Day 5: Bad Moon a-Rising

The full moon rises over Riverdale, lighting the town with an eerie green glow. Strange creatures move in the night. If Joss can’t raise his popularity with the housemates, he’ll soon be out there amongst the ghosts and ghouls…

Day Five, Popularity Contest: Bree vs Joss

It’s been 36 hours since Bree and Joss last slept. Between the party last night and the music that hasn’t stopped, all they can do is sit at the dining table, sipping coffee in a near catatonic state.

Latrice, this week’s Head of House, slept like a baby. Ghouls don’t trouble her as she walks through the bright daylight to retrieve the morning’s paper. Her wish today: to check the weather. A simple task and one that leaves her plenty of time to buy an ice cream from the truck stopped outside.

As Latrice laps drips from her bunny popsicle, Joss topples from his seat. Almost too exhausted to move, he crawls to the bedroom, followed by a barely upright Bree.

Bree on the left, Joss on the right, party in the middle.

A sinister illness is spreading through the house. Funtin and Caesar are already feeling the clammy grips of Autumn Fever – or is that rank mist drifting from the buffet table making people ill? Whatever the cause, it’s a fine day to stay inside. The full moon is rising, and there are many weird beings wandering the streets. One such being is Rainer Kowling, a grey-skinned ghoul who claws at the kitchen window. Not even Big Brother can protect the housemates from the undead.

Myra pauses by the window, face lit in sickly green. “I, heh, always wanted to meet a zombie.”

She presses her face to the glass. Rainer’s teeth work at the window, the flesh so tantalisingly close. Myra giggles. Somewhere deep in the house, she hears Kenyatta moan. He too is feeling the pressing hand of the mysterious illness sweeping through the housemates.

As the night wears on, the housemates coalesce in the bathroom. Margo roams restlessly, glancing repeatedly at the windows. She snaps and shouts at Myra to stop pretending to be a dog. Myra bites back, yapping madly. Margo dashes out of the toilet stall before things get any more serious. Myra roams the toilets, finding Kenyatta hiding from vampires in the next stall.

Screenshot-40 — The bathroom is everyone’s favourite place to hang out.

“I’ll keep you safe,” growls Myra.

Kenyatta leans in close. “Are you, maybe … a werewolf?”

“No,” says Myra. “But I bite.”

No mortal being could break into the Big Brother compound. The undead have no such qualms. A fierce munching from the garden alerts Ein 2, who spies a couple of zombies chowing down on the budding vegetables.

Ein 2 snaps down the lock on the door. She wanders into the kitchen to alert one of her humans, only to find Joss moping. Joss hasn’t stopped sulking since he was put up for eviction. Listless, he rubs his hand over Ein 2’s coat. He coaxes her to sit beside him as behind him, Bree scrapes the charcoal remains of Funtin’s dinner into the bin.

Bree glances at the sky brightening through the kitchen window. The new dawn brings the final day of the popularity contest. She hasn’t seen Joss fighting much lately, but Bree herself has been too busy to even speak to the other housemates.

She clenches a fist. Staring resolutely into the dawn, though our cameras can’t quite catch the words passing from her lips.

Join us tomorrow for the final day – and the first eviction – of the Sims Big Brother Challenge!

<-Day 4 -Challenge Start- Day 6->

Pokemon Biology: What is Life?

Welcome to the world of Pokemon Biology! My name is Stellar. I’m a PhD student with Prof Elm at Johto University.

Together me and my buddy Smoochum are going to teach you the inner workings of Pokemon. Physiology, evolution and behaviour – if you’ve ever had a question about how Pokemon work, Smoochum and I are here to answer it.

Helping us on this mission is the Crystal Clear drone from Shock Slayer. The image resolution may not be the best, but it the freedom it allows can’t be beat.

Are you ready? Then let’s jump into the tall grass and meet some Pokemon!

What is Life?

Biology is the study of living things (from bios, meaning “life” and -logy = “to study”). But before we biologists begin to study, we must first know what it is we’re studying.

