[LEE]

I've just received an email from Dean

Ages ago when I interviewed him you may recall that he said he was intending writing a book all about his experiences on BB - well he has finally done it.

This is what he has to say about it

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Living In The Box: An Adventure In Reality TV an explosive new book lifts the lid on Big Brother by former housemate Dean O’Loughlin, exclusively available on Ebay.co.uk from Friday 21st May, £4.99

With one week to go before Big Brother 5 kicks off and twelve sacrificial lambs once again offer themselves up to the altar of entertainment, Dean O’Loughlin, a participant in Big Brother 2, publishes the world’s first, no-holds-barred exposé of life inside the Big Brother house. 'Living In The Box: An Adventure In Reality TV' is told from the unique perspective of someone who volunteered, was selected, became a housemate, endured public scrutiny and media demonisation, and ultimately survived to tell his story. Three years in the writing, the book is a frank, honest and compelling account of what really happened behind the Big Brother walls in 2001 – the year the series was best remembered for the burgeoning on-screen relationship between Helen and Paul, the histrionics of eventual winner Brian Dowling, and the general consensus that this was television history in the making.

The show’s creators, Endemol, seek to discourage housemates from revealing Big Brother secrets by tying them into legal contracts. Since Dean could not find a publisher willing to risk incurring Endemol’s wrath, he has decided to publish the book himself. Released tomorrow (Friday May 21st), 'Living In The Box' is therefore only available to buy from the website Ebay.co.uk and is priced at £4.99 (plus P+P).

So, with Series Five about to hit our screens, the second runner-up from Big Brother 2 reveals (amongst other things):

· secret diary room conversations that weren’t televised
· how ‘creative editing’ distorted the truth of what was seen on TV
· the coercion, manipulation and emotional blackmail imposed to boost ratings
· the inadequate aftercare given to the housemates and their families
· how the pressures of instant fame, however brief, alter everyday life

Plus, with never-before-published intimate revelations about housemates, both in front of and away from the cameras, as well as rare insights into the UK’s modern media machine, Living In The Box is a must-read, not only for fans of Big Brother, but also for those with just a passing interest in reality TV and its cultural implications.

Dean comments: “I always get nervous around this time of year as another batch of naïfs takes on the challenge of Big Brother. They honestly believe they’ve an equal chance of winning £70K, but the truth is that each is picked to play a pre-designated role from which, thanks to careful editing, they can never stray too far. In writing Living In The Box I set out to tell people the truth and explain that onscreen events are merely distortions of what actually happens in the house. Quite simply, I wrote this book to expose the reality of Reality TV.”

[James]

I'll be buying this one. Can't find it on ebay at the moment though.

I read on the jtforum here that one of Dean's revelations is that a BB2 housemate slept with one of the producers on the night that he or she was evicted.

He's not saying who though.

[LEE]

I can't find it either James, should be there by tomorrow hopefully. Certainly sounds an interesting read

[Amy]

Looking forward to the release of this book! Sounds like it's a good read!

[BusyBee]

Oh dear something else for my BB collection - a definite must have.

[rachb]

Its there now there are a few copies and they have a couple of days left to bid
I've bid on one of them

[Amy]

I read on the jtforum here that one of Dean's revelations is that a BB2 housemate slept with one of the producers on the night that he or she was evicted.

And today the Jtforum has another article from The daily star with Brian owning up to sleeping with the producer! To read article visit the JTForum

[Romantic Old Bird]

Was that before he went in I wonder?

[BusyBee]

Well when Brian was in the house he did very often say that there was a Big Brother in the diary room that he fancied!!

I've also put in a bid, although I hope I did think this would be something where it was a definite price, but a bidding war. Still lets see.

[Amy]

Just added my bid

[rachb]

ooh I've just paid for mine its on its way
I can't wait
this will kill some time until bb starts

[Amy]

Originally posted by rachb
ooh I've just paid for mine its on its way
I can't wait
this will kill some time until bb starts

So have I Rach

[Di2001]

I'm going to bid for one as well

[bananarama]

It's a book i would not touch with a 10 foot barge pole. Shame on Dean for opening his trap about a private relationship that has nothing to do with him. No way will i help line the pockets of a whisle blower that uses the privacy of others to make money.

I now understand why Brian kept such a low profile after the show. Too busy with personal interests.

[dustmite]

I'm greatly amused about his 'revelations'. Surely it's blatantly obvious that a show like this is going to be edited to make the most public appeal, or are people so stupid not to realise that one? I'm a BB fan, and I'm not going to say I dislike the editing, it makes it watchable - that's what it's there for.

