Reality TV show "Celebrity Big Brother" is set to return to the small screens with a surprising twist. For the first time, the show will feature an all-female lineup.
The Channel 5 show aims to conduct an experiment in gender stereotypes. This is also "a salute to a centenary of women's suffrage" when women over 30 years old were given the freedom to vote. The network said that females, which include politicians, performing artists, and more, will enter the house first. However, males will gradually join the show.
As the series goes on, the housemates will take part in different entertaining tasks and hidden experiments. This will challenge gender stereotypes and reveal some truths about what it is to be a man and a woman in the 21st century.
The series also released a new design for its "eye," which reflects the all-female house. The eye features slick black eyeliner and a lot of mascara. The pupil looks like a globe with multiple colors in it.
However, not everyone is impressed with the idea. Descendant of suffragettes Emmeline and Sylvia Pankhurst find it funny. Dr. Helen Pankhurst, the equality campaigner of Sylvia's granddaughter and Emmeline's great-granddaughter, said that they agree that the program will raise awareness. But she also said that people should realize that there are bigger problems in the entertainment industry.
"Anything that draws attention the centenary and allows a discussion and gets that message through to different audiences is a great thing," Pankhurst told BBC News."I'll be really interested to hear what the audience have to say about it all and to hear the whole discussion it will promote."
Emma Willis is still the show's presenter, while Rylan Clark-Neal will return as host. In 2006, Chantelle Houghton was the first woman to win the show, while this summer's edition named Sarah Harding of "Girls Aloud" as the winner.
"Celebrity Big Brother" returns on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, on Channel 5.
