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Analysing the house: Week 1

05/01/2007

Corinne Sweet (www.corinnesweet.com) is a regular psychologist, writer and broadcaster on Big Brother's Big Brain.

She's been an avid fan of Big Brother since the very first show - here's her weekly view on the housemates in the Celebrity Big Brother house.

Celebrity Big Brother kicked off on a suitably squally night, as 11 'celebs' braved the long red walk to the BB house for a cursory interview with veteran CBB host, Davina McCall.

The first emotion the whole group shared was fear. They trembled walking the red carpet, facing the cheers - and boos - and a long line of photographers, then entering the house with its 37 cameras. Housemates entered tentatively, revealing how 'terrified' and 'scared' they were.

Body language said it all - most had fixed grins (defensive against attack), and stood, arms folded, or with closed body postures, trying to work out who was an ally, who a foe.

The first few hours in the house were about 'positioning' - each housemate wondering "do you know who I am?". Housemates needed to work out who was top dog (Alpha male and Alpha female, A list rather than Z list).

This was complicated by most people not knowing who each other were, especially Ken, arguably the most famous, but the oldest. Sweetly he keeps bursting into song (Singing In The Rain on the way in, Getting To Know You in the diary room - it's Ken the BB Musical)

So people selected each other by age and gender. The young women, Jo and Danielle, instantly bonded against the older inmates, particularly fearing the men (Ken and Donny).

Danielle was especially freaked out by seeing Ken's 'meat and two veg' when he changed into his pyjamas ('it'll stay with me for life').

Jo and Ian found solace in each other, coming from similar pop band backgrounds. There was a lot of hugging and shrieking - they bonded on the spot when he arrived to her relief.

The older women, Carol, Cleo and Shilpa, grouped together, adopting Leo and later Ian, as token females. Jo and Danielle were wary of Carole once they realised she was a hack - especially a hater of Wags.

More isolated, older males, Jermaine and Dirk watched the group, while being careful about their own behaviour.

Meanwhile, Donny played a lead anarchic rock role by arriving drunk and proceeding to swear, spit, put his feet on the food counter, jump in the pool fully clothed and generally freak people out.

Interestingly, the females found him either repulsive or scary (except Cleo who took him under her shapely wing - he tried to snog her in drunken response). The males meanwhile found him challenging, but 'really a pussycat' (Leo, Jermaine).

Donny is already catalysing the group by making himself its No 1 enemy. Yet most celebs reported to BB in the Diary Room that they were surprised people were actually nice.

Jermaine said the housemates were 'wonderful', Ken that they "stand to be one big happy family", while Dirk was more aware that Jermaine, Donny - or himself - would soon be throwing a strop.

Indeed, Donny faced a telling off by BB for getting his microphone wet, which he took predictably badly.

Bedtime was difficult for the celebs, especially Shilpa who usually travels with an entourage. Two housemates had to share a bed and Jo got the dubious privilege of sharing with Donny (who didn't bother sorting out his bed).

Chivalrously, Leo took Jo's place when he realised her distress, only to find he couldn't sleep himself 'next to a naked man' - as he told BB at 3.34am, wide awake and afraid.

How will such large and pampered personalities cope with the BB house and each other? How long will it be before Donny drives someone (Jo, Danielle, Dirk, Jermaine or Shilpa especially) to lose it?

And how will inmates cope with a 'BB family' who is coming to adopt one of them tonight?

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