[Babayaro.]

I’m sure they used to do that with ‘guinea pig’ housemates, but it would be the actual house they would stay in. I’m not sure for how long (maybe a few days to a week?) but it would be a couple of weeks before the series started

[Will.]

Originally Posted by Babayaro.

I’m sure they used to do that with ‘guinea pig’ housemates, but it would be the actual house they would stay in. I’m not sure for how long (maybe a few days to a week?) but it would be a couple of weeks before the series started

Yes I remember this! I’m sure there was some clips from one of the early channel 5 series that circulated around.

Although I think the guinea pigs were there to test the house out, make sure the cameras were set up in the right places.

I don’t think they were actual potential housemates. Just random people testing it out who wouldn’t be going onto the main series.

[Babayaro.]

Originally Posted by Will.

Yes I remember this! I’m sure there was some clips from one of the early channel 5 series that circulated around.

Although I think the guinea pigs were there to test the house out, make sure the cameras were set up in the right places.

I don’t think they were actual potential housemates. Just random people testing it out who wouldn’t be going onto the main series.

Yeah that’s true actually, it was more for the technical aspects rather than the actual housemates. I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that there’s been a few people who have been ‘guinea pigs’ before becoming a proper housemate in later series

[Will.]

Originally Posted by Babayaro.

Yeah that’s true actually, it was more for the technical aspects rather than the actual housemates. I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that there’s been a few people who have been ‘guinea pigs’ before becoming a proper housemate in later series

Yes Katie Hopkins was in the first tester like in 1999/2000 I think.

Although I think the first one was a bit different to the future tests runs.

I think maybe someone from around 2012-2014 might have become a real housemate after being a guinea pig.

I want to say Winston? Or someone in BB14 maybe.