Big Brother Australia – Sun 6:30pm, Mon-Fri 7pm, Ch9
http://www.bigbrother.com.au/
We’re live, loud and proud as Sonia greets us centre stage in some of the most amazing shoes yet. The boys lost the challenge, she reminds us, and so only the boys can be nominated. Oo-er.

After Charne (pronounced Shar-ney) left the house last night, the HMs started the most earworming chant you’ve ever heard. I woke up in a cold sweat at 3am having the damn thing run through my head, for goodness sake. But with she of the blonde hair gone, it was time for Layla and Estelle to celebrate – which in the house constitutes jumping in the pool fully clothed. Benjamin is just pleased he gets to have a bed to himself.

Layla decides talking to the fish in the bathroom is a great idea. None of them talk back, after all.

Ryan tells Angie he’d be ‘devo’ if Estelle had been evicted. Talk quickly turns to Josh and paying out on his “I’ve dated 100 women” secret.

Stacey & Layla decide to alert the HMs that now that their secrets out they won’t be doing any housework or cooking so as to protect her hands (Stacey) and because she has slaves at home that do that normally (Layla). That’ll be an improvement from all the housework they’ve done to date then. ZERO.

The HMs sit in the lounge for the farewell message from Charne (pronounced Shar-ney). She loved her time in the house and it was more of an experience she though it would ever have been. She highlights Sarah and Ben as being good mates. She thanks Ange and Layla and all the rest of the HMs for various reasons. “Ryan – yep.” She tells Bradley he has so much to learn and offers him advice over what he says and how he says it to people.

“Listen to older peeps,” says Layla.
“Hey, she got voted off, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” says Brad with a smile.

Layla fronts up to the Diary Room later in the evening. BB asks her if she’s alright and she doesn’t even know. She’s still processing the support from the public. Estelle can’t believe she’s still in the house either, and then Zoe has a turn saying she’s excited to nominate the boys.

“The nom noms are gonna be cray cray.” Sonia’s back. Cut to Layla & George scoring a kiss. It’s the talk of the house, as is Bradley and Benjamin’s conflict. Benjamin is having a conversation with BB, who tells the HM it was “borderline aggressive behaviour, and BB wants Benjamin to reconsider how he processes his anger”. Benjamin isn’t happy upon leaving.

Benjamin instantly explains to the HMs in the lounge that it was for a laugh(!) but to get his point across. Michael doesn’t think it’s consistent with Benjamin’s behaviour. Later in the kitchen Benjamin has a conversation with Bradley about it, which he apologises to Bradley and explains how he was feeling and why it lead to the ‘water in the face’ incident.

The HMs have had 4 warning over microphones in one day – George is lucky number 5. He’s in the naughty corner and has to iron clothing until BB tells him it’s enough. It’s a pretty big pile but George dives in with a smile (though he’s not very good). Then BB invites the HMs to bring any other ironing they may have to George for him to do it. Cut back to Sonia who calls George “A real housewive of the GC”. You can’t write this stuff!

By the end of the night 3 or more male HMs will be up for eviction. We hope so. Sonia throws us back to the house where Ryan tells Estelle he went into the Diary Room once he learned she was up for eviction because “it sucks, man”. He and BB talked it over and it helped Ryan process what he was feeling. “It’s because we’re mates, you know,” says Estelle. Blah blah relationshippy stuff.

Now Estelle’s in the Diary Room talking to BB and “as natural attrition occurs our relationship is getting stronger”. In two weeks. While she’s in there, Josh & Stacey role play Estelle and Ryan respectively (in front of Ryan) and it’s pretty funny. He laughs along with them.

In the microcosm that is the BB house, George & Layla’s relationship is “getting pretty serious”. It’s Marty & Jess all over again – the original love story. They snuggle into bed for the night and Zoe is talking to Benjamin about hos she still holds a candle for George but doesn’t want to get in the way of their love. George & Layla have “a domestic” about who is sleeping on which side of the bed – Angie calls out to Layla to “remember the millions”. Nigh nigh, HMs.

