I know he auditioned in 2006 and 2007 and he got very close to making it on the show but I wonder what the producers saw in him this time around that they didn't see all of the other times. I understand it is different people who choose the cast almost each time but still. I am pretty sure he almost got chosen as a Housemate in 2006 but had to pull out so he probably would have made it in that series. Perhaps he was going to be the intruder that had Robs role but Robs took it when Ben pulled out? Maybe Ben was set to be an original Housemate. Who knows. I wonder if he auditioned for the first ever series.
