How to Prepare for 10 Weeks of Big Brother Canada - Revised

Big Brother Canada Season 5 premieres on March 15th. As excited as we all are, we can sometimes forget the consequences it has on our lives. After all, the show runs for ten weeks, and there are three episodes per week. Add in the time spent watching Live Feeds, and you may develop anti-social behaviours.

Follow along as I embark on the 10 WEEK ODYSSEY that is Big Brother Canada. I will be live tweeting the feeds. Well, at least I'm going to try. If you see me there, say hello...I'm mostly nice. Mostly.

Big Brother Canada 4 Houseguest Status, Voting History & Season Stats

Catch up on the current status inside the house! May include SPOILERS from LIVE FEEDS, ahead of the aired shows.





Any SPOILERS ahead of AIRED Episodes are courtesy of Hamsterwatch.com

NOTES:
*** Week 4: "Fake Double Eviction"
Week 8: Ramsey voluntarily left the house after receiving news of family emergency. This occured after he was nominated and won POV, but before the POV Ceremony.

Feeds in Brief April 3 to 7 (Week 6)

Thursday, April 7 (Day 42

• Mitch and Tim (in High Roller room) Tim mentions Mitch might be good as a commentator (on a side show). Mitch hints he has other interests.
• Tim and Cass: Tim says he thinks Mitch might be a Youtuber because of some of the things he told him. He says he's been playing BBAU style, but this week he's playing BBCan style in voting Mitch out.

Wednesday, April 6 (Day 41)

• Mitch and Nikki: Mitch wants to campaign to the Brothers and goes over it with Nikki. He wants to offer the Brothers 3 things: Mitch & Nikki are two votes to save the Brothers; if he and Nikki win HoH, they won't put the Brothers up; AND if Mitch is on the block next to the Brothers, Nikki will save the Brothers over him. Nikki agrees.
• Mitch and Phil:Mitch tells Phil the hardest thing will be to survive a Triple (eviction), therefore his offer is: neither he nor Nikki will put the Brothers up in a Triple; if he or Nikki aren't on the block next to them (the Brothers) they will vote to save them; and Nikki will vote to save the Brothers even if he (Mitch) is also on the block in a triple. He also adds a few more things: the 3rd Wheel, Tim & Cass, Ramsey & Maddy would all vote to save each other. The Brothers have no "partner"; and he (Mitch) has already promised to go after the 3rd Wheel. He also points out that if he is voted out, Nikki would be vindictive and never vote to save them (the Brothers)
• Tim and Nikki: Tim tells Nikki that he and Mitch could have been great together if they had gotten together from the beginning. BUT he wants Mitch to come to the same conclusion first, before he tells Mitch.
• Mitch and Tim: Mitch begins by saying they are similar players and he saw that as soon as Tim came into the house. Tim says he finds it fascinating that Mitch - whose game depends on laws and odds, is being undone by pure luck. Tim says BB is not a logical game. Tim wants to be friends with Mitch after the show, but he was disappointed in Mitch wanting to play with the "cool kids". Mitch agrees. Tim says that for him, winning any BB is making sure the "Prom King & Queen" (in this case, Jared & Kelsey) don't win.
• Mitch & Phil (in High Roller room) Mitch tells Phil that Kelsey made a final 4 deal with Maddy & Ramsey, and the Brothers were the next target. Kelsey comes in and Phil confronts her. She denies it. Mitch goes to get Maddy and Ramsey. The confrontation moves to the Living Room, with Maddy and Cass talking from over the upstairs railing. Eventually Phil defends Kelsey.
• Meanwhile, Jared and Raul are in the HoH. They hear the commotion but don't join in. Phil enters, then Kelsey. They laugh and say it's just another failed attempt by Mitch.
• Mitch and Raul in the HoH: Very long convo. Mitch tells Raul about his ASAP Science Youtube channel, his 5 million followers and his book. Raul says Mitch's followers will hate him. Mitch mentions he may be the first jury member. Raul asks if Mitch will vote for him (to win). Mitch leaves. Raul cries and repeats, "It's just a game."
• Kelsey and Jared comfort Raul, tell him that he and Mitch will be friends after the game.

Tuesday, April 5 (Day 40)

• Tim & Phil: (their task was to stay up all night) Tim says that with the sunrise, as far as he's concerned, the task is completed. He sleeps for about an hour. 
• Tim & Nikki: Tim says BB's tasks are getting meaner and meaner. He's sick of being treated like special needs. He says it feels like being in a concentration camp, then says that's insensitive. He's just being sensitive today.
• Kelsey & Cass: Cass says Tim is getting annoying, always follows her around, or calls for her. Kelsey says he votes just to stir up trouble. Cass says he just wants to keep the real players in the game. Cass says she's through with him.

