The bath is surrounded by multi-coloured lighting panels

A Damien Hirst-style pickled chicken is one of many nods to modern art

 

Topsy-turvy house for Big Brother

 

The design of this year's Big Brother compound has been revealed, and nothing is quite as it should be.

 

Housemates will find their bath is in the living room, their fridge in the garden and an oven-free kitchen.

 

Big Brother has also locked away the kettle and toaster - and will only release them when it sees fit.

 

Producers promised "quirky surprises" when the new series starts on 30 May, but refused to say whether the house would be subject to the smoking ban.

 

"Details of the production are a closely-guarded secret before the programme goes to air," said executive producer Rebecca De Young.

 

She said the smoking ban was "an issue we take seriously and one that will be addressed during the course of the series".

 

Pickled chicken

 

The ban, which outlaws smoking in all indoor public places, comes into effect in England on 1 July, four weeks into the programme's run.

 

It took 8,000 man hours to build this year's Big Brother house at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire.

 

Designers have thrown in some arty references - in a tribute to Damien Hirst's pickled shark, there is a rubber chicken split in half and suspended in clear boxes.

 

A Warhol-inspired target is also painted on the floor.

 

There have been hints that there is more to the structure than meets the eye - with secret rooms and a second house thought to be likely additions as the reality show progresses.

 

House designer Patrick Watson said: "This year we have gone for a cleaner, more adult look, using more textures and colours to brand each area."

 

Changes

 

Big Brother continues to be one of Channel 4's most important programmes, with 8.2m viewers tuning in to see musician Pete Bennett win last year's seventh series.

 

But the show has seen some changes since Celebrity Big Brother's racism row earlier this year, involving Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty and former Big Brother contestant Jade Goody.

 

Sponsor Carphone Warehouse pulled out, and has been replaced by cable company Virgin Media.

 

Comedian Russell Brand has left the spin-off show Big Brother's Big Mouth. His successor is yet to be announced.

 

And this year's final will not be shown live, because the 2006 contestants broke rules on swearing before the watershed.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6679257.stm

Oh God...

Oh God...

 

Ditto.;)

The most amazing thing about the whole thing is that the smoking ban comes in to force 4 weeks in. Oh how much fun we could have, depriving them of nicotine :laugh3: other than that I'm not going to watch it, honest I'm not. and I definitely won't get addicted to it this year, oh no.......

The most amazing thing about the whole thing is that the smoking ban comes in to force 4 weeks in. Oh how much fun we could have, depriving them of nicotine :laugh3: other than that I'm not going to watch it, honest I'm not. and I definitely won't get addicted to it this year, oh no.......

 

Is that a pig I just saw flying above me??:rolleyes:

Is that a pig I just saw flying above me??:rolleyes:

 

nope! it was a very pink, round, sparrow with trotters :P

nope! it was a very pink, round, sparrow with trotters :P

 

Quick! Phone Bill Oddie!!:stunned:

Quick! Phone Bill Oddie!!:stunned:

 

he won't care!! he's more interested in bees at the moment:confused:

he won't care!! he's more interested in bees at the moment:confused:

 

Very true!! He was even on The Wright Stuff and Loose Women talking about it.;)

Do sparrows snort?:thinking:

Do sparrows snort?:thinking:

 

Only in the Chernobyl vicinity.................................. :rolleyes:

WI member set for new Big Brother

 

Davina McCall is back to host the eighth series

 

The housemates on the new series of Big Brother will include a member of the Women's Institute, a political protester and a former lap dancer.

The eighth series of the Channel 4 reality show starts on Wednesday, with contestants entering the house at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire.

 

They include the oldest housemate yet, a nanny and a child prodigy.

 

Channel 4 will also broadcast an apology over its handling of January's Celebrity Big Brother race row.

 

TV regulator Ofcom ruled last week that the show breached its code of conduct.

 

The watchdog found that Channel 4 made "serious editorial misjudgements" in its handling of the incidents involving Indian actress Shilpa Shetty.

 

'Quirky surprises'

 

Hours ahead of the start of Big Brother, hosted again by Davina McCall, Channel 4 revealed that housemates also included the relative of a Premiership footballer and a cleaner. Two have children, nine are single and three have never been on a plane.

 

Producers have promised "quirky surprises" for the new series.

 

Housemates will find their bath is in the living room, their fridge in the garden and an oven-free kitchen.

 

No text votes

 

Channel 4 has said it will not profit from phone lines on the eighth series, after controversy over its handling of a previous vote.

 

It has halved the cost of taking part in the eviction process to 25p per call, with 15p spent on administration fees and the rest going to charity.

 

It had to scrap a poll on Celebrity Big Brother in January after a mix-up in a vote involving housemate Shilpa Shetty.

 

In a further change to the reality show's voting process, viewers will no longer be able to participate through text messages.

 

This is because of the lack of time during live broadcasts for mobile phone operators to count and verify the votes in the way that Channel 4 demands.

 

And all elements of voting will be monitored by an external law firm in future.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6702475.stm

Davina McCall is back to host the eighth series

 

The housemates on the new series of Big Brother will include a member of the Women's Institute, a political protester and a former lap dancer.

The eighth series of the Channel 4 reality show starts on Wednesday, with contestants entering the house at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire.

 

They include the oldest housemate yet, a nanny and a child prodigy.

 

Channel 4 will also broadcast an apology over its handling of January's Celebrity Big Brother race row.

 

TV regulator Ofcom ruled last week that the show breached its code of conduct.

 

The watchdog found that Channel 4 made "serious editorial misjudgements" in its handling of the incidents involving Indian actress Shilpa Shetty.

