[Kaz]

Article from today's Ananova:

Big Brother applications double from second series

Channel 4 has received around 150,000 applications for the third series of Big Brother. The figure is double the number of people who applied to be in last year's series.

Channel 4 has taken on extra staff to process the huge number of applicants.

The station's director of programmes, Tim Gardam, has refused to give details of changes to the show, but said: "It's going to be a bit different.

"We do have a problem with it at the moment because at the last count the number of applicants was 150,000 - double last year.

"We've hired extra people to wade through them all. We've had to hire an extra van to bring in all the audition tapes. It will be a huge lottery as to who gets in."

The new series is expected to be broadcast in the summer.

Overseas versions of the show have seen the Big Brother house split into two, but Mr Gardam said Channel 4 was not planning to follow foreign formats.

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I don't envy them having to wade through that lot!

Interesting that they're yet again denying that the new house will be split in two, whereas Davina apparently said on Capital Radio that it would be split into two sections - one nice and one not-so nice.

They're certainly keeping us guessing!