[Raph]

We have 5 housemates this year who really aren't associated with previous exposure in the media -- Sarah, Joel, Nick, Harriet and Chloe! Yeah it's still not much, but are others pleased with this amount or did you want more? I personally will be rooting for these 5 primarily just because i'm so bored of watching z-listers try to become more famous by going on Big Brother. Of course, ideally it'd be around 14/16 who were like the 5 but hey, i'll take what I can get!

[Pete.]

Yaay

[GypsyGoth]

They gave a good account of themselves, however I felt that Joel & Nick might have been a little overwhelmed, but that's perfectly understandable.

[DrunkerThanMoses]

Funny the only ones I liked based off VT's was Joel, Nick and Harriet.

[Black Dagger]

I'm really not fussed. Which shows because Joel was my least favourite of the night.

[Jake.]

It's a step in the right direction but I honestly like the majority of them this year.. They all seem to be more 'normal' folk compared to recent times

[Liam-]

It pains me to say it because he's a fellow Cardiffian, but from first impressions, Joel strikes me as someone who will possibly be a series dullard.. i don't really mind 'recruits' as long as they're entertaining tbh, where a person comes from or what their background is doesn't really bother me, i judge them solely on their time in the house.

[Amy Jade]

Nick and Sarah are the best so far and are non recruits. I tend to agree with Liam and don't mind good recruiting BUT I will root for somebody whos had to go through the whole audition process after applying etc rather than somebody whos been approached

[Raph]

Originally Posted by Amy Jade

Nick and Sarah are the best so far and are non recruits. I tend to agree with Liam and don't mind good recruiting BUT I will root for somebody whos had to go through the whole audition process after applying etc rather than somebody whos been approached

Basically agree with everything in this post although don't know about nick and Sarah yet as I haven't watched the launch. My sentiments are the same. There's nothing inherently wrong with recruits (albeit channel 5 model recruit archetypes are incredibly frustrating), but yeah it's much more relatable seeing people like Joel, nick and Sarah in the house. Definitely helps make it easier to root for them over the recruits who went through an easier process.

[aman201]

The more of these the better.

FFS seeing more housemates like that Showbiz Slaphead will have me fuming.

[Strictly Jake]

Yeah I thought it was refreshing to actually have normal people for a change. Harriet and Chloe stood out to me

[waterhog]

the more normal they are and the harder they find BB the closer i get and i repsect them more. as for the show off - bored.

[LukeB]

I will pick people who auditioned over recruits any day.

saying this i'm 100% sure Amy and Sally got through because of their audition (since Helen said they auditioned last year) They were boring on towie and their VT was much better

[bots]

I think everyone auditioned, just some were fast tracked where others had to take the long route.

Whether they are recruits or not, the chances are that the majority are of a certain ilk, not afraid of the public eye shall we say. So the method of them getting there is probably irrelevant. BB as a show will attract certain people who want to participate, and "normal" will not describe them. What I object to is the false persona's that many project, or the over the top antics to get air time, more than anything else. Also, last year, many were tied to the same agency, Desmond's, so the whole thing was very dubious. This year it feels a lot more rounded.

[Withano]

The civilian series should genuinely be 100% people who have no association with any type of national exposure. 5/14 isn't good enough, it's ****ing annoying.

[rionablue]

Whether a housemate has been in the media before now i.e model or presenter or wag or anything like that never makes a difference to how I feel about them. If I like a housemate their work or what they do is not an issue. I judge them on how they are in the house, how genuine they appear and how they get on with the others so it doesn't matter to me if its 15 people who have never been in any kind of media or 15 who have