A host of challenges

By Rodney Chester
April 18, 2007

GRETEL Killeen has been confronted with a housemate who refused to talk (Merlin), a housemate who followed her home (Saxon) and two housemates who mistook their genitals for a punchline (John and Ashley).

But as she is set to kick off with season seven, the big sister of Big Brother has no regrets.

"I try to look forward, not backwards. I am aware of the huge pressure that I'm under and I just do the very best I can each time,'' she says.

"It can be quite difficult, and I'm conscious of wanting to protect (the housemates) because I know the way I behave towards them will have an effect on other people. I have to say my thoughts as a host, not necessarily an individual.''

When she signed up to host the show that turns the viewer into voyeur, she admits she didn't know what she was in for.

"When we did the first show, I had vaguely heard of this thing that went on in England where they had cameras and they watched people in the house. And then all of a sudden I was hosting it.

"We see parts of my personality on the show. Probably because I am a mother, I am a nurturer. But I see myself as coming in to host the show rather than the show defining me.''

As always, Killeen is playing her cards close to the chest about what to expect in the house this year, but there are a few tips on what to expect.

"The housemates are possibly not as externally beautiful, because we're looking for a depth of character and experience,'' she says.

"That will be a visual difference. The house is different, philosophically it's greener. The rules are much tougher, in terms of being more of a boot camp. We really want to test people who think they're going in for a holiday. It's a psychological and emotional game, and it's all about maintaining your individuality in that environment.''

Killeen is something of a fan of reality TV, as well as a defender of her own particular flavour of it.

"I like watching human behaviour,'' she says. "I like this one (BB) because it's pure. I like that we really are seeing people's hearts and minds tested on a very rudimentary level. We're seeing people form a society within an isolated environment, and I find that very interesting from an anthropological perspective.

"I think there's a great deal of depth to the show. I think some people feel it makes them more intelligent to criticise a show like this.

"It's a phenomenally successful show, and a large proportion of our population watches it.

"If it was on SBS, people would think it was an intriguing sociologial study, but it's on Channel 10, commercial television with a demographic that's 16 to 39, so - people assume that people who watch it must be stupid. They're obviously not.''

As the Big Brother house at Dreamworld is getting its final dust-off in preparation for this year's house guests, it seems that reality TV is facing yet another crisis. While Big Brother will continue to face criticism over last year's handling of the "turkey slapping'' incident, its sister shows around the world are also under fire.

The recent Big Brother series in Britain attracted headlines as housemates were accused of racism, while Idol in America is being rocked by music fans (or music haters, perhaps) who have formed a voting lobby to try to ensure the least talented contestant, Sanjaya Malakar, is crowned the winner.

Killeen sees the racism controversy that surrounded the British Big Brother as a positive thing.

"Unfortunately, some people do harbour those opinions and in the pressure cooker of being in the Big Brother house, they pop,'' she says.

"It's really unacceptable but the important thing is to have a situation where that can be discussed. Is England a racist society? That's an issue they need to look at.''

Part of Big Brother's attraction for Killeen is the adrenalin surge that comes with live TV.

"I have no idea if I'm going to interview someone who can't speak, or is hysterical or has tape over their mouth or is in a state of shock..''

Not that she does it by herself. There is always Big Brother, or at least his helpers, whispering in her ear, although she doesn't seem to consider that a positive.

"The people who are speaking in my ear are just saying annoying things,'' she says. "They're not actually being constructive in any way.'' And the buzz of live performance aside, Killeen is aware of the way the show has affected her life.

"Sometimes it's hard, but it's also amazing,'' she says. "You have an experience of a completely different life. It's allowed me as a single mother to raise my children. That's a pretty important thing. It's tested me and made me stronger.''

The show, she admits, has done a lot for her. But there's one thing it hasn't done.

"I haven't found a husband in all these years, but there are always other planets to do that.''

I point out that, given the size of the Big Brother audience, surely someone might give her a sign, or at least hold one up with a lifetime offer.

"We do have those signs,'' she admits. "But when people can't spell the word 'marry', they are usually not the kind of one you want to hook up with.''

Big Brother, Ten,
Sunday, 6.30pm. Monday-Friday, 7pm

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story...5007183,00.html