and is determined to prove to the world that she’s “no bimbo”. In fact, she moved to London completely independently without anyone’s financial support, and won’t be looking for romance in the house as she’s now in a relationship.She says she’s looking forward to meeting “different personalities” in the house, but warns that she’s not good at controlling her emotions.
Job: Stripper in The Dreamboys
In a nutshell: Performing clearly runs in the family for Lotan, as you might recognise his uncle, former ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ star Louie Spence. Lotan says people assume he’s arrogant because of his looks, but is keen to show a different side to himself, as he’s actually “cheeky and charming”.
Any other rumoured contestants?
Many other names have circulated in the press, including porn star Gemma Massey, the the “Peru Two”, plastic surgery-lover Rodrigo Alves and so-called Kim Kardashian wannabe Janey Farrell.
Former ‘X Factor’ contestants Bradley and Ottavio - otherwise known as Bratavio - have also been rumoured for the regular series, rather than the ‘Celebrity’ run, which past performers have appeared on, such as Frankie Cocozza and Katie Waissel.
However, viewers of last year’s series will remember that former ‘X Factor’ star Ryan Ruckledge was among the contestants, so it is not a particularly unusual step for bosses to take.
Rylan also teased on ‘BUILD’: “I can say that we were looking for pairs but I can’t say any more than that. Whether that means there’s only going to be pairs, or there’s going to be singles, I’ve got no idea. I mean I have, but I’m not telling you.”
Will there be any live streaming this year?
This is always a bone of contention between die-hard fans and Channel 5, but there’s no confirmation yet as to what live action we can expect to watch.
Is there a trailer?
Channel 5 have teased the new series with a 20 advert that mysteriously doesn’t feature Emma, Rylan or even narrator Marcus Bentley. Different voices are instead heard saying: “From every corner of the land, from have nots to have lots, from gamer to game for it - this is the United Kingdom of ‘Big Brother’, and everyone is welcome.”
There are also images flashed up on screen with quotes teasing the identity of the housemates. One says, “I am an heir to a country estate’, while another says, “I had to marry in secret”.
Watch it in full above...