Big Brother UK: A Battle of Introverts Versus Extroverts?

Big Brother UK cooked up a storm when it premiered in the early Noughties. The latest season, airing on ITV2 and ITVX, began in early October this year and has seen four housemates evicted so far.

Interestingly, the four evictees all came across as fairly extroverted characters. Meanwhile, some quieter housemates have managed to coast along in the background.

Cliques have also formed, and various arguments have arisen about conflict styles and loudness. Is Big Brother UK a battle of introverts versus extroverts? Catch up here with this analysis of season 20 of Big Brother UK so far.

• The 6 Best Reality TV Shows to Stream in 2023
• Love Is Blind Season 5 Reunion: The 10 Most Surprising Revelations

The First Four Leavers Were All Fairly Extroverted

The first four housemates to leave Big Brother UK were Farida, Zak, Hallie, and Kerry:

1. Farida was a talkative social butterfly, but she rubbed many of the housemates up the wrong way with her strong opinions and probing questions.
2. Zak was also very sociable, but he got into trouble for being ‘a wind-up’ (in his own words) and being ‘fake’ to win friends and win the ‘game’ (in Hallie’s words).
3. Hallie, the third housemate to be evicted, was a very vocal character in the house who spoke her mind, even spoke to the CCTV(!), and didn’t shy away from defending herself.
4. Kerry, the latest evictee, stood out to viewers with her extravagant displays of emotion, and although most of the housemates warmed to her, many viewers sadly didn’t.

It could well be possible that the more extroverted nature of these four housemates made them more obvious targets for eviction among their peers and the public.

The Other Potential Evictees on Big Brother UK Also Weren’t Very Introverted So Far

Interestingly, there also didn’t seem to be any introverts among the opponents up for eviction so far. Farida’s eviction opponent was Kerry, very outspoken in the house, while Zak’s eviction opponent was Henry, who is often seen laughing loudly with friends.

Meanwhile, Hallie’s eviction opponents were Dylan and Trish, both of whom come across as extroverted and socially confident, never shying away from a debate (including with each other!).

And, most recently, Olivia was nominated (alongside Dylan) in the flash eviction with Kerry. Olivia is another extrovert and has divided the nation with her treatment of Yinrun and noisy night-time antics.

Are Quieter Housemates Getting a Free Pass to the Final?

Given the focus on extroverts so far, there has been a lot of talk on social media about quieter housemates having it too easy in the Big Brother house. Some viewers believe that the quieter ones don’t bring enough drama, while others allege that they do cause drama, but they’re just quieter about it and, rather unfairly, get away with it thanks to being quiet.

From what has been shown on the main show, the quieter personalities could include Jenkin, Chanelle, and Tom. They often hang around in the garden observing and reflecting, and sometimes they’ll be caught gossiping about other housemates. In a recent episode, Tom and Jenkin also appeared to gang up on Hallie and made her angry. Are the quieter personalities as innocent as they first seem?

Whether the other housemates will clock on to the antics of their more introverted counterparts remains to be seen. There have, however, been some initial signs of tension between the cliques already.

Contrasting Conflict Styles Are Causing Friction Between the Cliques

Among the more introvert-presenting housemates, Chanelle is arguably a leader. In a recent challenge, she was nominated to be one of two ‘ant queens’ alongside Noky. However, Chanelle admits that she is very conflict-avoidant, which recently led to a clash between her, Olivia, and Trish.

During the ant challenge, Olivia and Trish began shouting loudly that Chanelle was sexist for nominating only men for a physical challenge. The shouting was loud and incessant and, although a joke, seemingly touched a nerve with Chanelle. Upset, Chanelle later discussed her feelings with Dylan who then passed the news onto Trish.

We then saw Trish express her frustration that Chanelle hadn’t directly spoken to her about the issue. As a more extroverted person, Trish demonstrably plays a more active role when it comes to conflict and often speaks to her housemates head-on, as soon as a conflict arises. 

Which conflict style is better is up for debate—arguably a middle way is best—but it’s evident from the fight between Chanelle and Trish that introversion and extroversion can bring conflicts due to differing communication styles and demeanours.

In light of these personality clashes, it will be interesting to see how the infamous love triangle between three other housemates plays out over the coming weeks.

Could an Ambivert Steal the Show?

One of the favourite housemates among contestants and viewers is Yinrun. Yinrun is arguably an ambiverted character; she flits among social groups and enjoys having fun with others, but has also been seen lying face-down on her bed in that relatable ‘I’m done’ pose. She’s got the right amount of sociability to be well liked, but isn’t so vocal that she stresses out other people with her dramas. Could Yinrun be the one to win?

A dark horse in the competition is also, arguably, Henry. Pitted by some to leave early for his Conservative inclinations, he’s slowly won the hearts of many viewers through his friendship with Jordan, his infectious laughter, and his amiable personality. Henry hasn’t been involved in much drama and has handled the Jordan/Matty situation admirably. Interestingly, he is also very good friends with Yinrun and defended her recently against Olivia. Could Henry and Yinrun make it to the final?

…And that’s a wrap! You’ve now caught up with the main happenings on Big Brother UK as of early November, through a light-hearted lens of contrasting introversion with extroversion.

With more extroverted houesmates being evicted and more introverted personalities slowly getting into conflicts, could it be an ambivert who steals the show?

You can learn more about all of this year’s housemates here.