BB FANS

17/05/06
EveningTimes

IT'S BACK - and it promises to be bigger, brighter and brasher than ever before. Big Brother, the king of all reality shows, returns to our screens for its seventh series tomorrow night.

This year's contestants are expected to include a model, a former Miss Wales, an exhibitionist and even a Glaswegian cross dresser.

The BB house has been reworked with producers adding double beds and more secret cameras to spy on the action.

But Dr Anthea Irwin, of Glasgow Caledonian University's media studies department, believes that the show will still be a winner even if the changes don't spice things up.

She said: "The changes are moving it more towards a game show so we'll have to see if it is a step too far. Even if this year's show is dull it will still be a success and it would be a bigger surprise if it didn't make it on to our screens again next year."

Over the years, the show has provided some unforgettable moments.

The Makosi/Anthony tryst from last year's series grabbed all the headlines, and there was hardly a dry eye in living rooms across the country when first BB champion Craig Phillips gave away his winnings to a disabled family friend.

Gay air-steward Brian Dowling won in 2001 and left with a golden contract with ITV to present kids' breakfast show SM:TV.

Kate Lawler won probably the most boring series of Big Brother ever in 2002 but has since become a C4 presenter. In 2003, Orcadian Cameron Stout proved the favourite and began a radio and panto career.

Hamilton bodybuilder Jason Cowan was pipped at the post in Big Brother 5 by Greek transsexual Nadia. Jason drifted into obscurity, and after an abortive music and panto career, so did Nadia.

Last year, Geordie dancer Anthony Hutton danced all the way to the bank with the five-figure cheque.

Anthea said: "The winners aren't usually the stars of the show. The winners are ordinary middle-of-the-road characters who don't annoy their housemates or the audience.

"It is characters like Nadia and Jade Goody who are remembered long after the show has gone."

• Big Brother 7 begins on C4 at 9pm, tomorrow.

Whoever wrote this shyte hasn't got a clue..the "Journalist" has all the facts totally wrong...it's was our series BB4 which was supposedly the most boring of all BB's...jeez

Oh come on Ray, you don't expect 'Journalists' to know anything about the subjects they write about. The spend an hour on the net, swipe a few quote and Swoosh............. an epic.

OK I worked with a few journos over the years

maybe it was just her opinion. Isn't she allowed one?

Well, it is all a bit odd, she says the winners aren't the ones that are remembered, then mentions Nadia. Who won unless I'm very much mistaken

Often you wonder if these people even watch BB. Yet I suppose we're the sad ones for remembering it. You just wish as journalists they'd check their facts. Sky Showbiz said Jade was in BB4 today

Err no BBoop, this journalist got some facts wrong so I wouldn't accept her opinion as it's blatant this dipso hasn't got a clue about BB.

goodness she should be taken outside and shot for such a crime

Why waste a bullet