Big Brother has returned to British television following a five-year hiatus.
The influential social experiment, in which housemates live together in a custom-built home for weeks without access to the outside world, in a bid to win a cash prize, has re-opened its doors.
New hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best kicked off the launch show on ITV, after the reality show was axed in 2018 by Channel 5, introducing a new batch of 16 contestants in front of a studio audience.
With it’s most diverse line-up ever featuring a dancing doctor, Miss Universe and a Muslim make-up artist.
Here is everything you need to know about the show’s brand new housemates…
Back with a bang! Big Brother has returned to British television following a five-year hiatus with it’s most diverse cast ever
Housemate: Dylan is a self described ‘character’ who said he was excited for the challenge of appearing on the iconic show
Name: Dylan
Age: 29
From: Coventry
Occupation: DJ
Dylan is a self described ‘character’ who said he was excited for the challenge of appearing on the iconic show.
The musician and rapper, who lost his leg following a road traffic accident in 2014, said: ‘I always like meeting new people and having new hurdles to jump as an amputee’.
‘It’s going to be an interesting journey to see if I can do whatever we’re asked without having any problems with staying on my leg for a certain amount of time and doing all the tasks’.
However he admitted that his ‘positivity and loudness’ could see him rub some of his fellow housemates up the wrong way and could lead to him facing eviction.
Making a difference: Farida is a ‘proud Muslim woman’ who believes Asian culture is underrepresented on TV and hopes to broaden audiences minds
Name: Farida
Age: 50
From: Wolverhampton
Occupation: Make-up Artist
Farida is a ‘proud Muslim woman’ who believes Asian culture is underrepresented on TV and hopes to broaden audiences minds.
Saying: I want to let people know that us Muslims, we really aren’t suppressed. I’m far from suppressed – I used to be a holiday rep!’.
She said that her family and friends describe her as ‘bubbly and fun’ and revealed she had her eye well and truly on the prize.
Admitting: ‘People will nominate me because they feel intimidated by the fact that I’ve got potential to win this, it’s as simple as that’.
Name: Matty
Age: 24
From: Isle of Man
Occupation: Doctor
Jumping for Joy: ‘Old people loving’ Matty (pictured) works as a doctor in geriatric department and introduced himself to audiences as free spirit who loved dancing
‘Old people loving’ Matty works as a doctor in geriatric department and introduced himself to audiences as free spirit who loved dancing.
Discussing his reason to signing up for the show he said: ‘I want to experience everything before I die, and I just thought why not do something mad like this? I used to watch Big Brother when I was like, 9 or 10 past my bedtime with my mom’.
‘I grew up in such a small place on the Isle of Man where I didn’t really see many people who felt like me. I remember watching Big Brother and I could see myself in all these characters from a cross section of society, and I thought like, oh, maybe I would fit in there. So I just always wanted to apply.’
Name: Noky
Age: 26
From: Derby
Occupation: Banker
The 26-year-old banker from Derby, who won Miss Universe Great Britain in 2022, said she wants to disprove stereotypes around ‘pageant girls’ and also wants to show what it is like being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
‘I want to show people what pageant girls are really like and disprove a lot of stereotypes around them’.
Noky branded herself ‘so competitive’ while also being guilty of ‘sharing her opinion’ despite not being asked, which could lead to drama in the house.
Impressive: Beauty Queen Noky, who represented Great Britain in Miss Universe said she hoped to prove to viewers there was more to her than her good looks
Fame game: Noky pictured in the evening gown competition during the preliminary round of the 71st Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana in January
Name: Chanelle
Age: 29
From: Llanelli
Occupation: Dental Therapist
Chanelle said she only applied to appear on the show ‘as a joke’ before landing herself a spot in the iconic house.
The stunner said family and friends would describe her ‘fun, bubbly and quite resilient’ but admitted she is often misjudged for her blonde locks.
‘I’m quite book smart but I have no common sense so when I tell people I got first class honours, they’re like, ‘Did you pay someone for that?’.
Lucky: Chanelle said she only applied to appear on the show ‘as a joke’ before landing herself a spot in the iconic house
Handsome hunk: Originally from Thailand, male model Zak said he has the ‘type of personality the world needs to se
Name: Zak
Age: 28
From: Manchester
Occupation: Model
Originally from Thailand, male model Zak said he has the ‘type of personality the world needs to see’.
‘People might judge me because I’m a model. People often have a misconception but I’m a council estate boy’.
‘I’m not like a typical model, I’m a down to earth guy. People assume I’m arrogant but when they actually get to know me I’ve got a lot more to offer’.
Name: Henry
Age: 25
From: Cotswolds
Occupation: Food Writer
Boarding school boy Henry said he was hoping to learn life skills during his time in the house, as he doesn’t know how to cook or clean.
