Big Brother fans have slammed the show for ripping off Love Island as they accused ITV of ‘raiding the reject pile’ from the dating show to create the line-up.
Sunday night saw the original social experiment return to screens, with sixteen new strangers entering the custom-built house, ready to live together and be recorded 24 hours for six weeks.
Hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best welcomed the new contestants, all hoping to bag the show’s huge £100K prize later this year.
But viewers at home noticed that many of this year’s cast shared many similarities with each other, with the vast majority being in their 20s and only one contestant over the age of 40.
As the new stars introduced themselves to each other and the nation, fans pointed out that they were all ‘young and attractive with veneers’ and said they felt like ‘pound shop Love Island contestants’.
Big Brother fans have slammed the show for ripping off Love Island as they accused ITV of ‘raiding the reject pile’ from the dating show to create the line-up (Lilly pictured)
Sunday night saw the original social experiment return to screens, with sixteen new strangers entering the custom-built house, ready to live together and be recorded 24 hours for six weeks (Hannah pictured)
Hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best welcomed the new contestants, all hoping to bag the show’s huge £100K prize later this year (pictured with Rosie)
They slammed ITV for ‘misunderstanding the show’s purpose’, arguing that what made Big Brother interesting was having ‘people of all ages and backgrounds’.
Taking to social media to voice their disappointment that the show had ‘failed massively with this lineup’, they demanded the casting team was ‘given the sack ASAP’.
They wrote: ‘The house genuinely feels like a house full of Love Island contestants this year, I wish we had some older folks in their 60’s giving it a crack’.
‘Is this Big Brother or love island? Give me the oldies. Give me the housing estate queens. This is boring; It feels like ITV mixed up the application forms with love island.’
‘Genuinely. Did they not get enough applicants so they took some from Love Island; Too many pound shop love island contestants. Where are the grouchy middle aged women from stockport?’
‘I just don’t get it? What makes Big Brother so much better & much more interesting than other shows is the diversity in the people they choose, including age. Why do we have so many people in their 20s, specifically the men? It’s not Love Island. Listen to the audience ITV‘.
‘Has big brother turned into love island….. why is everyone young and attractive!? I need 65 year old Kevin who just sits about and farts all day; So it seems the @bbuk casting team just couldn’t be bothered this year and raided the @ITV Love Island rejects pile… What a let down’.
‘This isn’t Love Island. Get some older people in the house and bring it back to the proper social experiment days; Very disappointing that everyone is in their 20s or 30s? It’s not Love Island? Big Brother as a concept needs people of all ages and backgrounds’.
But viewers at home noticed that many of this year’s cast shared many similarities with each other, with the vast majority being in their 20s and only one contestant over the age of 40
As the new stars introduced themselves to each other and the nation, fans pointed out that they were all ‘young and attractive with veneers’ and said they felt like ‘pound shop Love Island contestants’ (Segun pictured)
They slammed ITV for ‘misunderstanding the show’s purpose’, arguing that what made Big Brother interesting was having ‘people of all ages and backgrounds’
Taking to social media to voice their disappointment that the show had ‘failed massively with this lineup’, they demanded the casting team was ‘given the sack ASAP’.
‘“The original social experiment” lol nothing original about it most of them have got veneers & are in their 20s .. like a line up for love island we wanted real people, who ever did the casting this year needs the sack ASAP’.
‘ITV has failed massively with this lineup. They have completely misread their viewership and misunderstood the show’s purpose. They’re trying to turn it into another Love Island, and we’re not having it. I’m no longer excited for the series. abysmal stuff.’
‘It’s a shame #BBUK hasn’t got the casting quite right yet. Move on from the picture perfect love island type. We need haggard, bothered, old aged, frustrated and annoyed people I fear.’
Even Big Brother veterans Jedward, who starred on the Celebrity version of the show twice in 2011 and 2017, joined in on the criticism.
The Irish duo took to their Twitter to echo: ‘Big brother needs more age diversity. It’s more Love Island than big brother #BBUK’.
It comes after the oldest contestant on this year’s line-up won praise from viewers, as she made an ‘iconic’ entrance into the famous house.
Aesthetics business owner Emma, 53, made sure all eyes were on her as she arrived in a dazzling strapless red minidress adorned with feathers.
Emma claimed she is going to bring ‘peace and harmony’ to the house, but admitted there was also a chance she would cause some drama.
Even Big Brother veterans Jedward, who starred on the Celebrity version of the show twice in 2011 and 2017, joined in on the criticism (pictured on show in 2017)
The Irish duo took to their Twitter to echo: ‘ Big brother needs more age diversity. It’s more Love Island than big brother #BBUK’
It comes after the oldest contestant on this year’s line-up won praise from viewers, as she made an ‘iconic’ entrance into the famous house
Aesthetics business owner Emma, 53, made sure all eyes were on her as she arrived in a dazzling strapless red minidress adorned with feathers
Emma claimed she is going to bring ‘peace and harmony’ to the house, but admitted there was also a chance she would cause some drama and ‘doesn’t really act her age’
During her introduction VT, she said she hopes she can be the ‘peacemaker’ but admitted she ‘doesn’t really act her age’.
