Big Brother UK season 22's Emily Hewertson discusses fear of cancellation and brand backlash among reality TV stars
Emily’s early eviction from Big Brother UK season 22
Big Brother UK returned on ITV2 with a format that introduced a surprise eviction during the launch night.
Twelve contestants entered the house, each assigned a symbolic eye that shaped the dynamics of the show.
When voting concluded, Emily, Sam, and Caroline were identified as the housemates at risk of eviction after receiving the "evil eye." They were sent to the Exit Room, where they had to decide amongst themselves who would leave.
Emily explained that she wanted to remain in the house because it was, in her words, a "once in a lifetime opportunity."
She added that being young made the experience even more meaningful and that she loved Big Brother.
Caroline, meanwhile, said she would also love to stay but pointed out her reason was tied to the preparation she had made.
She mentioned bringing clothes, jewellery, and cowboy hats, saying the show was her chance to find out what she was really like.
The group voted, and Emily became the first housemate evicted from the season after receiving two votes from Caroline and Sam.
Emily on why reality stars hold back political views
After leaving the house, Emily discussed her perspective on political expression in reality television.
Speaking to GB News, she noted that contestants often refrain from sharing non-left views due to professional consequences.
Emily explained that many are "scared", a point she agreed on with the interviewer. She elaborated,
“They’re living in fear that they might be canceled by these brands and not being able to work with them anymore. And that’s just crazy because we’re not talking about any extreme views. We’re talking about the mainstream view.”
She added that there is little visibility of such perspectives on screen.
Emily commented that there are not "any voices" on reality TV sharing those mainstream views, pointing out that contestants worry about potential trolling or negative portrayal.
The impact of branding and casting concerns
Emily additionally described the impact of casting decisions and branding in crafting a story on a reality television series.
She shared that she saw an opportunity when she received the email; the first thing she thought of was how she might win handbags if she made it through the show and became a reality television star.
Nonetheless, she felt some anxiety about being represented as a character based on their political identity.
Specifically, Emily described understanding that she would be introduced as “the token Tory,” feeling that she might be considered the “sore thumb” of the house.
As she reflected on her experience, for Emily, it was all about diversifying representation.
More reality TV stars should speak candidly about their opinions, she argued, like the left-minded contestants do, and wondered why people won’t articulate commonplace right-wing perspectives.
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