Originally Posted by erinp:
Ooo! Thanks for the reminder. Flag it again after launch nite erin, if you don't mind. I'm bound to forget. 
1. What are you most looking forward to this series? For me it's all about joining back up with my BB family - we work so hard and for such long hours that my workmates are pretty much the only friends I get to see over the summer, so we're all incredibly close. It's why we all keep coming back to this crazy job; the people make it all worthwhile. From a show point of view, I always love seeing all the non-celeb housemates for the first time - trying to figure out who's going to be loved, who's going to be hated, who's going to be a big character and who's going to disappear into the background. Those first few weeks where everyone's still figuring each other out is hugely interesting and exciting to watch. 2. Are there a huge amount of changes this year?
Well, there's been a bit of a rejig in the presenting department, and I'm really looking forward to welcoming Rylan and AJ to the fold. The first time I met Rylan was on the launch day of the last Celeb series - I walked past him and he ran over and gave me a hug, because he recognised me from BOTS. I'm not an X Factor fan, so I had no idea who he was! From watching him in January, I know he's going to fit right in, and AJ was great whenever she appeared as a guest on the show in the last couple of series.
Elsewhere, I don't have many confirmed details yet, as I haven't started work on the series yet, so I'm just following the same rumours as everyone else! Although I have heard a few whispers that the House is going to be *very* different this time around - the people at the top of the hill are very excited about the new setup. 3. What are your feelings towards the fact Alice and Jamie are leaving?
Gutted! They've been a big part of the BB experience since it came back on Channel 5, and it'll be weird not having them around. But on the other hand, Jamie hasn't been able to spend the summer holidays with his kids for years, and Alice is on Radio 1 every weeknight, so they had to move on. I obviously wish them both all the best, and I'm sure we'll stay in touch. 4. What are your feelings towards the fact Brian is leaving?
My main reaction was that I was absolutely chuffed to bits for Emma - she's one of the best presenters on TV at the moment, and I know she'll absolutely love doing the main show. We both started on BB at the same time (she presented stuff for the website for CBB7, which was my first series too), and it's been an honour to see her rise through the ranks at close hand. I'm chuffed that she's still doing BOTS as well as the main show too - I can't get enough of the Willis. 5. Have you seen the new house/logo yet?
I haven't... but if I had, I wouldn't be able to tell you anything anyway! 6. Have you enjoyed working for BBBOTS the past few series'?
It's been great - I genuinely think that BOTS is one of the best live shows on TV when it's at it's best, and that's because of the fantastic production team and the hardest working studio crew in showbiz. I'm employed by Big Brother Digital as opposed to Bit on the Side, but I think that the way that the two departments have become so integrated is hugely beneficial for both sides. It means that the TV show gets all the latest up-to-date info from the Digital team, plus of course feedback from the fan community, and that we can use Bit on the Side's resources and celebrity guests in order to create exclusive content for the web. I love everything about BOTS, and I'm really proud to be involved. 7. Will the sweaty box be returning this year?
Of course! They can't get rid of me - if they ever try, I'll just invade the set and start reading out tweets in the middle of other features. 8. Do you know anything about the housemates this year?
Funnily enough, I've been involved in the audition process for the previous two summer series... but not this one! While I've never been given a list of names/faces in advance, for the last couple of years I was able to guess that the likes of Mark, Aaron, Luke A and Benedict would get through, even though I didn't know for sure. But this time round I genuinely have no idea who's going to going through that door in a few weeks' time, and I'm looking forward to getting a first impression of them at the same time as the rest of the fans. 9. Would you like to become a panellist like what Alice/Jamie were?
That would be great, as I've been a Big Brother fan from the very first series and I'm just as opinionated as every other viewer! I have to keep those opinions to myself while the series is on, given that I'm a member of staff, but it would be great to take my producers' hat off every now and then to let rip. Maybe in a few years when I'm an international megastar celebrity, they can bring me back as the new John McCririck. 10. What do you know about this yearâs BB that you can tell us?
