Ignorance is bliss...

Big Brother 11 aka the FINAL UK Big Brother is slowly winding down now and I am slightly ashamed to admit I've been hooked from Mario's mole costume to Corin's over use of the phrase "I'm buzzing!"  It's been a while since myself and the show have been on the same page but I figured with this being the very last (although my mum and I have a conspiracy theory that Channel 5 will pick up the rights and carry it on) I decided to at least give the wannabe celebs a chance and have been pleasantly surprised that this year channel 4 decided to return to their roots a little and choose the more sane of members of the British public.

However, in reflecting on series past, as we all wait with bated breath for the most memorable of BB housemates ever to re-enter the house with this years winner for a fortnight, it became apparent how far channel 4 really have taken it from it's original concept.  I realise that things need to evolve to keep them fresh and us entertained but surely one of the key points was that you were shut in a house with no contact with the outside world.  Isn't it kind of meant to be a bit of a social experiment to test how you behave under the scrutiny of camera's and being ignorant of what's going on out there?  This series feels far from that.  They've had tasks where they've been expected to perform outside the house to the eviction audience on friday nights.  There was the "ignore the obvious" task which saw celebs, family and friends all entering the house, culminating with Jedward doing a live concert in the garden and as the end is nigh we now have the Diary Room "pointless" task which has paraded ex housemates from this series breifly in and out, none of whom have been very subtle about the goings on outside.  New housemates brought in over the series have even relayed their predictions as to who they think will win based on their viewings and understanding of the media and the British public before they arrived.  I remember a time when this kind of information leakage would have been punishable. 

We've even seen John James exit out of the fire exit to talk to producers and other members of the crew in a state of panic, with at least two other housemates following him and finally yesterday after a rather mean showdown with first evictee Rachael on Wednesday he insisted on being able to speak, on the phone, to her now boyfriend, ex housemate Nathan, in order to apologise for his comments and so that he would feel "comfortable" about staying in the house and waiting for his eviction.  What's worse is BB actually honoured the request.  I'm starting to think that there's not much point even having a house, why not just follow them around in their everyday lives if we're going to tell them how they're being perceived and who's going to win the money?

Check out below this Big Brother comedy sketch by my idols French and Saunders, this is way more entertaining than the actual Big Brother.