So what is life? It’s such a simple question, but there is no simple answer. Don’t believe me? Test yourself! Which of the following Pokemon are alive?

(a) Single-celled Zygarde
(b) Plant-like Sunflora
(c) Endothermic tetrapod Eevee

Answer: they all are! Life exists in a great diversity of forms, from single-celled organisms like zygarde to complex multicellular animals like you and eevee. And yes, even plants.

How about the following? Which of these do you think are alive?

(a) Deoxys, the alien virus
(b) A water stone
(c) Paras, an arthropod parasitised by fungus

Before you hear the answer, let’s consider some common features of living things. What do I have in common with Smoochum? What do you have in common with Paras?

For one, we all have the ability to grow and develop. As you were once a baby, my Smoochum is at a soft new level 5. She has another 95 levels in which to grow and develop. You, depending on your stage of life, also have room to grow and mature.

Can a water stone grow and mature? We know Paras will eventually metamorphose into Parasect. How about Deoxys?

Another trait shared by living things is the ability to reproduce. When Pokemon biologists talk about reproduction, they are really talking about one thing: the ability of a living creature to pass its generic information onto the next generation.

Many of us are familiar with the sight of a mother Pidgeotto tending her nest. Those eggs she watches over soon hatch into noisily chirping Pidgeys. Though the mother doesn’t consider this, she has just achieved her most important job as a living thing: her genes, no longer confined to her own body, live on in her babies. Millions of years of evolution are hard-coded into our genes. They’re what allows a Chameleon to meet fierce challenges by becoming a Charizard. Genes also dictate which of its many mature forms Eevee will take. Genes are a blueprint for life. All living things have them, from the simplest bacterium to the tallest tree, and all birds, bugs and humans in between.

Think of it this way: life on this planet has existed for hundreds of millions of years. Living creatures may only live a few tens of years. If a living thing existed that could not reproduce and pass on its genes, it wouldn’t be around today!

To+really+shorten+it+this+is+the+pokemon+helix+fossil+_7013b8bef2bf71111cc64bb39a6bae73 — An Omanyte fossil. Bad luck, old chap.

There are a few other common components of life, such as our need for food. Battling, escaping trainers, and finding a mate all take energy, and that energy has to come from somewhere. In the case of plants and plant-like Pokemon, that energy comes from the sun. For animals like me, you, Eevee and Smoochum, our energy comes from eating plants and even other animals.

Now we’re armed with three factors that help us decide if something is living or not. Does it grow and mature? Does it reproduce to pass on its genes? And does it need energy from an outside source?

The water stone: a water stone may disappear when you use it, but it’s incapable of growing or developing. You can also look all you like, but you’ll never find genes in a stone! (Unless it’s a fossil, of course.)

Paras: Paras can evolve, and it grows stronger on every step of its journey to level 100. A Paras can also lay eggs that hatch into baby Paras. And while Paras munches on mushrooms in its dark cave habitat, a certain symbiotic species of mushroom also munch on Paras! So yes, we can say with confidence that Paras is alive.

Deoxys: Here’s where it gets tricky. Deoxys had been described by some famous Pokemon researchers as the “DNA” Pokemon. However, this is part of an older classification system that is notoriously unreliable (it lists Blastoise as a shellfish, for example. While it’s true Blastoise possesses a shell, it is very definitely NOT a fish, let alone a lobster, oyster or other “shellfish”).

The few scientists lucky enough to have studied Deoxys say it was formed from the DNA of a space virus that underwent mutation upon exposure to a laser beam. These are unusual circumstances, to say the least! While they do possess DNA (a long strand containing all of a creature’s genes), viruses have not typically been considered living. This is because a virus does not take in or use energy, and nor does it grow and develop. And, without a host, a virus has no way to reproduce.

Is Deoxys alive? The answer is probably yes. Deoxys can gain levels, eat, and we know there is more than one, hinting at an unknown means of reproduction. We also know Deoxys can live without a host, something no virus can do.