As for Brian having a bit of 'ows your father' with a producer, so what? Whoopie! If it had an effect on the outcome...? Well, I doubt it, there's far too many producers for that, now, if it were with all the producers... then that'd be a wee bit different.

I'll stop groaning about a silly book authored by a silly little man.

</soapbox>

[bananarama]

What makes me angry about the silly little man hungry for another few minutes of fame is that as i understand it he did not name the person in his cheap little masterpiece of a book.

By not naming it leaves others wondering. perhaps Helen might have thought it was "Paul" and so on. This sort of half baked revelation can only do harm. Unforgivable.

Credit to Brian for speaking out and stopping the possibly harmful speculations.

Who know what effect this revelation might have on Brian's tv opportunities. He is very much an entertainer suitable for children and some producers of such prog's may be prudish enough to give Brian a miss.

[dustmite]

And, in addition to our flaming... I love how he presumed that the publishing houses wouldn't take his book because they were afraid of Endemol's wrath... yeh, like that bothers them. Shame he didn't consider that it was most likely because his book is utterly awful?

I'll stop grumbling now, honest!

(ok... I probably shall not, but hey, can't blame me for trying)

[bananarama]

I'll stop grumbling now, honest!

You might!! But I have run out of my anti-grumpy tablets so I am just not in the mood to stop whinging..

[LEE]

Well personally I don't think people should slag the book off without reading it first. I have just finished reading it and I thought it was very good, it bought back some wonderful memories of BB2 and really put me in the mood for BB5.

The press have picked up on one throw away half sentence towards the end and blown everything up out of all proportion. I've just been chatting to Dean and he's quite philosophical about the tabloid reviews joking that he should have remembered what the press were like picking up things out of context and twisting everything.

Give the book a chance, and if you still don't rate it after you have read it, fine, but give Dean the benefit of not just believing what the tabloids have to say, I mean they are so well known for their integrity and accurate journalism aren't they!!!

[James]

I bought and received the book tonight - good of Dean to make it available in a PDF so I didn't have to wait for it in the post.

I'm just looking for some inside info on BB2, and this looks like it's got it!

[James]

Here's another of those tabloid reviews...

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/

REVEALED.. HELEN AND PAUL HAD FIRST BB BONK

THE first Big Brother bonk happened TWO YEARS before everyone thought.

Teen Big Brother contestants Jade Dyer and Tommy Wright were hailed as the first couple to get hot and heavy inside the reality TV house last year.

But dizzy Helen Adams and Paul Clarke from BB2 had beat them to it.

Fellow housemate Dean O'Loughlin tells all in his book Living In The Box.

He says he stood guard outside the garden den while the couple romped inside during a party two weeks after cameras stopped rolling.

If you read the relevant passage in the book you can see what he means about being taken out of context.

It doesn't actually say that happened!

[Amy]

Originally posted by LEE
I have just finished reading it and I thought it was very good, it bought back some wonderful memories of BB2 and really put me in the mood for BB5.

That's just what I was hoping that book would do LEE, I'm really looking forward to reading it

[dizzy bint]

Originally posted by bananarama
What makes me angry about the silly little man hungry for another few minutes of fame is that as i understand it he did not name the person in his cheap little masterpiece of a book.

By not naming it leaves others wondering. perhaps Helen might have thought it was "Paul" and so on. This sort of half baked revelation can only do harm. Unforgivable.

Credit to Brian for speaking out and stopping the possibly harmful speculations.

Who know what effect this revelation might have on Brian's tv opportunities. He is very much an entertainer suitable for children and some producers of such prog's may be prudish enough to give Brian a miss.

Brian is obviously aiming at a more adult audience now - as in Brian's Boyfriends.

[BusyBee]

Well mine is on its way and I for one am looking forward to reading it. At least its written by an insider who 'should' know what he's talking about ie how housemates are treated afterwards etc.

The worst BB book I've seen is the one written by Jules Stern - Big Secrets from Big Brother which really is full of quotes from friends, background dirt etc.

I quite agree - I cant see it will make any difference to Brian's career. After all he is an adult and is now appearing in adult programmes. It's nothing worse than a lot of other presenters have done.

As for P and H, I always had a sneaky feeling that they would make a return trip to THAT den, after all it was a very special place for the both of them

[Romantic Old Bird]

Well my money is still on the night of day 56 anyway as far as that goes.

I would have thought Dean was more of a gentleman than to let that one out of the bag.

Anyway, if it's true, good luck to them both as far as I am concerned.