Monday, April 4 (Day 39)

• Kelsey and Cassandra: Cass tells Kelsey about all the cattiness last week while Kelsey was away, and what she had to put up with
• POV Ceremony today
• Jared did not use the Veto.
• Cass & Kelsey: talk about the Veto Ceremony. (apparently Mitch's Veto speech was dramatic - he called the Third Wheel a cancer that had to be cut out of the house) Cass says don't worry, we're voting him out. They agree he was so different than the Mitch we knew before.
• Jared & Maddy: Jared explains about the Mitch-intel that Kelsey found out about from Loveita while in sequester in the secret suite. Raul really screwed us over by opening his big mouth to Mitch. Now they have to deal with it. He tells her he wants to get Mitch out this week, hopes she votes with them. He also says the original plan was to put Cass up. Maddy mentions that she and Ramsey may vote differently.
• Jared tells Kelsey about the Maddy convo. They work out that Mitch would be safe with Maddy, Ramsey, Nikki and Tim
• Mitch calls a meeting or a "presentation" with Nikki, Cass, Tim, Maddy, Ramsey, Nick & Phil. He uses chocolates to explain odds in the game and everyone's chances going forward - if they keep him. He uses casinos as an example. [Note: to me, it came across as his excuse for floating/making numerous alliances - he was just playing the odds] At one point he says, "this is how I made by nominations before" (was he referring to Loveita's HoH???)
• Tim says his mother knows statistics - he does too, and Mitch got a few things wrong. He and Cass go to talk to Kelsey and Raul. Basically, they agreed they don't have a problem with each other.

Sunday, April 3 (Day 38)

• When feeds return: Jared has won Veto
• Mitch and Raul: Mitch tells Raul he will be polite to him BUT he will give him no more in this game.

Feeds in Brief: March 24 to March 31 (Week 5)

Spoiler Alert: the following information MAY spoil the aired episodes for you.

Nikki Grahame's Episode 8 "Tim-Meltdown" in GIFs

During Week three's live eviction episode, we were treated to an extended sequence featuring Nikki Grahame having a meltdown. Seems Nikki had an issue with Tim getting too close with Cassandra. She explains it to us in the DR...

Obviously I'm not for the whole Cassandra-Tim relationship thing, but I know my bond with Tim is stronger than theirs could ever be. I mean she's just a young, shallow girl that just...I don't know, she just needs all the help she can get to play this game.

First, she wandered through the house looking for Tim. When she can't find him, she heads out to the hot tub. There she finds Mitch, Kelsey and Christine - her audience. Of course Kelsey had to ask Nikki if she was having a moment. Nikki lets it all out... 

 But she's not done stewing. She heads up to the HoH and is comforted by Loveita. Tim walks in, asks her if she's doing good, then leaves. This only sets her off again.

The whole sequence resulted in a lot of people commenting that Nikki and Tim behave like a married couple. Maybe. But the studio audience erupted into laughter and applause. Nikki Grahame isn't just live-feed or TV gold. She's comedic genius. Just look at her troll face! 

Big Brother Canada 4 Episode 8: The BBGrand Dismisses Maid for Sleeping on the Job

To paraphrase Tim, it's funny that the person who was on the block last week is running the show this week. He's not wrong, but he's not quite correct either. There is dissension among the ranks. This is Loveita's second HoH, Will this one go the way she wants - to get Cassandra evicted, or will it be another wasted HoH?

Cassandra began campaigning for support the minute Loveita nominated her. Christine on the other hand, continued with her 2-fold strategy of staying in bed or fulfilling her duties as the BBGrand house maid. She only went into campaign mode after the POV Ceremony. And when I say campaign mode, I mean a half-hearted attempt at best.

Feeds in Brief: March 17 to 24 (Week 4)

Aaah, that "first day of spring" feeling in the Big Brother Canada house.

Live feed recaps are spoilers if you only watch the aired episodes.

This Week on Big Brother Canada 4: Much Ado About a Nomination (Week 3)

After Sharry is evicted, and Loveita wins HoH on a fluke shot, we all assumed she would put up two members of the Third Wheel. Hell, if one of them won Veto, then Loveita could throw the third one up on the block. It only seemed logical, right? Right?

Feeds in Brief March 10 to March 17 Week 3

Thursday, March 17 (Day 21)

• Happy Birthday Phil!
• Phil is the victim of Nikki's pranked mouthwash/dishsoap. Nikki apologizes and tells him it was her and Tim who did it. Tim tells Phil it was Nikki who did the mouthwash, he only did the toilet/Vaseline.
• Loveita, Kelsey & Dallas: Dallas tells Loveita that Cass has made it clear that if she wins HoH she's putting her on the block. He also tells them the vote will be close. Kelsey adds that at least with Cass, they know what she's about.
• Tim warns Joel that if they go against Jared in the vote, Jared may target them. Tim says it's really not about the player this week, it's about the play next week.

Wednesday, March 16 (Day 20)

• Joel & Christine: Christine tells Joel she's talked to Nikki, Dallas, Maddy & Ramsey (and has their vote) That's 4. She's working on Tim. She tells Joel that people think Cassandra flips too much. Joel asks her who she'd go after if she's HoH. She says someone big (Jared), someone has to do it and she's not afraid. Joel tells her he's an open book, will listen to anyone.
• Nikki, Kelsey, Loveita in HoH: Nikki rants on about Tim. She doesn't need his help. She's sick of is self-importance/ego.

Tuesday, March 15 (Day 19)

• Kelsey to Phil: I want Cassandra to stay. Phil agrees. Kelsey adds Christine already won $10,000
• In the HoH: Joel tells Loveita that he told Cassandra he will vote to save her. Daas enters. Loveita says it was Tim who convinced her to put up Cassandra. Nick, Nikki and then Phil enter the convo. Phil says he was set to vote Cass out, until he heard that oveita and Dallas were working together. Phil warns Dallas that his name keeps coming up (as a target) in convos.
• Nick, Phil & Joel: Phil says he trusts Jared more than Loveita and Dallas, and Christine is sketchy. Nick admits that Loveita bullies/pushes her agenda, but Jared & Kelsey respect him. Phil says Loveita told us to do what we think is best for our game (re: the vote). Phil explains to Joel that he'll be good with Cassandra staying and he'll be safe next week if she stays.
• Mitch & Joel: Joel tells Mitch he's keeping Cassandra. Mitch agrees and adds that he knows Cass is not with Dallas. Mitch wants Maddy and Dallas to not switch their votes (to evict Christine), he wants the vote to be 7 to 4.

