[LEE]

OMG - they are actually going to do it.

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The Big Brother House Divide

On Saturday night (June 8th) the remaining ten housemates will once again be given a task to perform live on Channel 4 (Channel 4, 10pm). But this week, Big Brother has upped the stakes – the 5 task winners will live in luxury whilst the 5 losers will live in poverty as Big Brother splits their home into ‘Rich House / Poor House’.

This week’s live task will be a basketball hoop challenge. The first five housemates to score a basket will be the winners – the others the losers, and it’s up to the housemates to decide the order of shooting. As soon as the task has been completed, the winners will be asked to go to one bedroom with their belongings and the losers the other and remain there until further notice.

When they open the bedroom doors the shocked housemates will be faced with a house divided by glass bars – 5 on one side and 5 on the other. The rich side will have the comfy sofas, the luxurious bedroom, the swimming pool and the swanky kitchen and wet room. They will also have £400 housekeeping allowance and hot water in the morning and evenings. The poor side will have basic furniture, an outside wood burning stove on which to cook and an outside toilet and shower. The poor house will have the chickens for eggs and the vegetable garden with which to supplement the basic provisions (rice, pasta) provided by Big Brother. They will have no housekeeping money and no hot water. The housemates will be divided in this way for at least one week.

Viewers can see the housemates reactions to their new surroundings during Big Brother Live on Channel 4 at 11.30pm.

An updated set of house rules will also be issued to the housemates referring to housemates conduct in the split house.

“When we said Big Brother was getting tougher this is what we meant. Each week how the housemates perform in their task will fundamentally effect the way the live their lives in the house.” Phil Edgar-Jones, Executive Producer.

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Click HERE to see the pics of the glass bars and the split house.

[Kaz]

Thanks LEE!

WOW! I CAN'T WAIT!

Almost unbearably cruel for the poor 5 housemates who end up in the Poor House, but it will make for riveting viewing!

[LEE]

I must admit when I first heard about this ages ago I hated the idea and really hoped that they were not going to do it. However, this years show is sooo boring that anything to make it more interesting will be welcome.

[Mairi]

Thanks Lee. That's made my day. ANYTHING to make it more interesting!!!

[LEE]

According to Guardian Online the "rich house/poor house" tactic has been tried out in the Dutch version of Big Brother. it says:

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'In Holland, mini tasks were set to allow housemates to move between the rich and poor areas. The "poor" side of the house spent much of their time lined up in a row staring through the glass barrier watching their "rich" counterparts drink wine and enjoy themselves.'

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[Mo]

I just hope that the 2 cliques don't end up in either house.

Hopefully couples like Kate and Spencer will get separated. Perhaps Jade and Spencer going in one house together might drive Kate mad.

[Romantic Old Bird]

Absolutely, make them suffer, that's what I say. After all, I suffer everytime I look at them and try to like them.

BTW, I am not REALLY logged on from work Lee!

[Mark]

I have a bad feeling about this - its gonna be a big mistake

Also it might look bad on camera....

Oh well - guess we will have to wait and see.....

Mark

[peachy]

Wow, I'm really looking forward to this. I just wish all ten were going into the poor side of the house. It would serve them all right and I'd love to see their faces.

As for £400 housekeeping for just 5 people, if the 5 include Jonny, Spence and PJ they will be absolutely sozzled for the whole week. Hic, hic.

[LEE]

I've just realised, I'm away this weekend so I don't think I'm actually going to see this. Typical, the first time something interesting is going to happen and i'm going to miss it.

[WILDCHILD]

IDEAL!!!
:elephant :

This is gonna make fab viewing!!!!
I wonder whos gonna be on which side!

[Gardencroft]

Damn Good about time the stakes were raised - NOW it's going to get good.

How about setting up Machine Guns to shoot those trying to escape!!

[Sticks]

This is a bad idea.
What kind of people like to watch others suffer ?

Will there be two separate Diary rooms ?

The press release made no such mention of that

[Sticks]

This is a copy of an E-mail I have sent to the addresses given on the contact section of the official website.

FROM: watch-the-watchers@bigbrother-sees-all.co.uk

TO:editor@bigbrother.channel4.com
CC: bblb@channel4.com, bigbrother@channel4.com, psychologist@bigbrother.channel4.com

SUBJECT House Split - Endemol goes back on its word

During the pre-show speculation, the press mooted the split house rumour. At that time your press spokesperson denied that report.

