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Big Brother big surprise

Posted in Media, Mel Varley, Latest reporters' blogs January 4th, 2008 by Melinda Varley

I must admit, I have been moaning about the return of Big Brother for some time, but when I tuned in last night along with just three million other people I was pleasantly surprised.

What I don’t understand is how the producers have only now decided to put some decent, smart citizens into the house, after years of viewers having to sit through the torture that was Jade Goody or Nikki Graeme.

The new Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack series has replaced the original Celebrity Big Brother format, which has previously dished the dirt on a few very minor celebrities including Danielle Lloyd and Jodie Marsh. The dirt wasn’t that good and it only made the public less fond of these already D-list celebs.

So what will the new format mean for Virgin Media? Perhaps having intellectuals in the house will pose less of a risk of racist comments such as those from Goody and Lloyd, but the show is bringing in half the amount of viewers than last January’s version. Despite the racism row, Carphone Warehouse had some valuable airtime and millions of viewers – will Virgin be so lucky?

The new format doesn’t show us as much of the celebs’ personally – which is a good thing. Celebrities are people we put on a pedestal. They are people who we look at and daydream about as they have the perfect life. When that fantasy is spoiled by what they are really like, we can’t look forward to seeing their pretty pictures in Now magazine every Tuesday anymore.

The celebs in the new Hijack format will remain likeable, as did Matt Lucas in last night’s launch episode, because they don’t have to be themselves – real people.

Last night’s episode didn’t flow too smoothly, with cuts to each housemate entering the house and their life story told in front of a camera before they entered, however it certainly did entertain. I don’t know if I can pin it down to Lucas or just the ‘real’ people in the house that actually consider themselves celebrities in their chosen field.

Most of the contestants are intellectuals – they’ve not gotten where they are without having the smarts to do so – unlike the previous celebs who have just managed to get boob jobs, sold sex tapes or have had notoriously failed careers.

I can hardly imagine the 19 year-old entrepreneur having an argument about bed making or the Scottish politician throwing a tantrum over a shopping list.

Finally – a Big Brother with real people. Just a pity only three million people tuned in to the most enjoyable Big Brother ever aired.

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