Monday, March 14 (Day 18)

• POV Ceremony: Dallas did not use the POV. Noms remain the same: Cassandra & Christine
• Loveita to Nick in the BY: Nick questions the High Roller room...says there's "something in there". Loveita says she saw something (in there). Feeds cut. 
• Nick & Loveita in HN room. They go over clues from the POV Comp. "something is not what it seems". Nick says, "what if they're just here to..." and feeds cut again. When they return, Nick is alone in the HN, still thinking of the puzzle. 
• Tim, Nikki and Ramsey pull some pranks.Tim puts Vaseline on the toilet seat. Nikki puts BBQ sauce in the shampoo bottle and dish soap in the mouthwash. Nikki wants something brown to smear on the toilet seat, so Ramsey gets Nutella. Nikki says its perfect - it looks like burning diarrhea.
• Cassandra is the victim of the Vaseline. She asks Tim, "Who's j!zz do I have on my ass?"
• Phil, Cassandra & Tim: Phil tells Cassandra he heard she was trying to target him. Tim says no, and that some people were trying to blame the backdoor plan on her.



Rare glimpse upward near the hot tub.

• Loveita says the vote is up to fate and that she no longer cares who goes. Loveita goes to the HoH bathroom and sees the Nutella on the toilet seat. Tim says someone had a blowout and Nikki adds, "that's animal behaviour"

Sunday, March 13 (Day 17)

• Injuries from POV comp: Christine fell from 3 meters off the ladder, Cassandra strained her ankle
• Loveita to Joel: I can't stand Kelsey & Raul. There's a big opportunity to backdoor a big player. Later she says if I get Cassandra out, Christine needs to start to work with us.
• Jared to Christine: Loveita is by herself (in this game) Dallas comes in and tells them of his convo with Loveita last night (trying to tell her to backdoor the brothers). Dallas says he had to calm Loveita down. He thinks Loveita is working with the brothers.
• Mitch to Loveita: Be prepared for Dallas using the POV. Loveita knows Jared, Kelsey & Raul will break her deal with them.
• Loveita asks Dallas if he's going to use the veto. He says no.
• Cassandra, Jared & Kelsey: They count votes. Jared: Kelsey, Mitch, Raul, Tim. Kelsey adds Joel. Jared agrees then says it's up to Nikki.
• Dallas & Maddy try to convince Loveita to "backdoor"* Jared. They use the line "they got rid of Sharry/we owe it to Sharry"
• Tim, Nikki and Loveita discuss putting up Jared and the plan loses steam

 *not technically a backdoor, which is a plan hatched pre-nominations. This would be just a renomination.

Saturday, March 12 (Day 16)

• POV comp Players: Loveita, Cassandra, Christine, Dallas, Jared & Ramsey. Tim will host.
• Loveita's making her rounds today to reinforce the reasoning behind her noms and push her agenda. Christine tells her she understands even though she thought it was weird. Ramsey, Dallas and Jared tell Loveita if they win POV they will keep the noms the same.
• Dallas wins POV
• Tim believes his POV Hosting script held a clue in the wording. He tells Loveita, then later Joel and Cassandra... "Beyond the walls... it's not what it seems...look for the sign, look for the clues. Go home, the fringe, behind the bureau" Tim only gives them bits and pieces.
• Dallas wants to use the veto on Cassandra and have Loveita put up Phil/Nick. Loveita tells him not to fall into the trap of doing the dirty work for Jared & his crew. Loveita tells Dallas to broker a deal with the brothers, using the threat of Veto & them being the renoms.

Friday, March 11 (Day 15)

• Tim to Loveita: if I were you, I'd put up 2 people from one side of the house. If you put up one person from each side, you'll piss off the whole house.
• Loveita says Kelsey has turned the house into High School
• Loveita to Jared: Who would you want saved, Kelsey or Raul? He says Kelsey. Loveita tells him she's not getting blood on her hands to save you guys (the Third Wheel) and the house was already voting in her favour (i.e: Jared, Kelsey & Raul had nothing to do with keeping her safe/flipping the house)
• Loveita to Nikki & Tim: I'm going to give a nice speech then self-evict. Tim & Nikki freak and try to talk her out of it. Loveita tells them she was kidding.
• Joel and Cassandra have a date night in the HoH room (this could have been a task for Joel, May even have been a Marsha task because at one point, Joel and Cassandra went into the Wedding Chapel where we know Marsha is hiding)
• Feeds are on and off several times, in between which: Loveita has still not decided on her noms; HGs have a celebratory dinner. The last glimpse ic BB calling the HGs to the LR. Cassandra and Joel are being punished for violating the HN rules last week (they ate grapes) and will be the HNs again this week.
• Feeds are down, presumably for the Nomination Ceremony.
• Loveita nominated Christine and Cassandra. She tells Joel that Cassandra is the target.
• Dallas asks Loveita if she made a deal. Loveita says no, that she just didn't want to rock the boat.
• Cassandra confronts Loveita. She tells her she had her back last week, she campaigned for her to stay. Loveita says she put her up because of a comment Cass made. Cass said it was a joke. Cass asks her if she made a deal and tells her now the whole house is mad. Loveita asks who.
• Loveita, Cass & Joel go up to HoH. After more ping-pong conversation, Loveita asks Joel, "How do we fix it?"