And that is the truly fascinating thing about life and Pokemon. There are so many strange and wonderful discoveries to be made. New discoveries are made all the time, and for each discovery, there are wild rumours to explore.

From the forests to the snow caves, from the cities to the seas, join Smoochum and I as we uncover the mysteries of Pokemon!

Are you a Pokemon Master?
True or False:

Bellsprout is not alive, because it doesn’t grow or develop.
Only Pokemon who lay eggs are alive.
The three main criteria for life are: the potential to grow and develop, reproducing to pass on genes, and the need to consume energy.

Comment your answers below, and check them in the next article to find out if you are a Pokemon Master!

Day 4: Big Brother is a Popularity Contest

Losers spend their lives on the edge. They wake earlier, stay up later, work more, gain less.

Winners doze in warm beds scented of lavender and jasmine. Frost may touch their windows but never their lives. They exist in a warm blur, floating between bubbles of comfort, protected from the black and white reality of the losers.

And so a new day dawns over the Big Brother house.

Day Four, Popularity Contest: Joss vs Bree

There is a new perk to being Head of House. A small and fluffy perk named Ein 2.

Latrice wakes to the horrible sensation of a cold, wet nose pressed against her cheek. Ein 2 makes herself at home on the velvety soft HoH bed. While Latrice and Ein 2 become acquainted, out in the Arena, Bree and Joss snore soundly despite the light pouring in through the windows. They were up late cleaning the kitchen. Too bad for them the house is already a mess again!

Latrice’s wish:

Yesterday, when the Arena had been packed up and the HoH bedroom assigned, Latrice was granted one wish. That wish was to learn the Charisma skill. Today her wish is something a little different – to try an Elixir.

A storm brews over breakfast. Is this an ill portent? What dreadful calamity could befall our beloved Head of House?

It may very well. Latrice crosses the street to the Elixir store with Ein 2, only to find the store stocked with jars of discord and a flask of angry bees. Because discord may spell disaster for any sim in this competition, Latrice picks up the flask of angry bees. What will she do with it, one wonders…?

Back across the street, Joss is doing things his mother swore he never would: making beds, picking up dirty laundry – he’s even doing the dishes! Bree, who is a native to neatness, finds she’s actually enjoying herself. This is something she’s good at, after all. Something she’s in control of.

Alas for her, it’s time for her to throw a party. As winner of the losers, Bree has exclusive access to the juice keg. She also gets the standard party gear, a feast table and stereo.

Bree sets the music to Latin – her favourite. The few guests arrive (the housemates barely had time to look at passersby before they were locked in the house). Bree fills the feast table. She introduces herself to Ned Lu (whoever he is) and does Latrice the honour of the first juice keg.

Though it may be Myra who gets the most of this party. Flirty Myra slow dances with Ned, as Caesar jams out by himself with some suave Latin moves. Joss mopes in the bedroom. At last he decides what to do – he breaks into exercise gear and counts reps to the stereo! Lucky for Joss it was Latrice and not Bree who bought the flask of angry bees.

Sorry, Joss. There’s a toilet that needs cleaning, and your name is written all over it. Oh gross! Why would someone write on a toilet?

Bree stands around uselessly. Come on, Bree! This is your chance to prove you belong in the house!

Finally she works up the courage to ask Kenyatta to dance – even though she knows he didn’t wash his hands after eating those cookies. Guests leave, and the housemates go to bed, but Bree and Kenyatta boogie down for all they’re worth. When at last it’s over, it’s 4am and a lazy rain patters the roof. Kenyatta helps Bree bring the dishes to the sink. Joss stands by the kitchen counter, forlorn. He wonders if his time in the Big Brother house is over already.

Screenshot-14 — Myra and Ned slow dance next to salad.

An exhausted Joss drags himself to the Arena, where the buffet table is still laid out and his bed is freshly made. Ein 2 wanders in, looking for some company. Joss leans down to pat the dog. “At least you understand me, girl,” he says.