‘These are some big things they don’t teach you at school that I need to learn. And also just getting to know loads of different people from very different backgrounds that I might not get to meet in my everyday life’.
He also said his work as a food writer could lead to him critiquing his fellow housemates dishes – no doubt leading to friction.
Posh: Boarding school boy Henry said he was hoping to learn life skills during his time in the house, as he doesn’t know how to cook or clean
Hard work? Hallie says while her family would describe her as a ‘diva’ who ‘speaks her mind’ she considers herself both ‘opinionated and’ ‘lazy’
Name: Hallie
Age: 18
From: London
Occupation: Youth Worker
Hallie says while her family would describe her as a ‘diva’ who ‘speaks her mind’ she considers herself both ‘opinionated and’ ‘lazy’.
Speaking about why she might be nominated she mused: ‘I like speaking my mind and not many people like that. I’m quite real’.
No stranger to fame she was once in the news after accidentally swallowing magnets before having them surgically removed.
Name: Jenkin
Age: 25
From: Bridgend
Occupation: Barman
Jenkin from South Wales made sure to tell viewers he was ‘not the only gay in the village’.
The barman, cleaner and bingo caller said he ‘can’t keep secrets’ and will ‘bring the drama’ to the Big Brother house.
Out and proud: Jenkin from South Wales made sure to tell viewers he was ‘not the only gay in the village’
New start: Kerry, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, said Big Brother is ‘the ultimate reality TV show’ but never applied because the stairs leading up to the house felt unachievable
Name: Kerry
Age: 40
From: Essex
Occupation: NHS Manager
The 40-year-old NHS manager, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, said Big Brother is ‘the ultimate reality TV show’ but never applied because the stairs leading up to the house felt unachievable as she was in a wheelchair for the first three years of her illness.
Essex-based Kerry, who once won £35,000 on Deal Or No Deal, said: ‘When I saw it was coming back and searching for real people from all walks of life, I thought, this is my year.’
She made history as the first ever contestant to enter the house via motorised scooter.
Name: Jordan
Age: 25
From: Scunthorpe
Occupation: Lawyer
The ‘sarcastic’ lawyer quipped that he was most looking forward to ‘not having to pay bills’ during his time in the house.
He said he applied for the show on a whim and he is interested in the social experiment side of the programme.
Saying: ‘I have a face like a chastised backside hence I wear such wonderful shirts to make up for it.’
Funny: ‘sarcastic’ lawyer Jordan quipped that he was most looking forward to ‘not having to pay bills’ during his time in the house
Dancing queen: Olivia said she had grown up watching Big Brother and thinks she fits the brief because ‘I’ve got personality to sell and this is the best place for it’
Name: Olivia
Age: 23
From: Glasgow
Occupation: Dancer
Olivia said she had grown up watching Big Brother and thinks she fits the brief because ‘I’ve got personality to sell and this is the best place for it’.
She also described herself as the ‘life and soul of the party’.
And while friends and family describe her as ‘loud and confident’ she actually has a fear of jam.
Name: Yinrun
Age: 25
From: Harrogate
Occupation: Customer Support Agent
The customer support agent from Harrogate is from Shanghai in China and believes the show will help her become ‘more immersed in British culture’.
Yinrun said her dream would be to use the money if she won the show to move to a farm.
However she may struggle to make it to the final as she snores ‘loudly’ which may cause tension with fellow housemates.
Cute: Yinrun from Harrogate is from Shanghai in China and believes the show will help her become ‘more immersed in British culture’.
Ugh! Paul said he lives with his granddad and left viewers in shock when admitting the pair go to the toilet with the door open
Name: Paul
Age: 23
From: Liverpool
Occupation: Security Officer
Paul said he lives with his granddad and left viewers in shock when admitting the pair go to the toilet with the door open.
He described himself as ‘extroverted to say the least’ and a ‘bit nuts’.
Paul guessed that he could find himself on the wrong side of his fellow contestants for being the ‘loudest’ and ‘eating all the food’.
Lad: Cheeky chappy Tom, a butcher from Somerset, described himself as ‘quite loud and chatty’
Speaking her mind: Originally from the Congo, the 33-year-old mum from Luton said she wants to ‘humanise refugees and immigrants’ and show there are ‘real humans’ behind the statistics
Name: Tom
Age: 21
From: Somerset
Occupation: Butcher
Cheeky chappy Tom, a butcher from Somerset, described himself as ‘quite loud and chatty’.
However he also said he had the the potential to offend people because his ‘mouth moves faster than my brain’
Name: Trish
Age: 33
From: Luton
Occupation: Stay at home Mum
Originally from the Congo, the 33-year-old mum from Luton said she wants to ‘humanise refugees and immigrants’ and show there are ‘real humans’ behind the statistics.
She also described herself as very left wing, adding: ‘I hate the Tories.’
Revealing friends would describe her as ‘opinionated’ and ‘argumentative’.