Thursday March 10 (Day 14) Post Eviction

• Kelsey to Loveita: I keep my word 100%. I'm not in a showmance with Jared, we're just friends. She, Jared and Raul won't be targeting her until later in the game.
• Loveita can hear DR convos (it's loud!). She calls out to BB then the feeds cut.
• Kelsey tells Jared the Third Wheel is safe this week. Then later tells Raul she's afraid they will be Loveita's target.
• Nikki brings a basket of booze out from the DR.
• Jared to Kelsey & Raul: you have to be nice with Loveita. Raul says: Just until tomorrow. Jared corrects him by saying: no, all week. Kelsey flips out.
• Kelsey again refers to Nikki as "the alcoholic British chick"
• Phil admits to Tim, Ramsey & Joel that he has a huge crush on Nikki. Tim says, "crazy in the head, crazy in bed"
• Jared tells Loveita he flipped the house to keep her safe this week.

Big Brother Canada 4, Episode 4: The "So Bored That I Just Want to Wear My Leopard Nighty and Stay in Bed" Episode

I guess after three great episodes, it was bound to happen. We had to have a let down at some point, right?

Big Brother Canada 4 Episode 3: Darn Foreigners

When Tim and Nikki enter the BB Canada house, the reactions are mixed. To say the least.

Big Brother Canada 4 Episode 2: Noobs, Noobs Everywhere

When last we left our cozy new batch of houseguests, the first HoH was won by Loveita and they were all told a major twist would soon be revealed. All seemed right in the world to those viewers out there who erroneously believed - as did Loveita and several other Houseguests, that winning the first few HoHs is a good thing.

Aaah, Noobs. They make the game so much more interesting.

Big Brother Canada 4 Alliances

RE: "Unnamed Alliance" Dallas broke down the situation during his confession to Jared, Kelsey & Raul (overnight, March 5/6). There are two alliances. The first was called "5 AM in Toronto" between himself, Nick & Phil, Cassandra and Ramsey. The other one (unnamed) was between himself, Sharry, Loveita, Maddy and Ramsey.

Feeds in Brief March 3 to March 10

Summaries are listed per day. This is the first week of feeds, but the second week in the house.

Nikki eavesdrops on the Dallas confession to Jared

Big Brother Canada 4 Premiere: A House of Cards

Big Brother Canada came back with a bang in the Season 4 premiere. And I have to say this season is already looking much better than last year. I also have to say bravo to the new house and the cast. I find it amazing  how our Canadian version puts it's US counterpart to shame year after year in both these categories. I really have to say, I'm a little proud.

The ultra top notch production on the introduction reinforces the Casino Hotel theme, as we see a gambler walking in, complete with Vegas showgirls and digital effects simulating neon "Jackpot" signs. This is guaranteed to get you pumped. This sets the stage for Arisa's grand entrance. She introduces the new batch of Houseguests in three groups.

^The first group of five (L to R): Maddy; Philippe; Sharry; Cassandra and Dallas

^Second group (L to R): Raul; Kelsey; Jared; Loveita; and Joel.

^Last Group (L to R): Mitchell; Christine; Ramsey; and Page.

Once inside, it's Dallas who gets the opening night party started by handing out drinks. When everyone sits down for the "So, tell us about yourself" bit, the first hit comes from Maddy who (in the DR) calls Kelsey "phony". Dallas is flabbergasted at Christine's age. I'm guessing he hasn't been around many 47 year old women. Dallas's bartending was probably a good thing - they will need to loosen up a bit, because Arisa doesn't waste any time in throwing out the first twist of the season.... The Double Down. 

Big Brother has decided to pick on one houseguest and really mess his game up. The poor schnook is Philippe Paquette. With all 14 houseguests safely ensconced inside, Arisa proceeds to introduce Philippe's younger brother, Nicholas to the stage. She doesn't tell him anything and just sends him into the house. Why Nicholas didn't suspect his solo entrance was unusual is totally beyond me. When Philippe and Nicholas spot each other, they both play it cool (kudos to them both on their acting) and even introduce themselves to each other. Wow. But 5 minutes later, Arisa drops the bombshell on everyone that Phil and Nick are brothers. They will play as one, sharing the grand prize if they win - or an eviction. They must alternate on each week's challenges.

My personal observation: if this twist is called "Double Down", you can bet there will be a "Split" and if the brothers survive, at one point they will play separately. It's only logical.

Nick and Phil decide who will play for this week using Rock, Paper, Scissors. Nick gets this week. Maybe they should have played Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock. Just saying. This leads us into the HoH Comp, called "One Night Stand". It's an endurance challenge. Each player must hold onto a rope and balance themselves on a platform. The rope increases tension periodically while cold water is sprayed on them.

There is one other twist involved. Each houseguest was asked be on:

1. The person they felt would be the first out. Joel had the most votes. The catch is, if he wins and doesn't fall first, he will get immunity for the week.
2. The person they think will win HoH. Nick was picked. If they lose the bet and don't win, the Paquette brothers must spend the night in solitary confinement.

Here's what happened:

• Cassandra dropped out first, Joel was second and wins immunity this week.
• Nick couldn't stick it out. He lost his balance then knocked Sharry off. There was a backlash that he intentionally pushed her off. Hogwash, I say.
• The last two were Jared and Loveita. Jared immediately offers Loveita a deal. If she guarantees his safety this week, he'll concede HoH to her. She accepts. 

