[Shaun]

Source: BBC News Article Here

Firstly - dunno if it's already been posted, but it's not on the first page of topics...so sorry if it has, don't bite my head off

Big Brother housemates will have to grow their own food this year, the show's producers have said.

The 16 contestants will have to cultivate their own potatoes and carrots and season their food with herbs from the garden.

This year's "green" Big Brother house will also feature a large recycling bin in the kitchen.

The ninth series of the show, which will run for 13 weeks, begins on Thursday night at 2100BST on Channel 4.

Pictures released by producers show that the house boasts a luxury bedroom as well as a dormitory-style room with short beds and scratchy blankets.

The luxury room features eight double beds complete with velvet cushions, a walk-in closet and burgundy and gold drapes.

The two bedrooms are intended to divide the contestants competing for the £100,000 prize.

'Zero tolerance'

Other changes announced include two staircases leading to the outside world.

And the diary room has been built under the stairs to cut off the housemates from the rest of the house.

A "jail", in the form of a tiny claustrophobic area enclosed by metal bars in the garden, is also ready for use if any housemates need to be punished.

Show bosses have refused to confirm reports that the new series will feature a blind housemate.

Executive producer Phil Edgar-Jones said there was still great demand for the show.

"Certainly in the build up, there's much more excitement about it this year than last year," he said.

"Ratings are not my main concern while I'm making it."

Another executive producer, Sharon Powers, emphasised a zero tolerance policy towards housemates this year.

"We are sick and tired of housemates coming to the diary room asking to leave and talking to each other about nominations," she said.

"We're not going to tolerate rule breaking. If housemates break the rules, you have to spend the night in jail."