Statement
Channel 5 has received inquiries from viewers about the most recent series of Big Brother. In order to assist viewers, the following information is provided:
1. All voting during Big Brother is independently verified as the voting occurs and when it ends. Only those results which are independently verified are used in determining results which are broadcast as part of Big Brother.
2. Votes cast are regularly monitored to detect any unusual voting patterns or to determine whether, for instance, computer programmes have been used to implement automatic voting for particular housemates. Where there are discrepancies in voting patterns, in consultation with the independent verifier, consideration is given as to whether the votes should be included.
3. No votes were discarded because of voting irregularities in the period after lines were open for voting in the final week of the last series up until the lines were finally closed, when Helen and Ashleigh were the two remaining finalists. No voting irregularities were detected during that period.
4. When voting lines are open, they are regularly monitored, including by independent verifiers, to ensure that votes can be cast on behalf of any housemate up for voting. At all times during the period after lines were open for voting in the final week of the last series up until the lines were finally closed when Helen and Ashleigh were the two remaining finalists, all relevant lines were open and callers were able to cast votes for whichever housemate they chose. All voting lines for housemates were open for exactly the same period; the voting line for each individual housemate opened and closed at exactly the same time as the line for any other housemate facing a public vote at the same time.
5. At 9.20am on August 15, the morning of the Final of Big Brother 2014, the voting stood as follows:
Ashleigh was 8,018 votes ahead of Helen.
Helen was 9,789 votes ahead of Christopher.
Christopher was 4,945 votes ahead of Ash
Ash was 8,730 votes ahead of Chris
Chris was 11,237 votes ahead of Pav
6. At 8.55pm on August 15, immediately prior to the live broadcast of the Final of Big Brother 2014, the voting stood as follows:
Ashleigh was 7,887 votes ahead of Helen.
Helen was 12,628 votes ahead of Christopher.
Christopher was 6,319 votes ahead of Ash
Ash was 10,296 votes ahead of Chris
Chris was 13,365 votes ahead of Pav
7. At 10.03pm on August 15, when voting lines closed for the final time during the live broadcast of the Final of Big Brother 2014, the voting stood as follows:
Helen was 4,631 votes ahead of Ashleigh.
Ashleigh was 75,818 votes ahead of Christopher.
Christopher was 13,303 votes ahead of Ash
Ash was 23,108 votes ahead of Chris
Chris was 14,594 votes ahead of Pav
8. The voting lines for Pav, Chris, Ash and Christopher finally closed at different times, as each lost their place in the House. The voting lines for Helen and Ashleigh finally closed at the same time.
9. All of the votes and results mentioned in paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 were independently verified.
10. During the launch of Big Brother 2014, the viewers voted for Pauline to be given "the power" in the House. Pauline knew nothing about what reward would be given to Helen when she selected Helen for a reward. The first either Helen or Pauline or any other housemate knew about there being a "pass to the final" was when Big Brother announced to the House exactly what the reward was that Pauline had chosen Helen to receive.
11. Helen auditioned for Big Brother in the same way as all other applicants for a place in the Big Brother House. When she entered the House, Helen did not have an agent, a manager or any connection with either Northern & Shell or Richard Desmond.
12. The behaviour of all housemates is regularly monitored by Big Brother and interventions are made whenever Big Brother considers it necessary. Some interventions are informal, some are formal; some result in serious warnings. Not all of these interventions are included in the material broadcast.
13. In Helen’s case, the broadcasts twice showed her being reprimanded by Big Brother for her conduct (in relation to Danielle and Matthew). There were a number of further informal interventions with Helen about her conduct and during the course of the material broadcast Helen herself made reference to some of these, although these informal interventions were not themselves included in any broadcast. Informal interventions with other housemates, similarly, were not included in the material broadcast.
14. The Big Brother voting system remains independently verified and Big Brother is satisfied that the outcome of Big Brother 2014 was an accurate reflection of the public's decisions.
http://bigbrother.channel5.com/statement
Ash,
.
Linear Mode
