Big Brother UK 8, Day 66-69: Judging Liam?

In case you haven’t read previous articles, the houseguests are:

Amanda – 18-year old twin sister of Sam. Shrill, giggly, but she and her sister are emerging as surprising sly game players. Everyone is taking them lightly and that is a mistake! Clearly inspired by Paris and Nicole.

Sam - 18-year old twin sister of Amanda. Sam is the gutsier, daredevil half of the twins. Amanda is a bit more girly, and a hair more outspoken. Sam is the twin that likes to volunteer for things and doesn’t mind being without makeup. Could be the mastermind of the two.

Tracey – 36, pink-haired, butch, raver. Multiple nominations have made her realize she is, in fact, playing a game! She’s definitely playing it now!

Carole – 53, divorced, bisexual, professional protester. She says she raises dust wherever she goes. She seems to have settled into a house mother role.

Ziggy – 26, music producer, former model, former boy band member. Says he doesn’t like aggressive or arrogant people. Being in the house has made him rather quick-tempered and rash. Once favored to win, his tumultuous romance with Chanelle has caused his popularity to plummet.

Gerry – 31, Greek, gay, gallery researcher. Gerry tends to get emotional about things, but is proving to be a good listener. Looks like Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode. Slowly evolving as the voice of reason in the house.

Liam – 22, tree surgeon. Has already won 100,000 pounds, and is favored to win the show outright. Liam had brief fling with Nicky and seems to have set his sights on Amanda. He looks like Third Eye Blind’s Stephen Jenkins.

Brian – 19, black, tall and lanky. Has become a sentimental favorite, in a harmlessly oafish sort of way. Brian seems to have no real interest in winning the game, he just wants to party. He has never heard of Shakespeare.

Kara-Louise – 22, student, rates herself 10/10 on attractiveness and feels she looks like Mariah Carey, “only much fitter.” She says she will smile through adversity always, no matter what Big Brother throws at her. Somehow, she made that creepy.

Jonty – 36, museum visitor assistant, virgin, loves stuffed animals. Yes, he has not had sex with anyone. Ever. But, he has indulged in sexual spankings with women. And men. That’s enough.

Amy – 21, glamour model (as opposed to the run-of-the-mill model?), says her worst job was stacking yogurt at a grocery store, and calls herself a teetotaler. She has phobia of failure and has every intention of winning Big Brother.

As the double-eliminations loom, the Halfway Houseguests are a bit antsy. David feels certain he is going, but Tracey tries to encourage him. She says she always feels like she will go home when she is nominated (she is on her fourth!), but you never know.

Shanessa is still angry that Amy didn’t fight harder to keep some of the Halfways in the Big Brother house. Kara-Louise is anxious to confront Amy. She is about to get her chance!

This week’s food budget competition focuses on the Halfways. They are given a Fear Factor-style food-eating task. David has to eat “luncheon meat tartar” with jam instead of an egg. He retches with every single bite. It is tough to watch!

Kara-Louise is given a chili concoction that she eats without much trouble. In fact, she seems to be grunting her way through the meal. The twins giggle, Ziggy accuses them of being naughty. Gerry says Kara-Louise’s noises sound a bit… sexual. Liam says he’s enjoying it… it has been 46 days for him. Ahem.

Kara-Louise finishes her task and Tracey drinks a glass of olive oil. Shanessa is given a mayonnaise milkshake. Shanessa says no way, and she means it. The houseguests yell encouragement to her, and when she says no, some send “I love you’s.” Liam makes a face at this.

He tells Carole later that he didn’t get that. Why make Shanessa feel better when she didn’t even try? Because she’s had a tough life? Bah, says Liam.

On the last night before eliminations, the Halfways are invited to the Big Brother house for dinner. The Big Brother houseguests don’t know the Halfways are coming. And, when they arrive, Amy comes running to see her comrades, and gets quite a reception. Shanessa turns her back to her and goes to hug Brian. Kara-Louise gives one of those painful dead fish hugs. David walks past her like she wasn’t even there.

Amy runs into the bedroom and tries to hide in an alcove. And have a good cry. Amanda asks her if she is okay, and Amy tells her what happened. Gerry follows, and then David. Amy says the original Halfways don’t want her around, so she won’t go back out there. Right David? David says he isn’t holding a grudge, and frankly, they only have so much time in Big Brother house and doesn’t want to waste his time with this. (Ouch.)

Shanessa squeezes in to chat with Ziggy. Ziggy is polite, Shanessa is flirting. Holy smokes. The twins are chatting with Kara-Louise; Sam says Amy doesn’t really understand why the Halfways are so angry with her.

Jonty tries to defend Amy, saying they only had two minutes to decide (Jonty seems to have escaped the wrath, considering he said even less than Amy, and it looks he is trying to stay out of the crossfire!). Kara-Louise’s tough exterior is starting to soften, but Shanessa is not such an easy egg to crack.

In the diary room, the twins confess to being frustrated by the whole situation. It takes a lot of effort not to take a side. It is interesting that twins are actually admitting they intentionally don’t take sides as opposed to not caring, as some have suspected.

Amy finally decides to take the bull by the horns and tells Shanessa that she was really broken up by the whole Halfway House thing. Amy says she cried a lot, and especially for Shanessa. Sam seems to nod in acknowledgement of this. Shanessa hugs Amy saying don’t worry about it… which is some distance from “I’m not angry with you” or “we don’t have problem anymore.”

Back in the Halfway House, Shanessa and Kara-Louise reflect on the events. Seems like Amy and Liam are getting along well. Shanessa admits to being “drawn” to Ziggy. Kara-Louise suggests Ziggy may have a stripper fetish. Shanessa says she doesn’t know about that, but she does know she wants “to feel him inside” of her.