Ein 2 barks. Smiling now, Joss follows her outside. He laughs as Ein 2 barks and jumps at her squeaky toy. He thinks, just maybe, he might survive this week after all.

(Previous Day) (Challenge Rules) (Next Day)

Day 3: Showdown Kitchen

As frost caresses the town of Riverdale, eight sims wake to their third day in the Big Brother household. While some may snuggle deep beneath the covers, for four housemates, today may change everything about their incredible journey.

While childish Latrice and flirty Kenyatta battle for the winner’s crown, straight-laced Bree and mumma’s boy Joss will feel the true terror chance can bestow. The future of these two young sims may rest on their ability to use an over and mixer.

Can they do it? Can they overcome the odds? Find out today on the final of the Sims Big Brother Cooking Challenge!

Day Three, Big Brother Cooking Tournament

Taking an early lead, Kenyatta eyes Latrice preparing her tools across the kitchen benches. But instead of staring, Kenyatta should be keeping an eye on his waffles. What’s that smoke billowing from the oven?

With easy confidence, Latrice glides her waffle tray into the oven, smiling at Kenyatta through a haze of grey smoke. He picks his waffles out with a yelp. The smell – that isn’t just singed waffles, that’s the smell of broken dreams. There’s no mistaking the smug look on Latrice’s face. Her waffles are nothing species – only Normal Quality. But they are a kiss from an angel compared to Kenyatta’s monstrosities.

Yes, Latrice has done it. The kitchen queen is crowned in crunchy carbohydrates: Latrice is this week’s Head of House!

Screenshot-25 — Margo dressed in burnt-flesh black and B.O. green.

Meanwhile, Margo is still wearing only the crispy remains of yesterday’s nightgown. Not only that, but she hasn’t even showered since catching alight! The smoke wafting off her is joined by clouds of B.O. Sorry, Margo, but this is for your own good: Big Brother is recording the first strike against your name.

It’s time for the match we’ve all been waiting for. Who will be this week’s ultimate loser? Who will fall to the scorch of the charring oven?

Both shameful losers must give this all they’ve got. The winner of this final match of the cooking tournament will gain a huge advantage over their opponent in the fight against eviction. An extra item for exclusive use in the popularity contest: a juice keg. The humble keg can make all the difference in the fight or popularity points. Only the most popular of these two shameful losers will be left in the competition at the end of this week, and success may hinge on that keg! Give it all you’ve got, Bree and Joss!

Bree’s waffles are ready. They are of exquisite Normal Quality. But what’s this – oh, Joss, how could you? Joss has charred his waffles! Their Horrifying Quality will not be winning him any matches today.

Joss has done it! He’s lost every match of the cooking tournament. Joss is our number one loser!

Shame on you too, Bree. Shame on both your houses.

Screenshot-30 — Bree and Joss reflect on the shame they’ve brought upon their families.

And that ends the cooking tournament. Our losers, Joss and Bree, will be assigned all the household chores and repairs. That’s no small order with the toilets constantly breaking! Their beds will also be placed in the Arena, with a stereo in between, for anyone to use at any time of night. Tomorrow, Bree will throw a party with her hard-won juice keg, trying to win back the respect of her housemates. Joss will have his turn to party the day after.

Our winners, Latrice and Kenyatta, are immune from eviction. Lucky Latrice will be granted access to the Head of House room for the rest of the week. There, she will enjoy the privilege of a private bed, backyard access, and having a wish fulfilled each day.

(Previous Day) (Challenge Start) (Next Day)

Screenshot-32 — Latrice and Kenyatta have a yakkin’ good time in the HoH room.

Day 2: Into The Fire!

Lightning flashes across the sky. Rain drums on the slate tiles of 1060 Dogwood Lane. A peel of thunder is echoed by a chorus of screams: eight frightened housemates hiding in their beds.

Little do they know the true terror waits with dawn. A new day, a new round of the Big Brother Cooking Tournament!

