Big Brother: Housemates to pick their man

The all-female Big Brother house will be given three men to choose from on Friday night.

The 11 women will get to eyeball the potential male housemates before making their choice.

Putting the decision to a vote could spark tension between the women, who include a former lapdancer, twins, and a member of the Women's Institute.

A C4 insider said: "The female housemates will have a difficult decision to make.

"They'll get to choose one man from a shortlist of three to move in with them into the Big Brother house."

The women could get to watch tapes of the three men on plasma screens before they decide who they want to join them.

The eighth series kicked-off last night with the usual bunch of oddball contestants.

While the crowd cheered for jobless political activist Carole Vincent, 53, and hippy raver Tracey Barnard, 36, twins Amanda and Sam Marchant, 18, and Charley Uchea, the 21-year-old cousin of Manchester United star Kieran Richardson, got booed.

The other housemates include a Victoria Beckham lookalike, a 19-year-old Tory voter, a wannabe actress, a 23-year-old nanny and an accounts executive.

Cracks in the group were already appearing on Wednesday night when the oldest contestant, Women's Institute member Lesley Brain, 60, immediately withdrew from the others.

After the Celebrity Big Brother race row, TV bosses have decided they want a lighter series this year.