Big Brother has been dealt a fresh ratings blow as viewing figures have slipped for the second day in a row.
And in another dash the following day even less tuned in, with an average of just 670,000 watching on Monday night.
While the viewership was low, for those who did tune in they were treated to instant drama, with tears and tantrums in the house on the very first day.
During the opening moments of Monday’s show Lily and Sarah were seen already bumping heads as tensions brewed following the shock twist.
+4
View gallery
Big Brother has been dealt a fresh ratings blow as viewing figures have slipped for the second day in a row and just 670,000 tuned in (pictured: Sarah)
+4
View gallery
During the opening moments of Monday’s show Lily (pictured) and Sarah were seen already bumping heads as tensions brewed following the shock twist.
After being informed they were not real housemates and would be living in storage, 11 participants were all lumped together in incredibly uncomfortable surroundings.
As a result Lily, 20, was seen mocking Sarah’s posh accent, before Sarah, 27, broke down in tears after being ‘overwhelmed’ by the big brother experience.
Taking to X fans said: ‘Cracks already love it’: ‘Housemate beef already????’: ‘tears already’: ‘Sarah struggling, FFS it’s been a few hours, just quit if it’s so hard’: ‘Who had Lily and Sarah beef on their Bingo card for day 1 then?’.
Monday’s live launch saw fans slam 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.
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’.
They slammed ITV for ‘misunderstanding the show’s purpose’, arguing that what made Big Brother interesting was having ‘people of all ages and backgrounds’.
+4
View gallery
Monday’s live launch saw fans slam 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
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’.
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.
Since its triumphant return to screens last year on its new home ITV and ITVX, Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother (produced by Initial, part of Banijay UK) alongside the iconic Live Stream and Late & Live companion show, has been streamed 70 million times.
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’.