Day Two, Big Brother Cooking Tournament

Winners Roster:

Yesterday’s four winners, Latrice, Caesar, Kenyatta and Myra slept restfully, knowing that for this week at least, they are safe from elimination. The Hall of Shame hangs over the losers, Joss, Funtin, Margo and Bree. While both winners and losers will compete today, their hearts are set on very different goals. The winners dream of earning the luxurious and private HoH room, while the losers fight for the right to stay in the game!

Losers Roster:

But first a little update. Two housemates were caught schmoozing in the bathroom last night. He was captain of the football team and she’s from outer space. Is the Big Brother house the spark to ignite their love?

She’s creepy and he’s sporty, he dared to call her shorty, both dead before they’re forty, it’s Caesar and Myra.

As the storm dies down in the wee small hours, a few of the housemates crawl from their beds. All that shaking in your bed makes for an empty stomach, it seems. While Myra and Latrice are content with leftovers, Bree decides to sneak in a little practise, and makes herself a plate of waffles. Considering her performance yesterday, one can hardly blame her.

The day brightens, sunny and still. Funtin entertains himself by playing with fire as the rest of the household wakes. Joss burns his breakfast and steals Bree’s leftovers instead. Finally it’s time for the first match of the day:

Knowing they are safe, Latrice and Caesar joke as they bake waffles. A squabbling Joss and Bree stand behind them, lowering their opinion of each other. Those waffles look mighty tempting, Latrice! But they’re only Normal Quality, and Caesar’s are exactly the same.

It’s to the tie-breaking foosball table for these two budding culinary champs.

While Latrice and Caesar duke it out, Kenyatta challenges Myra in a classic battle of red versus blue. There’s a little friendly banter as twin pots of mac and cheese boil away on the stove. Kenyatta jokes, “Knock knock.” Myra says, “What’s that smell? No, seriously, what’s that smell!”

Oh no – Myra’s mac and cheese looks more like mac and charcoal. And that’s not the only thing on fire. Funtin’s antics around the fireplace have triggered the alarm. What’s even more alarming: Funtin is alight!

As Funtin rushes to the shower to extinguish the flames that have alighted upon his posterior, Bree and Margo rush in to douse the burning floorboards. Margo steps in too close, and is immolated in a fiery haze. Latrice and Caesar, rushing from the foosball table, whip out their extinguishers and shower Margo in foam.

She’s left standing, well – see for yourself!

The housemates wander back into the kitchen. Myra and Bree, exhausted from a night of poor sleep and the rush of the fire, collapse in their bunks.

But the challenge doesn’t stop just because a few people caught on fire. Latrice wins her way to foosball victory. She’s now cemented herself a place in tomorrow’s winners’ final. Congratulations, Latrice. This week you are safe from eviction! Unless of course everyone else goes down in (literal) flames…

Will Joss’s extra practise this morning help him overcome the mountain of man that is Funtin? Will Funtin’s recent brush with death shake his resolve to win?

Apparently not! Maybe it’s Funtin’s new-found caution with flames that keeps him from burning the food. But he not only produces a Normal mac and cheese, he produces a Nice bowl! Poor Joss is left coughing in the fumes of yet another Horrifying Quality bowl of mac and cheese.

We now know the two housemates who will be competing for the top place tomorrow: Latrice and Kenyatta. While Joss will be competing with the loser of the next match not to be evicted. Welcome to the Hall of Shame, Joss. Make yourself at home. Mwhaha.

At first glance, neither competitor has the edge in this final match of the day. Bree is exhausted, and must work through her fatigue, one eye on victory, the other on the pot of mac and cheese. Margo, singed and nearly naked, must see past the memory of almost burning alive – if she can see at all through her blackened glasses.

Margo takes an early head start. The way she carries the tray of ingredients with such poise surely indicates her near success. But cautious Bree takes her time, knowing her fatigue may lead to easy mistakes.

No! No, it can’t be! Both Margo and Bree have produced Horrifying Quality mac and cheese! The bowl is as charred as Margo!

You know what this means, sports fans. To the foosball table!