"One Night Stand" HoH Comp

Gotta say, the score is, Jared 1/Loveita 0. He recognized the fact the first HoH is poison in this game. Loveita, on the other hand only proved to us all just how much of a newbie she is.

The episode concluded by introducing the 4 Wildcard International players to us. Then Arisa opened the mic up to the houseguests inside to tease them mercilessly with the line "Our first wildcard is well under way." Take note, she emphasized the word "first". Then a clue: "It's massive and it's something that's never happened on any Big Brother around the world."

My overall opinion on this episode is....my god there are a lot of newbies. Despite the claims from some who said they've seen the show, many don't have a clue what they're doing. Case in point: Loveita. This is in stark contrast to last year's superfan cast who bogged the feeds down with their endless droning about BB Trivia. It would seem TPTB have learned from their mistakes. Bravo.

Next Episode: Nominations; PoV challenge and ceremony; first Eviction.
All pictures courtesy Global/Shaw Media

Big Brother Canada 4: My Top Five-Card Draw(s)

Good Lord, it has been so hard to get a read on this cast pre-season. That's why it has taken me so long to pick. Well that, and the fact I had to do up these nifty card graphics. I've given it my best shot. I had four nailed down, but I was doing a lot of flip-flopping between 3 contenders for that fifth spot. So, just in case - and to cover all my bases, here are the two honourable mentions. 

Trust me when I say, I tried very hard to fit Christine and Loveita in the mix. 
And my Five Card Draw(s) are...

Note, I haven't included the two Wildcards. I figured I will deal with that later. It might also give me the opportunity to re-evaluate my favs once I've seen everyone in action and maybe, if we're lucky, HOPEFULLY DRUNK. Like I said before, it's the only way to make sure.

To see my complete break-down of the cast, CLICK HERE

The BBCan Grand Hotel: A Review from a Disgruntled Accidental Tourist

The new house is spectacular beyond words.

BUT...

Instead of the standard ho-hum review of the new house - where I just throw up some pics and go oooh, aaaah, I thought I might do something a little different this year. Have some fun with it. This is a review by an accidental hotel guest - and he posted pictures.

Enjoy!

Big Brother Canada 4 Extras

Stuff to share. Enjoy.

Big Brother Canada 4: Changes

There have been a few changes this year.

• Twistos is NO LONGER sponsoring the show. 
• Although we will never see the phrase, "Twistos Twist", that DOES NOT mean there will be no twists this year.
• No fan points system. Remember having to watch videos and read bios just to gain votes that will multiply your voting strength? Well, there will be none of that this year. Quite frankly, I'm relieved. I just feel it would be a waste of my time. 
• Once again, this does not mean fans will not be voting for key elements of the show. We have already been tasked with voting for 2 International Wildcards. In addition, The Brick has a couple of tricks up their sleeve.

Big Brother Canada 4: House of Cards...The New House Guests (Updated)

Here are the Season 4 cast members. Official babble, bio & Twitter accounts, and my first impressions. Final impressions are pre-season as well - I've just had time to reconsider.

These initial bios are very deceiving. Pretty standard fare and they rarely - if ever, live up to their own ideals. It's almost as if once they get in there, they forget who they are and why they were there. The videos are not much better because they haven't fallen in love with the camera yet. I have also noticed the official info seems to be intentionally manufactured to remind us of past alumni, attempting to fit each Houseguest into a stereotype. Most remind me of BBCan cast, others from BBUS.  


So take my initial impressions worth a grain of salt. 

Sometimes I think I should hold off writing my impressions and predictions until I've seen the Live Feeds or until they all get hammered. Seeing them drunk is the only way to make sure.

Jared Kesler
Twitter: @JaredBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 24
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
Occupation: Pipeline Worker
Jared is the quiet "pretty boy" who is looking for a showmance and plans to dominate the physical competitions that Big Brother Canada has in store.
Strategy: My strategy is just to not get caught up in household drama. Being polite is kind of my main goal. It’s gotten me pretty far in life – people take kindly to “Yes sir. Thank you ma’am.” I don’t want to have a showmance, but I’m going to get awfully bored in that house. It’s the worst thing you can do for the purpose of winning but I’m going to run out of things to talk about with the guys. My mom would not be happy.
My First Impressions: Fan, but maybe not quite "superfan" level. He may well be a "quiet, pretty boy", but he knows Big Brother Canada.
My Final Assessment: I can easily see Jared at least making Jury, if not farther. He could get in with a group of guys in an alliance. Despite his claims to the contrary, I give it two weeks tops until he's in a showmance. If he really has seen previous seasons like he's claimed, then he knows damn well of Emmett & Jillian's showmance and whatever the hell that thing was between Jon and Neda. Or last season's Lover's Paradise. Showmances can get you far, IF you know what you're doing game-wise.

Joel Lefevre
Twitter: @JoelBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 33
Hometown: Edmonton, AB 
Occupation: Actor
Joel is a self-proclaimed late bloomer who feels he will be able to fly under the radar and swoop in to win it all.
Strategy: My strategy is to make personal connections as soon as possible with everyone in the house. I don’t plan to have a showmance – I’m skeptical of them knowing that it’s a competition for a lot of money so the intentions aren’t necessarily good. That said, I wouldn’t say no to a showmance, because I wouldn’t want someone to be suspicious that I was on to them. I’d play along for a little while.
My First Impressions: He's got that Steve Moses/Ian Terry vibe going on. Plus, he gives a shout out to Jordan Parhar. If the others see it too, he may be first out. Externally, I think he's a nerd-poser - meaning I think either he or TPTB have played up the nerd factor. One word....VEST.
My Final Assessment: Joel is still a mystery to me, but until I see otherwise I'm still sticking to my guns that nerd-persona is exaggerated. Either he came up with it or production did. There are pictures of him on the internet with no vest or glasses. If this is a personality trait he is putting on for strategy - that is, to make him look less threatening, then it's a huge mistake.

