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BBUK 2024: Returns Oct. 6th

Well, I wasn't expecting a completely new layout.. they haven't changed the layout that much in the Channel 5 days anyways and lots of international versions recycle their layout, too. But I was expecting more than US levels of throwing new paint on it... I was expecting them to make it feel different.
The structure in the Channel 5 era was recycled but they did a much better job at making each design distinct and/or shuffle things around like swapping the kitchen/lounge or bedroom/bathroom etc. There are some subtle changes/improvements but this reskin just feels lazy.

I wasn’t expecting much either but thought at very least they’d reconfigure the bedroom/bathroom/DR wing and swap out more of the furniture.
 
Baffling they changed the bath and hot tub but not the sofas. Even if keeping the round sofa just reconfiguring it to one continuous circular sofa rather than two semi circles would make it look different.

The two areas that look the best are the areas they changed the most - the bathroom and the kitchen.
 
It is strange that they kept the sofas the same - I wonder if ITV’s ‘logic’ is that they want to have the Big Brother sofas as an equivalent to the Love Island fire pit, which has essentially never changed (despite a few tweaks across the years) but is instantly recognisable?

It doesn’t really work for me though.

Some of the house looks great, and they’ve clearly spent a fair bit of money on the refresh - I like the bathroom and the garden. The bedroom can still afford to be much smaller.
 
Not going to give a full rundown as frankly can't remember any HMs names and only three or four of them were memorable but there were 16 of them and the lounge was divided into red and blue. After the sixth arrival they had to split themselves between the two zones and then each new HM had to pick a side. At the end it was revealed one side would become "non-HMs" and move into "storage", and also they would all face the first eviction.
 
I can see a lot of negative reactions to the lack of ‘older’ housemates, but the age diversity is no different to how it has always been.

When I was younger, I thought of Roberto (BB6) Shabbaz, Dawn, Lea, and Richard (BB7), Tracey (BB8) etc as ‘older housemates’ but all of those listed were in their 30s when they entered.

If you look at the BB6 cast list, apart from Derek, who was 40, it was a very young year.

Sure, in the C4 era you had the likes of Sandy, Ahmed, Derek, Carole and Lesley, but they were always in a house of primarily 20 year olds with a smattering of people in their 30s.
 
Exactly - I completely agree with you. This is in fact the 4th oldest cast ever.

I was looking back at BB2 the other day where Dean and Elizabeth were considered the "old" housemates. Dean was 37, Elizabeth was 26.


For me BB is a format that leans to young people and part of the reason I turned of Celeb BB over the years is because it started casting too old.
 
How long after are the episodes usually uploaded to video brother? I guess otherwise I could just log into ITVX on my laptop, but I’d rather be able to airplay it onto my TV screen.
 
I just watched the launch and I’m all in. What I especially loved is the fact there are no obvious influencers in there and a nice mix of people from first impressions.
The whole divided house thing has been done time and again but there’s a reason for that, it does bring the drama and I think the red “storage” team has some huge personalities that will definitely kick off in a confined space and lack of privileges.
The six week timeframe is a tad disappointing, they could have gone for 8 at least, but I’m excited!
So far really vibing Dean and Emma and already annoyed by Lily and Monchello.
 
I love that people here are not moaning about the need of having older housemates. This might be the single opinion in the fan community - and that's not just in the UK but everywhere - that I can't follow at all. I'm sure some of the older housemates have been entertaining in the past, but I can mention a couple of casts that were quite young and were among the best casts of the show worldwide. The Celebrity Hijack cast was extremely young and that one was entertaining bunch back then.

It's interesting that they go for a non-housemate twist this year, seeing that Affiliate just rewatched the launch of BB10, which also had a non-housemates twist. But the current version seems to be way better than the BB10 one. Giving the upcoming tasks a purpose, too.