Margo wins, by a hair of a whisker. She’s safe for this week. At least, from eviction. Who knows what else Funtin will do to her. Bree, however, will suffer the indignation of the Hall of Shame. At least now she’ll have a reason to do all those household chores she adores.

Join us again tomorrow in the clash of four brave souls! Latrice versus Kenyatta for the honour of being Head of House. Joss and Bree for the dishonour of being the first evictee from the Big Brother house!

(Previous Day) (Challenge Start) (Next Day)

Screenshot-54 — This is typical. Just typical.

Screenshot-59 — Margo proves not even third degree burns over her entire body can keep her from criticising the decor.

Day 1: The Cook-Off

Day 1 in the Big Brother House

(Challenge Start) (Next Day)

This week’s challenge is the Cooking Tournament!

All housemates will compete to see who can make the most delicious dish – and who makes the worst. The winner will be given access to the highly coveted HoH room and be exempt from chores for the week. Both winner and second place will be immune to eviction. The two shameful losers, however, will be up for eviction.

The rules are simple: housemates will compete two at a time. Whoever makes the best quality dish will be declared the winner. There are three rounds, spread over the next three days. Winner progress to Round Two: Winners, while losers go onto, you guessed it, Round Two: Losers.

The order of contestants is decided by the order in which they wake up. Which makes the Day One roster:

On day 2, the winners will compete with each other for those top two spots. Also on day 2, the losers will compete to avoid the two elimination spots. Our final rounds will occur on day 3, where the challenge winner and loser will be declared.

Ties will be broken by a good old round of Foosball. He who wineth the foosball wineth the round.

It’s 5.30 on Thursday morning. Let the games begin!

Latrice versus Joss. Latrice has the definite advantage here with her skill, Natural Born Cook. However, these sims are fresh from the randomiser and neither has any skill points in cooking.

And we’re off and cooking! Both contestants are so keen, they didn’t bother to change out of their pyjamas.

Latrice’s waffles are off Normal quality. Not bad, given she’s never cooked before. But poor Joss! His waffles come out of the oven smouldering and black. And that makes Joss our first loser.

Screenshot-26 — A worried-looking Joss serves up a plate of Horrifying Quality waffles.

The disses are real – even before the competition starts! Neither competitor should have an advantage in waffle making. As they glare daggers across the countertop, Joss and Myra have had a falling out. Well, nobody wants to be seen with a loser!

Caesar and Funtin both prepare Normal Quality waffles. To solve this one, we’re going to need to consult the foosball table.

While Joss unclogs the toilets and Caesar and Funtin prepare for their foosball match, we move onto the next match. There’s no time to waste in the world of competitive cooking.

No mincing words here. Doing their best to ignore Myra and Latrice squabbling, Bree prepares a lovely batch of Normal Quality waffles. But they’re not as nice as Kenyatta’s Nice Quality waffles. We have our second winner for the day – Kenyatta!

Meanwhile, the unlocked foosball table has become a point of contention. Joss and Margo refuse to get out, and Funtin can’t get in to have his deciding match with Caesar. Not only that, the toilets are in trouble. Don’t fear, housemates! Joss and Bree are now aboard the losers’ train to fixing everything.

Lightning strikes as the foosball match begins. Though he had his chance, Funtin never went to the bathroom before the game. It begins in his favour, but desperate for relief, he scurries through the gate, abandoning the match! Caesar is the winner!

No sooner has the pot hit the stove than it’s clear Margo is in trouble. That smoke wafting out from her charred mac & cheese only leads to one hope: that Myra has failed just as badly.

Myra’s creamy coloured cheese cuisine leave no room for doubt: she is the winner of the final match of the day!

The results for Day One:

For tonight at least, Latrice, Caesar, Kenyatta and Myra can rest easy. Joss, Funtin, Bree and Margo – I foresee a future of toilets, and wrenches.

Big Brother: Meeting the Inmates

It was Wednesday. 5pm. Eight strangers walked into the Big Brother house. Only one will emerge a winner. The rest? Shameful losers. They’d better learn to love these walls, because it’s all they’ll be seeing for the next seven weeks.

