Do you think it's harder to be a housemate now or easier?

[Rob!]

I mean in terms of being a big brother contestant and living the life of a housemate during and after they leave the house?

[mrmattybeck1]

Much harder with all the twists and turns

[RichardG]

I'd say easier

Not many significant punshments or notably hard tasks, lots of parties, next to no media work after they leave. Sounds pretty easy to me.

[lily.]

They know exactly what they are getting into now. They know how they will be portrayed by the media on the outside. So in that respect it is easier.

However, they also know that live feed is gone, so they can't really control what is seen and what is not seen, so in that respect it is harder.

[mrmattybeck1]

Ah the good old live feed argument again we haven't had a proper feed since 2010 not fussed now housemates should know this it won't return

[Ramsay]

Much easier. BB is such a pushover these days and the show isn't as high profile as it used to be so it's not like you would be a national celebrity after leaving.

[waterhog]

it all depends on the kind of person ?

[Niamh.]

A bit of both I think, easier in that you get away with a lot more and there's much more outside contact. Harder because the HMs themselves seem nastier and like they'd be harder to live with

[Maxxie.]

Oh I thought you meant become a hm so I put harder cuz it's just recruits. I meant easier if it's post-bb.

[andybigbro]

Easier. There're is too much contact with the outside. In the past they'd nothing. It was much better.

Plus I feel the tasks are getting really dull these days and the editing of shows aren't as good! I miss the old times :sad:

[elliebrew]

Your deluded if you think it's easier

With today's overly sensitive viewers you would have to watch EVERYTHING you say and do or risk being thrown out

Support for housemates has turned into smear campaigns against rival housemate fans. So every little thing they say or do, any little look, any little involuntary reaction will now be blown out of all proportion.

Sincere housemates are now called fake and the game players manipulator a go on to win.

The edit is also much tighter so if your not being controversial or confrontational you are simply edited out of the highlights and the false illusion that your boring or don't do anything is born

I'd say it's mucch much harder to come out of BB in one piece these days

The viewers are HYPER critical now

[Daniel.]

Easier because you aren't hated or plastered all over the media so you can get away with being a bitch without getting properly hated by the nation (poor makosi grace and charley)

[Shaun]

Cons:
- Stronger chance of being heavily edited into something you aren't
- Stronger chance of producer manipulation of how you nominate / are safe
- Superfans online are just going to compare you to an ex-housemate and write you off
- Nobody really watches it any more so there's very little chance of fame or infamy
- Strong chance of having to get your hands in muddy faeces as part of the bi-weekly It's A Knockout! ripoff task

Pros:
- You basically get to hear from your family and friends every week
- You can literally spend eight weeks bullying the other housemates and still win

Voted harder.

[Jason.]

Your deluded if you think it's easier

With today's overly sensitive viewers you would have to watch EVERYTHING you say and do or risk being thrown out

Support for housemates has turned into smear campaigns against rival housemate fans. So every little thing they say or do, any little look, any little involuntary reaction will now be blown out of all proportion.

Sincere housemates are now called fake and the game players manipulator a go on to win.

The edit is also much tighter so if your not being controversial or confrontational you are simply edited out of the highlights and the false illusion that your boring or don't do anything is born

I'd say it's mucch much harder to come out of BB in one piece these days

The viewers are HYPER critical now

I do think you make a good point.
You can't show a glimpse of anger anymore, without being branded a bully and getting chanted out the next eviction night.

I agree with your second point. If your not screaming at someone, your branded a "Marlon", and get called all names under the sun when you haven't done anything wrong.

Not to mention the viewing public is very cynical these days, and questions every housemates actions. You can't even cry in the house, as it's seen as the "sympathy vote" or a boy and girl being close without being branded "boring and showmance", even when nothings happening.

It's all boring, TBH.

[Jason.]

- Nobody really watches it any more so there's very little chance of fame or infamy


In all fairness, BB has never made any stars. Not even back in 2006, when the show was averaging over 4.5m.
Anyone who went in expecting fame ten years ago would go on expecting, and that is so more the case now a days.