Loveita Adams
Twitter: @LoveitaBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 25
Hometown: Fort McMurray, AB
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Loveita is an outspoken and ambitious ball of fire who is sure to stir up controversy in the Big Brother Canada house.
Strategy: My strategy is to make as many promises as possible; even if I have to make promises or search for things to promise. The purpose behind this is that if you’re able to make a promise and keep it, you’ll immediately build trust. I want people to believe that I will do whatever I say. For instance, if I know I want to vote a certain person out, I might go up to someone who I know is a supporter of theirs and pretend I’m not sure what I will do. Then I’ll offer them my vote to support them. If I give them my word and keep it, they’ll believe in me. I’ve watched the show and looked at it from a statistics and psychology stand-point, and I’ve seen how valuable building trust and credibility can be.
My First Impressions: Her bio suggests she is an unknown factor and may be a floater at least in the early stages of the game. She doesn't like all-girl alliances because girls can't play a physical game. (has she even seen the show?) That may be her downfall.
My Final Assessment: Loveita's main strategy has Sabrina written all over it (it's almost identical to Sabs pre-show bio), and we all know what happened with that. It worked for Sabrina in the early stages of the game, and it can certainly work for Loveita. BUT, the whole bit about girls not having enough strength to compete against the guys in challenges sounds like a load of hooey to me. Even if she believes it, it tells me that her unwillingness to get in an alliance with a girl or girls is a major mistake.

Maddy Pavle
Twitter: @MaddyBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 21
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Occupation: Server
Maddy is a fashionable tomboy and a serial dater who is so confident in her Big Brother Canada game that she has already declared victory.
Strategy: I do not [have a strategy]. I’m going to take every day as it comes because every day could be different than what I plan for. I have watched every season of Big Brother Canada and I know what a rollercoaster I am in for so I don’t think a strategy is what works.
My First Impressions: Recognizing that an overall strategy doesn't work looks promising, but she's just to much Danielle 2.0 to me. A real live-wire.
My Final Assessment: If she is as edgy and rambunctious as her bio suggests, I can see her irritating a lot of people, especially if she goes in swinging. Remember Kat Yee? Yah, like that. Are we looking at an early eviction here? Or maybe first out? Maybe one factor in her favour is she claims to have watched previous seasons. But is she a superfan?

Paige Distranski
Twitter: @PaigeBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 19
Hometown: Thunder Bay, ON
Occupation: Vet Tech Assistant
Paige is a real outdoor type who likes to hunt, trap, and fish. Her birthday present from her parents was a trip to audition for Big Brother Canada and she's ready to make it all the way to the finale.
Strategy: Growing up in Northwestern Ontario has prepared me for this experience. I’ve grown up outside, trapping and hunting. Those things are all about anticipating an animal’s next move and strategizing to maintain the upper hand, and that IS Big Brother Canada if you think about it. Basically the Big Brother Canada house is going to be my trap line. Being in nature all the time can be harsh, and it’s made me strong and it’s made me brave.
My First Impressions: She may be the biggest fan in the house this year. A bit of a ditz. She seems to fill the Talla/Pili role, mostly because of her own, made-up doggy language. 
My Final Assessment: Despite her fan status (or superfan status) the only thing holding me back on Paige is her age. Knowing BB strategy and knowing how to carry through with it are two completely different animals. Or have we forgotten last season already? Hey who knows. Maybe Paige can form an alliance where she can shine.

Ramsey Aburaneh
Twitter: @RamseyBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 26
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Occupation: Digital Marketing Specialist
Ramsey is a charming conversationalist who has an enormous family (65 first cousins!) and knows how to handle himself in a large group and chaotic situations.
Strategy: Yes and no. I don’t have an A to Z plan because the show changes so much and you can’t get too locked to a plan. It’s safe to say that for the first half of the show I want to downplay my athleticism and just come off like a guy that just seems to be there to have fun and not really think about the competition side. Then when it’s time to, I’ll start to showcase who I really am, win some competitions, and stab people in the back. That’s my plan. Hundo P.
My First Impressions: Definite Zach type. Extremely likeable, but he has never seen the show before (another recruit?)!
My Final Assessment: If Ramsey is a recruit, then I think casting just hit the jackpot. He has a girlfriend, so no showmances for him. But his charismatic personality should win over guys and girls. His bio suggests that he has done his homework and studied up on several episodes or seasons. If he can hide his athleticism long enough, he's got a real shot at this. 

Raul Manriquez
Twitter: @RaulBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 21
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Occupation: Fashion Stylist
Raul moved from Mexico with his family for a better life. He's a Mormon who is proud of his LGBT community and is convinced he can use his Latino charm to win Big Brother Canada.
Strategy: I do not [have a strategy]. I’m really bad at making strategies. I usually just go with the flow. If I had a strategy, I’d be changing it all the time. I prefer to just go with the flow of the river. All I know is that I do not want to fall in love because when I fall in love, I forget everything except for the guy I’m in love with. I just want to be with him and do whatever he wants and I lose myself. So, not a good idea for Big Brother Canada.
My First Impressions: No. This guy screams recruit. I hate recruits. Well let's just say they have to win me over. So, I will need to see him on the live feeds before I can really get a good opinion.
My Final Assessment: Except for the bit about being versatile, I just don't understand what this guy is about. He's all over the place in his bio and vid. It just makes me wonder if he's even seen the show. Unless there is data TPTB are holding back from us, I can't see him going far.

