Interview with Big Brother's executive producer
"It's funny, when you say you work on Big Brother, people ask you what you do for the rest of the year, but it's a full time job. We started planning for this year's Big Brother back in October, and haven't stopped since. We had to decide what sort of show we wanted to make, in terms of the tone and direction, before we could even start to advertise for applications. Then we had to make the trailers to encourage people to apply. And that was before we even started sorting through the videos."
Ah yes, the applicants' videos. They get quite a few. Over 10,000 this year, in fact, every single one with a detailed application form. And every one is watched in full, and every application form is read from beginning to end. Suddenly, starting preparations in October doesn't seem like such a bad plan.
The audition process
"After watching the videos, everyone's graded," Gigi explains. "Those who rate the highest are invited to regional auditions. We had eight different venues, and interviewed about 300 people in each one, so we saw almost 3,000 people. We invited some back for the afternoon session, and spoke to them all individually. After that, we draw up a shortlist of around 150 people nationwide, and sit down in a meeting with everyone from runners to senior staff, and narrow it down to 90 people."
At this stage, things start getting serious. It's more like being signed up by the CIA than applying for a TV show. "Once we have 90 applicants, we interview them all in a secret London hotel. But we arrange to meet them all at individual locations - for example, outside a coffee shop - and then they are met by someone and brought in for their interview, which will last about an hour. If we like them, they'll be sent for another interview, elsewhere in the same hotel, with a psychotherapist. That way, we slim the list down to about 50 people. And then, from our final 50, we'll discuss it further, and hopefully come up with the final 12."
Making the grade
But the 12 they choose may not be the 12 who make it into the house. "Some people will decide they don't want to do the show. At the moment, our final 50 are at home considering whether they want to do this or not. Even if they do want to, if they get chosen but have their identity leaked to the media, they can't take part. That's why we have to conduct all the interviews under a veil of secrecy. In my heart, I already know the 12 people I want in the house, but I also know that, as we get nearer to the first day, some will have to be struck off that list, for whatever reason."
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Created: 12/05/2003 Updated: 13/05/2003
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