Here’s the house. To the front, the entry hall wraps around the garden. A housemate, Caesar, always keen to work on his athletic body, checked out the pool. Only to find it fully fenced off – no entry allowed!

**Caesar Kirk:** Aries. **Traits:** Loves the Outdoors, Hot-Headed, Inappropriate, Athletic, Schmoozer. Popular and athletic, Caesar desires a future where he can really help people.

In the house’s centre is the huge arena, large enough to fit a small ice skating rink. Caesar found himself a bunk bed while Latrice, Funtin and Margo made themselves at home in the expansive kitchen/ dining room.

**Latrice Gusto:** Capricorn. **Traits:** Slob, Hates the Outdoors, Natural Cook, Charismatic, Childish. Latrice noticed the flies on that hotdog. She ate it anyway.

As Funtin kindled the fire, he realised something: there is no TV in the house. Furthermore, there are no books, computers, foosball tables or stereos. If Funtin is going to survive in this house, he’s going to have to make his own entertainment.

**Funtin McOgle**: Taurus. **Traits:** Over-Emotional, Brave, Neurotic, Daredevil, Charismatic. People often comment on Funtin’s lack of looks, but he’s not just ugly – he’s *extremely* ugly.

As some of the housemates wondered what the future of the competition had in store, two were already finding out. Red-haired bombshell Myra felt a little giddy as she shook hands with the handsome young soccer player, Joss.

Screenshot-20 — **Myra Gilchrist:** Cancer. **Traits:** Insane, Flirty, Great Kisser, Hopeless Romantic, Green Thumb. While her outbursts isolate her from others, Myra knows she can always talk to herself.

Joss explored the empty arena, thinking how lucky he was to have already met such attractive company. His knock on the wall was met by an empty thump – as if of a room on the other side. And he’s right. Beyond Joss’s muscular knuckles lies the luxurious Head of House bedroom, complete with exclusive backyard access! It’s the stuff of dreams, but Joss has stiff competition if he ever wants to win his way to the HoH room.

1 - Joss - Copy — **Joss Tapia:** Cancer. **Traits:** Slob, Excitable, Hot-Headed, Loves the Heat, Athletic. Joss dreams of a career in sports, but secretly harbours doubts he’s strong enough to make it.

Straight-shooting Bree’s first act in the Big Brother house was to check the bathrooms. They look clean enough, but with only three toilets and two showers, there’s sure to be a mess soon. She also notices the weird location of the laundry, where the machines sit out in a seemingly random hallway. But hey, at least there are plenty of mirrors.

1 - Bree - Copy — **Bree Ellis:** Libra. Traits: Unflirty, Neat, Dislikes Children, Snob, Ambitious. Bree’s family insisted she didn’t have what it takes to win the socially-obsessed Big Brother. Bree is determined to prove otherwise.

On her way to the bedroom, Bree ran into a slender, blue-haired young man admiring the pool chairs through the patio doors. He introduced himself as Kenyatta. He asked Bree if she knew there was a secret tunnel under the house – the Tunnel of Humiliation. The pair wondered where such a tunnel could lead from…

**Kenyatta Manuel:** Virgo. **Traits:** Flirty, Good, Perfectionist, Never Nude, Friendly. If there’s one thing Kenyatta loves, it’s the colour blue. That, and talking potential lovers out of their clothes.

The housemates have found their beds, and the house was falling silent when the final housemate, Margo, made herself a sandwich. She admired the fire, the bouquets of flowers in the dining hall, the artful cut of her sandwich. So much has happened in the last few hours, Margo can’t quite process it. She knows one thing for sure: the mysteries and challenges of the Big Brother house are just beginning.

**Margo Brooks:** Aquarius. **Traits:** Inappropriate, Avant Garde, Genius, Coward, Computer Whiz. This is an expert sneeze, okay? Margo is an expert and she knows her sneezes.

Find Day One of the challenge here!