Big Brother 2009 - Can't Wait or Can't be Bothered?

So Big Brother is 10 years old! Was it really that long ago that reality TV took off? It would seem that these days you can't turn on the TV without finding one 'reality' show or another, ... Big Brother, Britain's Got Talent, X-Factor, Come Dine With Me... the list is endless. Are people really interested in watching 'ordinary' folk? It would appear so!

With Big Brother starting its 10th run this week, isn't everyone just a bit fed up with it? I know I am! Don't get me wrong, I couldn't miss an episode of Big Brother when it first started and for the first few years, but you can only see so much of the same thing!

When Big Brother started it was an original concept, unpredictable with real and ordinary people. However it now seems to be the same bunch of early 20 somethings, looking for fame no matter what it takes! You will also usually find 1 or 2 "older" contestants and 1 or 2 who have a different culture or beliefs (either in an attempt to cause controversy or attract a wider viewing audience I don't know which). Watch it on Thursday and then tell me if I'm wrong!

If you see the auditions of those chosen it is clear that the Big Brother chiefs choose people who will be controversial, clash with other housemates or cause a stir hoping their actions will increase ratings. It reminds me a bit of Wife Swap really, you always see a switch between a really strict family and a laid back family, or a workaholic and a housewife. Well let's face it, who would want to watch real-life, 'ordinary' people going about their daily life with no controversy? We watch the Soaps after all!

What also gets me is the pressure on people to watch these shows just to fit in at work/school. I know from experience that you can feel totally left out if you did not see 'what happened last night'!

We all remember the romance of Paul & Helen, what Stuart & Michelle did (or didn't do) under the table and of course Jade's anticis, but how much more of the same can we take and who actually remembers who won last year anyway?!