She said: ‘I would like to think I’m the peacemaker. People ask me if I’m going to be the mother hen in the house – I might have times where I’m the mother hen but generally speaking I’ll be one of the girls.
‘I don’t think I really act my age when I really should so I can’t see myself acting my age in Big Brother.
She added: ‘If somebody doesn’t get my humour then they might think ‘she’s really abrupt and to the point and says it how it is’ but that’s my humour.
‘I’m still going to be me in there but sometimes I may come across as abrupt or say ”get over yourself”.
Fans quickly took social media to declare Emma is ‘already their winner’ as they branded her a ‘queen’.
They tweeted: ‘Emma is my winner already; I love Emma already, queen; Emma might be the icon of the season although it’s too soon to tell; Emma has icon potential; Loving Emma already what an icon’.
BIG BROTHER 2024: MEET THE CONTESTANTS!
EMMA
AGE : 53
FROM: Altrincham, originally Essex
OCCUPATION: Aesthetics Business owner
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? If somebody doesn’t get my humour then they might think ‘she’s really abrupt and to the point and says it how it is’ but that’s my humour.
ROSIE
AGE: 29
FROM: Cornwall (originally Essex)
OCCUPATION: Dental Assistant
DO YOU HAVE A STRATEGY FOR MAKING IT TO THE FINAL? No! I think it’s about being your most authentic self. The viewers aren’t dumb – they can sniff out manufactured drama.
NATHAN
AGE: 24
FROM: Dumfries
OCCUPATION: Pork Salesman and King Charles’ former butler
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? Accidentally offending someone – someone taking something I’ve said the wrong way. Not a terrible offence, but if someone takes something I said the wrong way.
SEGUN
AGE: 25
FROM: Watford
OCCUPATION: Charity Videographer
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BRING TO THE HOUSE? I think I’ll bring energy, comedic energy, vitality and a lot of entertainment and being uplifting.
DAZE
AGE: 24
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Climate Activist
WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THE MONEY IF YOU WON? It’s been a difficult financial period for me – climate activism is quite often something you do in debt. It would be nice to have money to do the work
KHALED
AGE: 23
FROM: Manchester
OCCUPATION: Sales Manager
WHY DID YOU APPLY TO BE ON THIS NEW SERIES OF BIG BROTHER? I didn’t actually know what Big Brother was. I thought it’s a new opportunity in life. I have no interest in being famous.
MARTHA
AGE: 26
FROM: Scarborough, originally from Margate
OCCUPATION: NHS Administrator
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST ABOUT BEING A HOUSEMATE? Definitely sitting on the Diary Room chair. That is a bucket list ticked off. Also just experiencing that isolation. I’m going to really enjoy not having my phone. I just love not having that responsibility.
LILY
AGE: 20
FROM: Warrington
OCCUPATION: Chinese Takeaway Server
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? Probably that I’m annoying but I don’t care.
ALI
AGE: 38
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Forensic Psychologist
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST ABOUT BEING A HOUSEMATE? Just being away and thrown into a totally new environment, completely different to anything I’ve done before, completely different to anything I’ll ever do in the future.
THOMAS
AGE: 20
FROM: Carlisle
OCCUPATION: Amputee Footballer
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? One of my bad traits is that I speak a lot. I do a lot of talking without thinking. In myself I never get offended, you can say anything about me – I’ve already heard it before.
RYAN
AGE: 28
FROM: Stockport
OCCUPATION: Marketing and Events
WHY DID YOU APPLY TO BE ON THIS NEW SERIES OF BIG BROTHER? I’ve always been a fan of the show – it’s been a bit of a childhood dream to go on it.
HANAH
AGE: 24
FROM: West London
OCCUPATION: HR Consultant
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? I feel like whoever nominates is just a hater, babes! I think it might be my opinions that people nominate me for.
IZAAZ
AGE: 29
FROM: London, originally Swansea
OCCUPATION: Sales Consultant
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BRING TO THE HOUSE? I’ll bring a lot of happiness and kindness. I reckon I’ll be there for a lot of people. I’m not the type of person to fall out with anyone and if I did, I’d make up for it.
SARAH
AGE: 27
FROM: Shrewsbury
OCCUPATION: Spa Account Manager
WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THE MONEY IF YOU WON? A few different things. One, I’d have my dream wedding. Two, go on a nice holiday. And three, maybe start my own business.
MARCELLO
AGE: 34
FROM: East London
OCCUPATION: Youth Mentor
DO YOU HAVE A STRATEGY FOR MAKING IT TO THE FINAL? Not at all. I’m going to show love, I’m going to be myself and that’s all I can do.
DEAN
AGE: 35
FROM: East London
OCCUPATION: Barber
WHY DID YOU APPLY TO BE ON THIS NEW SERIES OF BIG BROTHER? I’ve been a fan for the longest time. I’ve wanted to do it from the age of 11 and never had the confidence to do it. As I got older, I was still obsessed with the show and as soon as it came back it was ‘this is my time to apply’.