Before they throw to the ad break we see Ryan, Michael and Benjamin recounting their thoughts while in lockdown as to what they’d do during nominations. Ben’s statement is BB gold – “I love my mum more than anyone on the face of the earth but I’d vote against her if I thought she was a threat to me winning this show”. It’s very clear that Benjamin is the new front-runner to win now.

Sonia standing in front of a collage of the live feed cameras is a bit distracting, but good to see what’s going on. There’s a quick package on the “social network” within the house to remind us where the conflict is for the boys. It points out the ‘showmances’ of Estelle & Ryan and George & Layla. It does make a point of showing Benjamin as the gossip monger. “If the HMs had a Facebook page, their relationship status would be it’s complicated”.

Kruges cuts to the HMs on the couch to talk about their second nomination round tonight, and the HMs say they’re not looking forward to it. She asks Sarah if she misses Charne (pronounced Shar-ney) – yes – and Estelle if she’s glad she stayed – yes. Josh & George get some Kruges love, and Josh falls over himself to flirt with Kruges but it’s Kruges & George that have the classy on-camera flirt for each other.

BB then gets the attention of the HMs, reminding them their reasons for nominations last week were “borderline pathetic”. Each HM must come with good reasons for their nominations, and all are reminded only the male HMs can be nominated tonight. The boys are sent to the nomination room, where they marvel at their faces projected on the wall.

Estelle is called to the nomination chamber first (she nearly gets lost on the way). She’s not happy to be in the nomination chamber, but c’est la vie. She covers her mouth when she names Benjamin for three points as he “doesn’t think out to other HMs with his behaviour and can make them feel really uncomfortable”. BB asks for an example, and she cites the ‘water in the face’ incident as Benjamin was kidding more than anything else. She noms Michael for two points out of strategy as he’s a big personality and will survive despite her nom. She thinks it’d be nice to see how the house would pan out if he left. Accepted – job done.

Stacey’s up. She also goes for the hand over mouth technique, nominating Bradley for three points for not pulling his weight and being quite rude to other HMs. BB wants an example. Stacey lists a number of comments with no apology. Accepted. Ray is given two points for some dodgy reason, which BB asks if it’s strategic. BB accepts the nomination but tells her to look up “strategic” in a dictionary for next time. She should also look up “clueless”.

13 HMs means nominations take FOR.EVER.

Zoe’s turn. She nominates Bradley (hand over mouth) for three points because he is rude and doesn’t have the same social skill. BB asks for an example which Zoe gives reasonably. Ryan gets two points because he doesn’t make Zoe comfortable. “So you’d rather he wasn’t in the house?” asks BB. Accepted and done.

Sarah also Michael for four points (hand over mouth) because he has a stronger bond with the other females and she feels he’d beat her if they were up for eviction together. BB asks her why the bond is stronger with other girls and not her and pushes her for a reason. She struggles to come up with something decent and in the end makes it all about her. “That’s a great interview but not a great reason,” says BB. It’s accepted. Sarah offers one point to Josh for a reason that is as much her fault as his. More prodding from BB, who eventually accepts the nomination.

Layla steps into the chamber and BB asks how she is this week. She nominates Ryan for three points (hand over mouth) because he makes her feel self-conscious when she’s in a bikini. BB reprimands her for wearing a hat in the chamber and then accepts her nom. Benjamin is given two points because he’s been rude to Bradley who “is at a disadvantage to the rest of the HMs because he has less life experience than the rest of us”. This is acceptable to BB and Layla is excused, after she’s confused ‘older’ with ‘younger’.

As if to prove Layla’s point we get a quick package of Layla defending Bradley to the other girls. “He’s the youngest, he doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Angie selects Bradley (hand over mouth) because his age is playing against him because of things he’s said. It makes her uncomfortable and she quotes the ‘water in the face’ example. BB calls her out for owning the nomination to which she says she takes offence with her friends are made to feel uncomfortable. Ray gets two points because he “snaps” sometimes. Accepted and done.