How long after are the episodes usually uploaded to video brother? I guess otherwise I could just log into ITVX on my laptop, but I’d rather be able to airplay it onto my TV screen.
For European time, it's usually available the next morning so I'd say it's 6-8 hours maybe? So you should have it in the early evening Australian time. The launch is online there.
 
I did enjoy seeing a very diverse group enter. But tbh the male side of the cast seems very dull and/or unlikeable based on first impressions. The two sides twist is so over done. Not really a fan. Also AJ and Will were forcing so much Gen Z slang it was annoying me, and I am a Gen Z. It just felt so forced. Nice to see a lot of Queer representation once again.
 
I do feel like AJ and Will take it in turns to be the good presenter - felt Will very much carried it last night. AJ is probably better hosting to the viewer and will shine more during the eviction shows but Will is better interacting with the housemates.
 
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I typically skim the first episode and reserve judgement until later.

But I am a litttttttle concerned at the amount of lad energy in the house. It's always so fucking boring to watch. And now that most of the lads are proper housemates it's gonna be a slog.

I hope that witchy lesbian psychologist sorts them out. Although she looked pretty bored with them.
 

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The storage era is quite good - lots of nods to HMs past in there.

This was fun on BBLL I skimmed through when Jordan and David Potts went in there for a VT. I'm not sure I can place what the 'Tree Of Temptation' was from though - is it maybe from a Season I'm not up to yet in my watch-through or was it last year? Alison's table was from way back in BB3 and some others from Last year/Celeb BB like that dumpster thing or Kerry's scooter/Big Wigs.

It's interesting that they go for a non-housemate twist this year, seeing that Affiliate just rewatched the launch of BB10, which also had a non-housemates twist. But the current version seems to be way better than the BB10 one. Giving the upcoming tasks a purpose, too.
Hah yes I thought then they were just gonna put them all up and be done with it as were only doing a 6 week run again, but no it seems a little like BB10 there'll be some challenges, but not just to become a housemate its to swap places before the final vote?

Sure, in the C4 era you had the likes of Sandy, Ahmed, Derek, Carole and Lesley, but they were always in a house of primarily 20 year olds with a smattering of people in their 30s.

I love that people here are not moaning about the need of having older housemates. This might be the single opinion in the fan community - and that's not just in the UK but everywhere - that I can't follow at all. I'm sure some of the older housemates have been entertaining in the past, but I can mention a couple of casts that were quite young and were among the best casts of the show worldwide. The Celebrity Hijack cast was extremely young and that one was entertaining bunch back then.
Yeah it's funny as I'm up to BB10 in my watch I would have been the same age as the 21 year old crowd had I followed the UK series fully at the time, yet viewing through the POV of Mid 30's right now I'm finding myself understanding those 'older' housemates takes and stuff.

It dosent have to be a whole heap though, It's enough and I like it when theres at least a decent spattering of 30 and 40 somethings in the upper range so at least theyre not all on their own until some go and may or not be propped up with an Intruder in the mix or what have you to mix it up a bit towards the middle as it goes, with it being more weighted to the early/mid 20's (Like there were a couple 24 year olds I heard mentioned tonight), and even within that that being said theres differences in personalities and/or maturity moments I guess between housemates of similar ages in all those different ranges IYKWIM.

Like one moment I can find myself vibing with one of the mid-late 20's or 30's housemates that seems like they've got their head screwed on, yet theres a 42 year old carrying on at the same time and making a right tit of themselves, and other moments there'll be a 19-20 year old thats wise beyond their years, an 'under the radar' quiet type thats 22, or a 38 year old or older thats really fun and entertaining, etc etc. It's all down to a good mix but have to see what happens!
 
I preferred tonight to last night.

There’s some housemates who really really need to settle in and not be so camera aware, but I think it’s a good group.

I usually hate a ‘non-housemate’ twist as it takes a while for the series to get going, but this is being executed well. And I’m pleased that the housemates in storage got to choose who went into the challenge, and who they went against. So far it seems to be manipulation-free. But how long that lasts remains to be seen.
 
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