Good luck with this Lee!
I think it is great that you may get a chance to air your (our) views in this debate.
However, they will no doubt be touting their massively increased viewing figures as justification for this years antics.
On RI:SE this morning Dean (lovely to see him BTW, chilled as ever) seemed to be enjoying watching the torture.
There is the risk that views such as ours are going to be presented as fuddy duddy eccentric, or perhaps the archetypal 'disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' letter writer to the Times.
I think the overall feeling I have is that last year we watched normal people in extraordinary circumstances adapting to boredom, fear and each other. There was some back biting, some chivvying for position, but they were generally reasonable people who had been pretty well brought up. They did get into the bullying mode a little, notably with Penny and Paul but generall they respected each other. All their neuroses (including Penny's)were down to the pressure of being in there, and you could see that they would function well in the outside world. I felt enhanced by the experience of watching it.
This year I feel they have taken a different breed of contestant, regardless of their grounding and stability. Jade is a case in point. She is (on paper and face to face) a tremendously vulnerable girl. She is so immature they may as well have taken a 15 year old in there, and so emotionally needy that it is tantamount to procurement.
They have failed to sufficiently vet contestants - PJ has been on a ghastly 'how to get laid' reality show on Sky One only last year, and whatever the underlying story to the 'bound over to keep the peace' incident, even the risk of violence is enough to cross him off a list of this kind. Why has he been selected?
He is not aesthetically pleasing
He has no discernable personality
He is not a potential leader
Simple: he is 'up for it'. Grim.
This year I admit I am watching it, mostly because I can't wait to see them leave. I do not and will not feel enhanced by this experience, in fact I think I feel rather dirty!
Whatever, no doubt they'll make sure it favours them.
Oh, and if you see Germaine Greer, tell her she's sold out to the establishment!
Oh, and if you see PAUL CLARKE leave him alone! He's mine!!!!