Scoreboard check after the girls are done:
Bradley – 9
Michael – 6
Benjamin – 5
Ryan – 5
Ray – 4
Josh – 1
George – 0

If that top 4 are the ones up for eviction it will be a great indication as to the demographic of the voting public come Sunday.

Kruges crosses for a chin-wag with the girls in the lounge. “It’s just us girls, so let’s just have a chat,” she says. Layla says it was easier to nominate this week, but it’s tough seeing all their little faces. Stacey did a weird crab thing to avoid looking at the boys at all. Kruges notes the boys are flirts – and that she has t-shirts older than all of them, so asks the girls to tell them that. “Kruger the Cougar!” offers Stacey – not the first time that claim has been made, I’m sure. The boys are up.

Josh is first and he gives three points to Ryan (no hand over mouth) because of Ryan’s questioning technique during the secrets task cost them and means Josh can’t trust him as much now. Two points for George for similar reasons. BB asks if that’s an excuse. Duh! “No,” says Josh. Trust issues, here’s a tissue. Accepted and done.

Ray’s next and after some fist pumps once inside he’s welcomed back – “Thanks BB, great to be here”. Benjamin gets four points (hand over mouth) because he takes personal jokes about Ryan when he’s not around, which he sees as almost bullying. Bradley gets one point because “this place is a little bit to big for a guy his age”. BB calls him out about it because Brad’s in here on his merit. Ray changes for it to be on maturity. Accepted and booted.

Before George nominates we see him nominating Layla last week, then him snogging her. George’s turn in the chamber o’ nominations and he gives Benjamin four points for his poor reactions to anger/conflict. BB asks if he’s spoken to Ben about it and George feels it isn’t his place to challenge someone about their maturity. Ryan gets the final point for not helping out at all. Again, BB asks if he’s spoken to him about it. George sees it as common sense and feels he shouldn’t have to be the bad guy.

Ryan is straight into Bradley for four points because he’s questioned Ryan’s intelligence in front of other HMs. “Have you spoken to Bradley about this?”. “Yes”. Accepted. Benjamin gets one point for being a ‘schoolyard bully’ from the moment he stepped into the house, and also cites the water in face situation.

Michael’s turn. Two points to Ryan (whom he loves) but is interrupted by BB telling him it’s not a Hallmark card and to get on with it. Michael says it’s because they haven’t connected as much and when challenged about getting to know him he says that’s why he’s only given him two points. Ryan gets three points for being argumentative.

Only Benjamin and Bradley next. All conflict, all of the time.

The ‘water in face’ issued is revisited as we come back ahead of both nominating. Bradley gives Ben three points for the very same issue, because he now feels a bit on edge every time he speaks with him. Two points Ryan gets the nod for making Bradley feels uncomfortable and his ‘attackive’ approach. He’s clearly stressed by all this as his stutter is extremely noticeable during this process – poor dude. BB likes the new word and his nominations are accepted.

Time for Benjamin to step up. BB asks Ben to check that the door is closed. Lol. Ryan gets three points because he’s like a blockbuster movie with no storyline. They’ve nothing in common and he feels he’s looked at like a freak because Ryan isn’t comfortable enough with his sexuality to accept Ben as a gay person. Two points for Bradley because it’s a common case of “the bullied becoming the bully” and Brad’s being led by the other boys into a new persona where Bradley’s just being rude. BB asks if Ben thinks that Brad should respect Ben just because Ben is older – Ben says he should just respect other people full stop. Accepted and done.

With noms done, it’s time to cross back to the house for BB to announce those up for eviction this week. The HMs sit and learn that this week, the possible evictees are: Benjamin (17 points); Bradley (16); & Ryan (16). They boys are addressed directly and told that one of them will be evicted. All three look gutted, but none moreso that Bradley.

Voting details spew forth and we’re done. Don’t forget to save your fave – She’s Sonia Kruger and don’t forget to call her Kruges…