Cassandra Shahinfar
Twitter: @CassandraBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 22
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
Occupation: Social Media Specialist 
Cassandra is the centre of attention in her family and is set on finding a showmance in the Big Brother Canada house.
Strategy: Well Cassandra means seducer of all men so that can work for a strategy – making everyone fall in love with me! I can talk to any person at any age and get to know them. I plan to use my social skills in the house to get to know everyone, and make them feel I’m just there to have fun and be their friend, and not necessarily strategize or get into a clique. Even if someone who I’m not in an alliance with or who isn’t a key player seems to be down or having a hard day, if I see them down I will try and make them feel better. The fact that I’m helping them, they’ll remember that down the line, that I’m not just there for the game, I’m there for the people. When really, I’m just there for the game! I’m also planning to make a secret alliance with one male. Not necessarily a showmance but sort of like a Jon (BBCAN Season 2) and Neda (BBCAN Season 2) thing. I’d have him win the competitions that I can’t do myself, and I’d have him do my dirty work too. That would be ideal.
My First Impressions: One word....DIVA. Second word: Sabrina. I'll just let that sink in a bit. Cassandra better learn how to do dishes. Quick. Yah, this one spells trouble.
My Final Impressions: That kind of attitude is going to make HUGE enemies of the other girls real quick. Maybe even the guys. It's so transparent. On the other hand, she could get carried along like BB16's Victoria Rafaeli.

Christine Kelsey
Twitter: @ChristineBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 47
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Occupation: Housekeeper
Christina is a single mother who is ready to use her maternal vibe to trick the houseguests into trusting her.
Strategy: I mean it’s all about the dynamics once you get in there, but basically I want to lay low while the big strong players duke it out, and then I’ll kick into high gear later. I’ll keep it under the radar for a while. I can be pretty loud and social but I don’t want to show that right away. I hide that side of myself all the time – people can’t handle me – so it won’t be hard to do that in the house.
My First Impressions: NO. I'm not saying that a person of that age won't stand a chance with all the younger people, but she won't stand a chance with all those younger people. It can be done, it just takes a certain personality to do so. I'm not sure she has it. 
My Final Impressions: Christine has some very good friends who are claiming she CAN fit in. I hope so. But I also believe that despite her youthful thinking, she will need someone in the cast to counter-balance the young 20-somethings. What I don't like is the fact that there was no one else cast even close to her age. The next oldest person in the house is Joel at 33. Then again, she could pull a double-cross. While the single & ready to mingle types are, as Godfrey put it - in a Lover's Paradise, she could form a nice alliance with Joel, Mitchell and/or Ramsey. Yah, I can see that.

Dallas Cormier
Official Babble:
Twitter: @DallasBBCAN
Age: 24
Hometown: Saint John, NB 
Occupation: Welder
Dallas is a hard-working, blue-collar guy who has a great sense of humour, a beaming personality, and is set to become everyone's confidante in the Big Brother Canada house.
Strategy: My strategy is to go in there and try and win that first HOH. I want everyone coming to me and trying to be my friend. After that I want to form an alliance with a male and a female houseguest. Sometimes it comes down to a bit of a gender war in there so it would be good to be covered on both sides. 
My First Impressions: A curious blend of Kenny Brain and Spenser Clawson, except his strategy is sooo wrong. Why does he want that first HoH?????
My Final Impressions: This is my favourite kind of guy. Loud, bombastic, lovable. Don't let that profile pic fool you. He looks a LOT different in some other pictures I've seen. I think he'll go far in the game, but just how far I don't know. The only thing holding me back from committing 100% (or should I say, HUNDO) is his wanting that damn first HoH. Why, Dallas, why?

Kelsey Faith
Twitter: @KelseyBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 25
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Occupation: Flight Attendant 
Kelsey is a free-spirited, girl-next-door who is single and ready to mingle Big Brother Canada-style.
Strategy: My strategy going into the house is to sort of have no strategy. I just want to have fun with it and meet some really good people and be positive about the whole experience. I don’t want to overthink everything too much. I feel like that would just make me go crazy!
My First Impressions: Her video is just too calm, cool and collected. So I would like to see her start overthinking things and go crazy. 
My Final Impressions: I'm not picking up a lot from this one. Sweet, calm, and extremely attractive. Her bio screams she is not there "for all the right reasons", which tells me she could be another recruit. Let's face it, none of the guys are voting to get rid of her anytime soon. Nope. If she plays her cards right, maintains that aura of calmness and learns along the way, she may make jury.

