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Big Brother launched on the Gold Coast
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Monday, April 23, 2007 |
Beautiful, 20-something and with a dominant personality.
That is what the casting call could have read for this year's first wave of contestants who have entered the Big Brother house on the Gold Coast.
A cast of 12 people, six men and six women aged between 20 and 32 years, were introduced and unleashed in a new environmentally-friendly house during a recording on Saturday night which was screened on Sunday night.
Production was delayed twice at the Dreamworld complex due to members of the audience streaming the recording live onto the internet.
The website Behind Big Brother also posted profiles of the housemates, stealing a small amount of Big Brother's thunder for the big launch.
A show's spokesman confirmed that three young men were removed during filming because they were taking live footage of the show.
The show's host Gretel Killeen said one of the men had "been welcomed into our rehearsals" during the afternoon, and was ejected before it was demanded that all mobile phones be turned off.
But regardless, Big Brother was back. On the surface though, little had changed from previous years despite a number of promises during the hype-filled lead-up.
Killeen had said this year's contestants would be more beautiful on the inside than out, while producers had promised a more worldly cast.
That was in response to the criticism which followed some unsavoury action in the house last year, including the "turkey slapping" incident which saw two male contestants kicked off the show.
But as the female contestants who were introduced to the house first lined up on a couch it looked like a scene straight out of a central casting audition: Aleisha (Vic), 20, the cute hairdresser from a small country town; Emma (NSW), 24, a personal trainer; Hayley (Vic), 24, a former champion body sculptor and lawyer; Kate (Vic), 25, a champion debater; Rebecca (QLD), 23, a Life Be In It coach and Mormon; and Theresa-Jane, or TJ, (NT), 22, a barmaid and the only non-blonde.
Then came the men: Jamie (Vic), 29, a self-confessed nerd, karaoke host and orphan; Bodie (WA), 24, an electrical designer and former underwear model; Andrew (Vic), 28, a fireman; Joel (SA), 24, a restaurant manager and Young Liberal Party member; Thomas (WA), 27, a real estate agent with a degree in chemistry and human biology; and Travis (Vic), a 32-year-old father of one.
The Big Brother team had again promised a number of trademark twists.
Killeen told the audience she couldn't reveal the identity or nature of a mystery individual labelled Mr X but she did confirm to the live audience that contestants would not start with any prize money - the assumption being that they will have to compete for it during the course of the series.
Also, it was revealed that there are two sets of two people in the house who share a previous relationship that at least one of the pairs may not know about.
An extra six potential housemates were also introduced, two of whom home viewers will choose to enter the house.
As for the promise of a "green" house, Big Brother didn't disappoint, even including a bicycle-powered washing machine.
No reference was made to the dramas of 2006 which prompted Communications Minister Helen Coonan to launch an inquiry into reality TV.
While producers haven't delivered on the promise for a wider age gap or less model-like contestants, a source guaranteed deeper conversation, saying this year's contestants had been "around the block and back" with no shortage of skeletons in their closets which will be revealed throughout the show.
It is believed Big Brother is saving its biggest secret for Monday night.Labels: Big Brother, Network Ten, Reality TV |
posted by Editor @ 9:40 AM  |
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