[Brekkie]

I’ve often found the tasks quite dull historically. I’ve always been more interested in how these different types of people interact with each other. Usually the tasks just interfere with that, though I accept the need for them.

If anyone remembers the series three “rich side / poor side” stuff, I hated that. It completely interrupted the interactions within the house. No surprise it was never done again, I remember a lot of negative reaction to it.

It was by far the highest rated series - hit 7m a night towards the end (admitedly once the twist had wrapped up, but ratings were high throughout) compared to most other series around then getting 4-5m for non-eviction shows.    And 21 years on it still has one of the most memorable groups of housemates, so I don't think it was a barrier at all to housemates personalities being shown on screen.

Importantly though we knew what the purpose of it was - and limiting interactions isn't necessarily a bad thing rather than housemates being in their same cliques all the time.   Indeed that's the problem with starting with a big cast too - it basically fractions off into three or four friendship groups who end up interacting very little with each other, and nominations never get to the point where the do have to genuinely nominate their friends.