You are now doing what you said you would not do. Why ?

This is guaranteed to cause more suffering. Do you think we all like to see people suffer ?

Is it right to use suffering as entertainment ?

There have been a number of relationships formed, notably the Kate/Spencer relationship. If one of these pairings is split up in this, is this not likely to cause further stress and axiety ?

If so where is the concept known as “Duty of Care“

From my scanning of the various forums, the feelings from a number of people is that BB3 has been thoroughly mishandled this year, from the House construction, contestant selection, through to the way that the weekly task has been totaly reconfigured.

This split house idea is yet another idea that seems good to a focus group but has not been thought through. (We have not been told how you will deal with the Diary room access.)

This split house proposition should be re-considered, and the views of actual viewers taken into account.

Sent by Another.com User: Graeme Stickings

I have BCCd a copy to LEE for file

Am I alone here in thinking that the house split is wrong ?

[Kaz]

Oh no, I've just found out we're going away for the weekend as well!

However, I'll hopefully still be able to watch this - if not the trusty video will be set before I leave tonight.

I'll let you know what I think when I get back on Sunday!

[Janette]

I don't know if I like the idea of the heaven/hell split house.

But I suppose any new thing could only make it more interesting, it couldn't be much worse right now!

[LEE]

That's about what I think as well Janette. As I said earlier I've never really liked the idea of the split house but BB3 has no'spark' of interest this year so at least it is going to give us something different to watch.

I think if I was in the 'Rich' half I'd feel really guilty and wouldn't feel much like living it up at all.

[Glitter_babe]

I don't like this idea at all - I don't want to seepeople having to have cold showers and burning on a wooden stove, being driven mad by the cruelty of it all. This isn't entertainment to me, it's treating half the house worse than convicts are treated.

Maybe i'm overreacting, but even if I did get to be on the rich side, as LEE says, I'd feel awful.

Hopefully couples like Kate and Spencer will get separated. Perhaps Jade and Spencer going in one house together might drive Kate mad.

I hope not. At the moment it is really boring, and i watch it to see how relationships are developing, particularily with Kate and Spencer , who i think make a lovely couple.
If they are split up, it will cause even more boredom on my part (and break my ickle heart!)

I know that they are going to be on separate sides now, just to spite me!!

But on a more serious note, i don't think this will work, and I don't know how much i'll enjoy watching it, if at all.

Are they going to do this for the rest of the time in the house?? Please say no!

[Mark]

Originally posted by Sticks
This is a copy of an E-mail I have sent to the addresses given on the contact section of the official website.

I have BCCd a copy to LEE for file

Am I alone here in thinking that the house split is wrong ?

Let us know if they reply Sticks...

Thanks

Mark

[paulwj]

hope u dont mind my 2p's worth lol

but i sooo hope Alex is still in cos i cant see him getting into the good half so imagine all the moaning and sniping if he's got an outside loo and shower to deal with

now that would be fun to watch lol

[blinkinlovely]

I'm really not sure about this..... I liake KAte and Spencer and just hope they end up in the same bit.

I am a bit worried about those in the poor end: rice, pasta and ,,,,,,,veg from the garden?????? Wot: not cider to make life bearable???

[Amy]

I like this idea!!!!!
but i did'nt think they would do it !!!
i wonder if anyone will try and get to the nice side of the house!!!

[WILDCHILD]

I dont think the housemates are gonna be very happy bout it but its only for one week and it will make good viewing, for me anyway.
Its a bit like Survivor, having to deal with the hard life - except they're not in a jungle, they're in London!

[Mad Matty]

I am undecided over whether this will work or not.

Be good if they try to smash the glass though

[Gardencroft]

I think its a good idea - please remember its only a gameshow & they can leave at any time , there is no hardship in the real sense of the word.On the low rated "survivor" show the people endured real hardship, lack of food( they ate rats ) and did extremely difficult tasks.
That was for £1 million of course but the people ended in obscurity - this is for a chance at real fame and they can walk at any time - they don't really "endure" having your feelings hurt is not "suffering".
All in All this BB needs something NOW or there won't be a BB4.

Cheers