 

'Quirky surprises'

 

Hours ahead of the start of Big Brother, hosted again by Davina McCall, Channel 4 revealed that housemates also included the relative of a Premiership footballer and a cleaner. Two have children, nine are single and three have never been on a plane.

 

Producers have promised "quirky surprises" for the new series.

 

Housemates will find their bath is in the living room, their fridge in the garden and an oven-free kitchen.

 

No text votes

 

Channel 4 has said it will not profit from phone lines on the eighth series, after controversy over its handling of a previous vote.

 

It has halved the cost of taking part in the eviction process to 25p per call, with 15p spent on administration fees and the rest going to charity.

 

It had to scrap a poll on Celebrity Big Brother in January after a mix-up in a vote involving housemate Shilpa Shetty.

 

In a further change to the reality show's voting process, viewers will no longer be able to participate through text messages.

 

This is because of the lack of time during live broadcasts for mobile phone operators to count and verify the votes in the way that Channel 4 demands.

 

And all elements of voting will be monitored by an external law firm in future.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6702475.stm

 

And squads of police are going to be watching every move to check for law infringements.................................. :rolleyes:

oh my god!! I think this series may potentially cure me!

Emily thrown out of Big Brother

 

Charley Uchea is the cousin of footballer Kieran Richardson

 

Emily Parr has been removed from the Big Brother house for using a racially offensive word to another housemate.

 

The 19-year-old from Bristol was taken out of the compound at 0330 BST and was forbidden from having any further contact with the 11 other contestants.

 

A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said that the decision had been taken because "such behaviour won't be tolerated".

 

This week's eviction vote, in which Emily was nominated along with Shabnam Paryani, has been suspended.

 

Channel 4 has offered to refund viewers who have already called telephone lines to evict both Emily and Shabnam.

 

It stressed the offensive term was not broadcast in the programme during a live stream, and was immediately reported to senior production staff.

 

The incident will be aired as part of Thursday night's Big Brother highlights show on Channel 4.

 

The word will be aired the first time it is used, to give the context of the conversation, but will be cut thereafter.

 

'In shock'

 

Emily said: "Are you pushing it out, you nigger?" to Charley Uchea, while they were dancing in the living room on Wednesday evening.

 

Indian-born Nicky Maxwell, who was also present, said to Emily: "Erm, I can't believe you just said that."

 

Charley said "You are in trouble", adding she was "in shock".

 

Emily replied: "Don't make a big thing out of it... I was joking."

 

In consultation with broadcast executives, the decision was taken to remove Emily from the house because she had breached rules governing contestant behaviour.

 

This includes causing serious offence based on the grounds of race.

 

Angela Jain, head of the Big Brother commissioning team, said: "The word nigger is clearly racially offensive and there was no justification for its use."

 

She added: "She [Emily] understands why her involvement has come to an end and she very much regrets what she said.

 

"I think people watching the show tonight will agree that Emily spoke carelessly rather than maliciously - certainly Charley and Nicky, the two housemates most directly involved in the conversation with her, seemed to accept that she did."

 

'Clearly offensive'

 

Ms Jain said that the decision had been taken in the wake of the alleged racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year.

 

Shetty, at the International Indian Film Academy awards in Sheffield, said: "Intolerance of any form has to be debunked. For a change [Channel 4] has done some good."

 

The broadcaster was censured by media watchdog Ofcom and ordered to make a series of on-air apologies for the incident, which prompted more than 40,000 complaints.

 

Labour MP Keith Vaz said: "After the Ofcom decision I thought Channel 4 had learnt all the lessons it was possible to learn.

 

"But I'm afraid they haven't and there's more to be looked at in this whole sorry episode," he added.

 

A spokesman for the Commission For Racial Equality said: "Whichever way you look at it, the 'n' word is clearly offensive.

 

The organisation backed the decision to screen the word, saying "people will be able to see with their own eyes that this is a problem that affects real people".

 

But a spokesman for broadcasting pressure group Mediawatch said: "They shouldn't broadcast any material which is racially offensive," adding that it would undermine the show.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6729673.stm

Big Brother's Lesley quits show

 

Lesley Brain has left Big Brother because she is bored

 

Big Brother contestant Lesley Brain has walked out of the reality show, a spokeswoman has confirmed.

The 60-year-old retired headhunter from Gloucestershire left at 0915 BST. She had already complained to the organisers that she was bored.

 

She had told Big Brother: "I am more bored than is acceptable to me in the sense that I have better things to do."

 

Contestant Emily Parr was kicked out on Thursday for using a racist term against another housemate.

 

'Wonderful opportunity'

 

Lesley told Big Brother: "My reasons are I have been here ten days. I have, during that time, contributed and have felt able to do so.

 

"I feel that I contributed well, but my strength and energy in that department is running out. I made, not friendships, never got anywhere like that, but you know I've formed slight bonds with people and they were lovely and gracious.

 

"I would like to say thank you for the opportunity. It has been a wonderful opportunity - however short, in terms of the whole programme - I appreciate that."

 

Big Brother replied: "But you are choosing not to try to win it or be there toward the end."

 

Lesley said: "Yes I have weighed it up." She then left the house.

 

Emily was ejected from the house in the early hours of Thursday morning, before her housemates awoke.

 

Channel 4's bosses moved into action after the row which broke out over the treatment of Indian actress Shilpa Shetty during the last series of Celebrity Big Brother, when they were accused of not taking allegations of racist abuse seriously enough.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6736871.stm

The reason she is bored is because the show is boring and should be pulled immediately.;)