Mitchell Moffit
Twitter: @MitchBBCAN4
Official Babble:
Age: 27
Hometown: Guelph, ON
Occupation: YouTuber
Mitchell is a very successful scientist who has nearly five million subscribers to his YouTube channel AsapSCIENCE which he runs with his life partner. He knows the game well and is ready to strategize behind the scenes to win it all.
Strategy: I think that on a broad scale, my strategy relates to what they say in evolution, which is that it’s not the strongest or the smartest, but it’s the species who are most able to adapt who survive. I think that applies pretty strongly to Big Brother Canada. You can’t know what types of people you’re going to encounter in the house, and what kinds of connections and bonds you’ll make, or what twists will come, but you can be on your toes and go with the flow.
My First Impressions: His Youtube channel is a big deal with close to 4 million subscribers. Bill Nye even appeared in one episode. This guy could make things happen IF he can keep the science stuff in check and doesn't come out with, "I'm a Social. Media. Mogul" (ugh) Yes, I'm just joking.
My Final Impressions: Mitchell is high on my list of pre-season favourites. Not only is he intelligent, but I think he knows how to use it. Those two traits don't always go together. As some people say, there's book smarts, then there's people smarts. And I can see him in an alliance with someone totally unexpected. Maybe Christine, Sharry or Philippe. Another plus for Mitchell is he's a fan.

Double Down
Philippe & Nicholas Paquette
Twitter: @PhilBBCAN
Official Babble:
Ages: 21 (Phil) and 20 (Nick)
Hometown: Ottawa, ON 
Occupation: Students
The outspoken brothers from Ottawa will play as one houseguest, and these charmers plan to do whatever it takes to win.
Phil's Strategy: I’m going to try and stay under the radar for the first little while, and make some relationships and throw every competition possible at the beginning. And then beyond that, it’s all about the social side. I could stab anyone in the back – I know people say that but in my case it’s true. They get emotional. I don’t. To win, you have to cut ties eventually. Around day 42 I’ll be ready for a showmance. I definitely don’t want one right away. Girls are trouble in my life! They can’t be controlled. I’ll wait till it’s a bit safer.
Nick's Strategy: I will be trying to pull favours around the house and if my brother comes through with a business deal, I will have already laid the groundwork.  
My First Impressions of Phil:  He could be this season's douche. His video carried on about how distracting women are and he just can't get in a showmance. Chances are, he will at least try for one in the first week. 
My Final Impressions of Phil: He may not be quite the douche the video makes him out to be. Check out:This article Thank you video editing for making EVERYONE jump to the wrong conclusions. So tricksy! Take that douchy-sounding bit about "girls are trouble" and flip it around as if a student with good grades is saying it. Anyway, I would put Philippe way up on my list, except there is a major hurdle for him. I don't want to put spoilers in this post, so I will try to put this as unspoilery as I possibly can. Philippe will go into the house with a huge "complication". I suspect production has an agenda here. They may be trying to take the heat off the 2 Wildcards coming in. Another motive is to break the curse of the first evictees - they've been females in all 3 previous seasons. Who knows, maybe Philippe and his complication will charm his way into a protective alliance.
My final Impressions of Nick and the Double Down: Nick seems to be a bit more likeable than his brother. When the Double Down was first introduced, speculation tended towards the brothers being a massive target. However, there are some advantages for the other HGs forming an alliance with them! But most important of all, if the twist has been named the "Double Down", then u can place your bets now that eventually (and if the brothers survive) there WILL be a "Split" to complete the Blackjack reference. 

Sharry Ash
Twitter: @SharryBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 29
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Occupation: Customer Service Supervisor
Sharry is an intelligent, gregarious bi-sexual woman who guarantees her fierceness will help her dominate the Big Brother Canada game.
Strategy: My strategy to win is to be myself, listen more than I speak and to remain agile. By agile I mean I will take each day at a time, stay flexible and bend and manipulate my strategy as things shift. I think going in with one plan isn’t effective because I don’t know what I’m up against.
My First Impressions: Not having an overall strategy can either mean she knows what she's talking about OR she's a total newbie. But her video tells me she's highly personable and could go far. 
My Final Impressions: Her bio doesn't say as much as her video. Sharry has the same demeanor as Neda and Sarah Hanlon. Maybe a bit like Sarah Miller. I think her strength will help her stay calm, cool and collected in the worst situation.

Nikki Grahame
Official Babble:
Age: 33
Hometown: London, UK

Occupation: TV Personality
Adventurous, brave, and loyal, Nikki doesn’t play Big Brother with any sort of strategy in mind, and just enjoys the experience and people while she’s in the house.
Strategy: I haven’t even considered winning Big Brother Canada. It’s enough of a shock to me that I’m in Canada. Even if I get into the house I would just be elated to get to live that experience of Big Brother. Ten years ago, I did it for the first time and it’s like I’m doing it for the first time all over again if I go in there. That would just be so exciting!
My Final Impressions: This is a whole new ball game for Nikki, and you can see that in her bio. I think she'll take her time getting a feel for the style of game before she starts on her campaign. Do I think she'll win? No. But she may be around until just before jury or may even be an early jury member. At the very least, she'll make the show very entertaining.

Tim Dormer
Official Babble:
Age: 31
Hometown: Bondi Beach, Australia

Occupation: TV & Radio Host and Social Media Influencer
Unique and energetic, Tim's greatest challenge will be keeping himself out of mischief and off the chopping block.
Strategy: Play nice. Which is hard because I usually play mean! In Australia, it’s different. It’s all viewer voted, so even if you’re mean but you’re entertaining, you stay in the house. Whereas, here if people hate me in the house, I’m out. I’ll have to hold my tongue. My goal is to think before I speak or act. It’s going to be a challenge.
My Final Impressions: I think Tim may have a little bit better understanding of the game than Nikki, so I expect him to go a bit further. If either of the two Wildcards have a chance of winning, Tim would be my choice.

Who is your pick to get to the end?
To see my Top 5 aka, my Five-Card Draw, CLICK HERE