Big Brother continues Monday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX
BIG BROTHER 2023: MEET THE CONTESTANTS!
JENKIN
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Barman
FROM: Bridgend
HOW WOULD YOUR FRIENDS DESCRIBE YOU? ‘Loud and messy and irritating probably.’
TOM
AGE: 21
PROFESSION: Butcher
FROM: Somerset
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘I think I might potentially offend some people. My mouth moves faster than my brain.’
TRISH
AGE: 33
PROFESSION: Mum
FROM: Luton
WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THE PRIZE MONEY IF YOU WON? ‘I think my first priority is to sort out my housing situation. The housing crisis is just ridiculous and my housing situation has been unstable. It brings me a lot of mum guilt because I’ve got a young child. It’s my biggest incentive and motivation to win.’
JORDAN
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Lawyer
FROM: Scunthorpe
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘Being cantankerous and acting as if I don’t want to be there even if I do in my heart. They might nominate me for being disengaged perhaps or not paying everyone an equal amount of attention. They may feel left out but I can’t help that.’
DYLAN
AGE: 39
PROFESSION: DJ
FROM: Coventry
TELL US AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: ‘I appeared on a TV show called The Last Leg about amputees – two years before I lost my leg!’
NOKY
AGE: 26
PROFESSION: Banker
FROM: Derby
WHAT MADE YOU APPLY TO BECOME A BIG BROTHER HOUSEMATE? ‘I love challenges. I’ve had so many amazing times in my life, like going to Miss Universe as Miss Great Britain. I like to do something different and I think this is the next challenge I want to conquer. I want to show people what pageant girls are really like and disprove a lot of stereotypes around them. I also show what it’s like being a woman who’s worked in male- dominated fields. I want to show that women are capable of doing anything they want.’
PAUL
AGE: 23
PROFESSION: Security Officer
FROM: Liverpool
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘Being the biggest wind up, eating all the food and being the loudest housemate.’
OLIVIA
AGE: 23
PROFESSION: Dancer
FROM: Glasgow
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘I think when people are in that hangry state, that’s when I’ll wind people up and grind their gears. I think they’ll nominate me for being full on, and for my brutal honesty and oversharing of opinions.’
FARIDA
AGE: 50
PROFESSION: Make-up artist
FROM: Wolverhampton
TELL US AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: ‘People are always surprised when I say I got married at 43. Or also that I’m an ex-holiday rep in Gran Canaria and Menorca.’
HAILLE
AGE: 18
PROFESSION: Youth Worker
FROM: London
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘Being lazy and having an opinion. I’m quite opinionated, I like speaking my mind and not many people like that. I’m quite real.’
YINRUN
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Customer Support Agent
FROM: Harrogate
WHAT PART OF THE EXPERIENCE ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? ‘I’m most excited about being surrounded by so many people from different walks of life. I don’t think I will ever live in a house again with so many different kinds of people. I’m from China and I think it will help me be more immersed in British culture..’
CHANELLE
AGE: 29
PROFESSION: Dental Therapist
FROM: Llanelli
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO BE NOMINATED FOR? ‘Probably just for being annoying. In Wales, we have this saying ‘I’ll do it now in a minute’. So like, if I went to make food and I left a dish on the side, I have all good intentions of washing it but I’d be like, ‘I’ll do it now in a minute,’ and it might be three hours later before I do it. So probably for silly stuff like that.’
ZAK
AGE: 28
PROFESSION: Model
FROM: Manchester
WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THE PRIZE MONEY IF YOU WON? ‘Pay off my debts and help my family out. I’ve also been saving up to build a park in my village back at home in Thailand because where I grew up, there’s no parks or playgrounds.’
MATTY
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Doctor
FROM: Isle Of Man
HOW WOULD YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY DESCRIBE YOU? ‘They would say I’m quite like a lucky person or someone who really wants to experience life to its fullest and do everything that it has to offer. Someone who is kind and fun and doesn’t take life too seriously.’
HENRY
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Food Writer
FROM: Cotswolds
HOW WOULD YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY DESCRIBE YOU? ‘I think they would say I’m particularly sociable and very chatty. I mean, I’ll be honest, my parents would definitely say I’m a bit of a snob but I take it as a compliment. I think it means you’ve got high standards and good taste. They’d say I was quite a peculiar child.’
KERRY
AGE: 40
PROFESSION: NHS Manager
FROM: Essex
WHAT MADE YOU APPLY TO BE A BIG BROTHER HOUSEMATE? ‘I love the programme. It is, for me, the ultimate reality TV show ever. I’ve got multiple sclerosis and so the reason why I never applied before is because I always saw those whacking great big stairs to get into the house. It just felt a little bit unachievable because for the first three years of my illness I was in a wheelchair. When I saw it was coming back and searching for real people from all walks of life, I thought, this is my year.’