Back then, you'd usually get a shoot in Nuts or Heat, if you were lucky.
Now a days it's more the same thing, well maybe not with Heat, but with the Daily Star, and other mass-market tabloids, and some Twitter followers.

[Shaun]

idk, it seemed like people actually cared about housemates like Chanelle, Nikki, Aisleyne... and in the very early days housemates actually got advertising deals LOL, whereas now anyone who's heard of Helen Wood has probably done because of This Morning with the Wayne Rooney story, which was before she was a HM

[Ammi]

..I agree that there's probably some of both..easier in some way and harder in others...but I do think one of the harder things is that they're set up so much like hero and villain characters and with the lack of live-feed they can be portrayed to be pretty awful ..that's also harder because of the internet and 'hate' that it provokes...I remember back in the day, we would see some drama/argument through the early hours and see it all or most of it...then later on the HL show when it showed it...it could look completely different and slanted and if someone hadn't seen the live-feed, they would have a completely different perspective ..I guess I don't like the control that BB has so much now..and yeah they know how it's going to be from the off and when making the decision to go in but I don't think it's something that anyone would be properly prepared for fully...also I know they have more contact and knowledge of the outside world and that may be thought to be easier for them...but I think that having that contact could often be harder for them because it must make them paranoid/plays with their head as well as well...I think that being in a bubble with no contact would be easier tbh....

[Ammi]

..also what I think is harder and what I hate..:fist:...is I don't think BB should mess with the prize fund, some of the housemates have made the decision to give up jobs and the potential of winning that prize fund is part of the reason..so that amount should be what they win if they do win....I don't think it should be messed around with in tasks...

[jennyjuniper]

It depends. If you have the production team backing you above the others, then it'll be easier.

[Rhyl Cream]

Harder to get on prog unless one is a Z list sleb.

[Lostie!]

If you go into BB for fame, harder. If you don't want to be famous and recognised as much, easier.

[Beastie]

Easier in terms of the show has been on for 15 years and we know what we would be getting in ourselves in for.

It's harder now though to form some kind of "career" after Big Brother.

[Vicky.]

Both.

Harder in the sense that no matter how you are as a person, once the producers have decided on a role for you, you will be edited to be that way no matter what. Also the twists and stuff...noone knows whats going on (viewers included half the time)

Easier though when you come out, as noone gives a crap about the housemates once they leave so they don't get followed and stuff like they will have in the earlier days.

[rusticgal]

Harder...editing plays a huge role in making someone out to be the villain. Live feed allows us to see the true picture. Too many non descript flying under the radar characters seem to make it through longer than those who dare to stand up for what they believe in.
It's tough because I admire those with an opinion...those willing to stand up for what they feel is right rather than sit back and say nothing and let conflict go on around them without having an opinion. Editing, for the sake of viewing figures, will highlight those who are bold enough to get involved and are too often shown in a bad light by only capturing 'half the story'. If I were a housemate I would feel inclined to sit in the background purely because it would give me a better chance of winning....but then it wouldn't be 'me'. Gone are the days of the winner 'opening doors' to a future... The most you can get from BB is the prize money.. and to get that you have to play the game and you have to play it right...

[zakman440]

Definitely harder, and the lack of live feed is a large factor. This quote from BBCAN's Executive Producer pretty much sums up why.

"We react to the fans online constantly on this show,” says Brock, adding that the live feeds help keep the producers honest. “Since they can watch you 24/7 online, you have to tell true stories, you have to tell people’s true experiences, and you can’t make up some cagey reality thing. You don’t have that choice. You’re held accountable to the truth of the experience with those houseguests. That’s why it really is an authentic social experiment.”

[uniquedude]

Definitely easier, even in its golden days fame was short lived but the housemates were on a high when they left and it wasn't long before their 'fame' was cut short. At least now the media work dries up after a day a week tops, less of a comedown. About as famous as you'll get these days is in your local area.