Given that I haven't started back yet, and that even if I had started I'd be contractually obliged to keep everything a secret, I'm going to go for a cheesy answer... I know that it's going to be the best Big Brother ever, and that you should all stay tuned to channel5.com/bigbrother for all the latest news!
Well, there's been a bit of a rejig in the presenting department, and I'm really looking forward to welcoming Rylan and AJ to the fold. The first time I met Rylan was on the launch day of the last Celeb series - I walked past him and he ran over and gave me a hug, because he recognised me from BOTS. I'm not an X Factor fan, so I had no idea who he was! From watching him in January, I know he's going to fit right in, and AJ was great whenever she appeared as a guest on the show in the last couple of series.
Elsewhere, I don't have many confirmed details yet, as I haven't started work on the series yet, so I'm just following the same rumours as everyone else! Although I have heard a few whispers that the House is going to be *very* different this time around - the people at the top of the hill are very excited about the new setup. 3. What are your feelings towards the fact Alice and Jamie are leaving?
Gutted! They've been a big part of the BB experience since it came back on Channel 5, and it'll be weird not having them around. But on the other hand, Jamie hasn't been able to spend the summer holidays with his kids for years, and Alice is on Radio 1 every weeknight, so they had to move on. I obviously wish them both all the best, and I'm sure we'll stay in touch. 4. What are your feelings towards the fact Brian is leaving?
My main reaction was that I was absolutely chuffed to bits for Emma - she's one of the best presenters on TV at the moment, and I know she'll absolutely love doing the main show. We both started on BB at the same time (she presented stuff for the website for CBB7, which was my first series too), and it's been an honour to see her rise through the ranks at close hand. I'm chuffed that she's still doing BOTS as well as the main show too - I can't get enough of the Willis. 5. Have you seen the new house/logo yet?
I haven't... but if I had, I wouldn't be able to tell you anything anyway! 6. Have you enjoyed working for BBBOTS the past few series'?
It's been great - I genuinely think that BOTS is one of the best live shows on TV when it's at it's best, and that's because of the fantastic production team and the hardest working studio crew in showbiz. I'm employed by Big Brother Digital as opposed to Bit on the Side, but I think that the way that the two departments have become so integrated is hugely beneficial for both sides. It means that the TV show gets all the latest up-to-date info from the Digital team, plus of course feedback from the fan community, and that we can use Bit on the Side's resources and celebrity guests in order to create exclusive content for the web. I love everything about BOTS, and I'm really proud to be involved. 7. Will the sweaty box be returning this year?
Of course! They can't get rid of me - if they ever try, I'll just invade the set and start reading out tweets in the middle of other features. 8. Do you know anything about the housemates this year?
Funnily enough, I've been involved in the audition process for the previous two summer series... but not this one! While I've never been given a list of names/faces in advance, for the last couple of years I was able to guess that the likes of Mark, Aaron, Luke A and Benedict would get through, even though I didn't know for sure. But this time round I genuinely have no idea who's going to going through that door in a few weeks' time, and I'm looking forward to getting a first impression of them at the same time as the rest of the fans. 9. Would you like to become a panellist like what Alice/Jamie were?
That would be great, as I've been a Big Brother fan from the very first series and I'm just as opinionated as every other viewer! I have to keep those opinions to myself while the series is on, given that I'm a member of staff, but it would be great to take my producers' hat off every now and then to let rip. Maybe in a few years when I'm an international megastar celebrity, they can bring me back as the new John McCririck. 10. What do you know about this yearâs BB that you can tell us?
Given that I haven't started back yet, and that even if I had started I'd be contractually obliged to keep everything a secret, I'm going to go for a cheesy answer... I know that it's going to be the best Big Brother ever, and that you should all stay tuned to channel5.com/bigbrother for all the latest news!
