Introduction to Big Brother UK Series-2                                                            <<

Yay, Big Brother series-2 has finally begun! And this year it's set to be harsher and more controversial than ever before. Okay, so the contestant line-up photo actually looks like the 'just so' cast of an American sitcom, but in the flesh things are different. Our initial reaction was to think that the contestant group is perhaps more sophisticated, affluent, 'posh' even, than in series-1. However as always, you need to see the people actually interacting with one another to get more of an idea.

To quote the Executive Producer of the show, "We were looking for a mix of interesting, positive and enthusiastic personalities. The ten finalists are those who have really captured our attention, and made us want to know more. There has been speculation about how the Big Brother experience will be different for this new set of housemates but we have some surprises up our sleeves for them!" For personal details on all the individual housemates, please click the corresponding pictures across the top of each page.

As we mentioned in a previous news article, the house has been totally revamped for this series. The stark look of the original has gone and been replaced by a more homely, warmer feel. With wood panelling on the walls, wooden flooring, brighter colours throughout, a real fire in the lounge and a den in the garden, the Producers have done all they can to encourage the contestants to 'get it on.'

The rules are very much the same as before: The housemates will live in the house, isolated from the outside world, for a period of 9 weeks from Friday 25th May 2001. 37 cameras and 40 microphones will record their every movement; there is nowhere in the house that cannot be seen by the cameras including the bathroom/toilet! The occupants are free to leave the house at any time but if they do, they get no money and there is no going back.

Each person is allowed to bring one suitcase of clothes with them and also a smaller case containing other items such as a toothbrush etc. Gadgetry, such as mobile phones, watches, guitar tuners etc. or writing utensils like pens and paper, are not allowed into the house.

Certain basic foods such as flour, potatoes, pasta, rice and limited amounts of fish and meat are provided and the contestants have a budget in the region of £1.00 per person per day, to supplement their basic supplies. Resources for vegetables and eggs are also provided. The housemates can increase the housekeeping budget by gambling on successfully completing the weekly tasks set by Big Brother.

Each week, the housemates will nominate two people from the group for eviction from the house. The final decision, however, lays with you the public. You can vote either by phone or via your Digital TV handset and the results of the public vote will be revealed live buy Davina McCall on Channel 4's Friday night show. As in series-1 when scouser Craig Phillips was the last person to walk out of the house, the Winner will receive a cash prize of £70,000. There was originally speculation of a much higher prize on offer this year, but the programme makers no doubt realised they didn't actually need to increase it. You definitely get the feeling that the money genuinely wouldn't have been the main motivation for wanting to take part in Big Brother series-2 anyway.

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