UK Big Brother 4 Introduction: Meet the Housemates

And so it begins again. Despite recent ratings challenges from Pop Idol and I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here, Big Brother is still far and away the UK's biggest reality TV show. Over 50,000 people applied to get into the house this year and the tabloid newspapers and gossip magazines which live off the show to fill their pages over the summer have already been cranking up the hype.

There has been much speculation about the shape of the new season. Some reports suggested that the US-style Head of Household system would be adopted to decide the eviction nominations. Others speculated that there would be a secret 'attic' of back-up housemates who could be bought into the house if some of the existing ones were being considered boring by the viewers. In the end, however, Endemol (the show's production company) promised a show that would go 'back to basics' without any gimmicks such as last year's badly-received division of the house into 'rich' and 'poor' sides. Therefore the rules of Big Brother 4 remain much as before. Twelve housemates enter, the housemates nominate two for eviction each week, and the viewing public decide which one goes, until three or four are left in the ninth and final week from whom the winner is chosen by the public. Surprises are promised on the way, including rumours of both a pub and a sauna hidden within the building to be revealed later in the series.

The twelve housemates were revealed to the public and the media last Friday as they entered the house for the first time. Here is a biography of each and an unscientific and probably highly inaccurate assessment of their chances of winning (OK, I did predict last year's winner, Kate, correctly, but this run of form certainly won't last).

Anouska, 20, originally from Manchester now working in Derbyshire. Long dark-haired, slim, and very attractive nursery assistant also studying sociology. Loves dressing up for Friday and Saturday nights out, but "nobody notices me the rest of the time" (yeah, right). Has a "sort-of" boyfriend, Andrew, which indicates by past Big Brother form that they certainly won't be together by the time she leaves the house.

Verdict: Entered the house dressed in a very skimpy outfit and proceeded to give some of the other girls very dirty looks as they appeared for the first time. Will certainly be the house princess, which may not go down with the other women, though will probably gain the attention of the more hormonally-charged men. The leering shouts of the press pack as they took her photograph indicates that she will be a big tabloid favourite and will almost certainly have some sort of media career afterwards (doing what however is difficult to say). Eviction prediction: early exit.

Cameron, 32, the Orkney Islands. I think it is accurate to say that nobody from the Orkneys has ever appeared on any reality TV programme before (or possibly any other TV programme, come to that). Cameron is a fish trader, lives with his parents in a cottage, and his house luxury item is a balloon kit (what?)

Verdict: Fans of the nineties Irish priest sitcom Father Ted will look at Cameron and yell out, "It's Father Dougal!" There is an amazing similarity to Ardal O'Hanlon's wide-eyed, goofy smiling, naïve priest. He seems like an innocent lamb thrown in with the streetwise wolves from the mainland but his untainted charm may carry him through with housemates and public alike. Has a lovely regional accent, which strangely sounds very Welsh (does everyone from the Orkneys speak like this?) Will undoubtedly become an ambassador for his remote part of the world. Eviction prediction: what the hell, winner!

Federico, 23, Glasgow. A part-time model and waiter at his father's Italian bistro. Is a second-generation Italian and is a big fan of Italian soccer giants Juventus (which possibly makes him the only person in Glasgow not to support 'the old firm' Rangers or Celtic). His house luxury items are a thong, two condoms and a pair of handcuffs (OK, we see where you're coming from).

Verdict: Looks amazingly similar to fellow Glaswegian Darius Danesh, finalist in UK's Pop Idol. Has swarthy good looks and a slightly smart and off-beam sense of humour. Will be popular with young ladies both inside and outside the house, though with a hint of arrogance that might ultimately prove annoying. He quickly stated that he is not to be called Fed but the full Federico - some people might think of something else to call him. Eviction prediction: mid series.

Gos, 31, Southall, west London. Big and bearded Asian, a head chef, lives with his parents and brothers. Has a steady girlfriend, Stacey. Had all his designer labelled clothes confiscated before going into the house to prevent 'advertising' so had to quickly rush out for replacements.

Verdict: Friendly and outgoing guy whose love of cooking should meet the approval of lazier housemates and help keep him in the house. Despite his size, he seems the sort of inoffensive housemate that will fly under the radar and enjoy a long stay. The last Asian in the Big Brother house was Sunita who of course walked out after four days - Gos should be around a lot longer. Eviction prediction: latter stages.

Jon, 29, Middlesex. Crop-headed, systems analyst who gave up his £70,000 a year job to go into the house (people around the country immediately cry "Sucker!"). Has an identical twin who refers to Jon as the "world's biggest confirmed bachelor" (make of that what you will). Dislikes rules and tries to stretch them to their limits, so expect him to be called into the diary room for 'chastisement' a few times.

Verdict: Has broody good looks like last year's male Big Brother pin-up, Spencer, and seemingly shares a similar aversion to gratuitous conversation, which might quickly put him on the fringes of the house. I hope his job is being kept open for him as I don't think he'll be around for long. Eviction prediction: early exit.

Justine, 27, Leeds. Big, bubbly, and brunette and a toys sales rep. Her nickname is 'Beanie' and she comes from a family of four sisters. Once apparently sold chain-mail and leather fetish clothing, which naturally grabbed the attention of the tabloids. Is single and "excited at the thought of meeting a new guy." Whether this will happen in the house remains to be seen.