So, here we go again. It's amazing to think that it has been a whole year since my knees turned to jelly as those big sliding doors opened. Actually, it's been a little over a year now. There was a blizzard of calls and text messages between the BB4 Housemates on 23rd May!

What can we expect this time around? Clearly, it's going to be very different from last year. My Housemates and I were accused of being boring. Perhaps we were, but people tend to forget that we were not given instructions to entertain the public: we were asked to live in a house with 11 strangers. For the most part we behaved in a civilised manner - and for this at least I will suffer no rebuke - and if there was nothing to do, we did nothing. We decided as a group during the first week that we were going to try and get on with each other and as a result, make our time as enjoyable as possible: whether it was enjoyable for anyone else was none of our concern.

This year it's going to be different. Any new Housemate worth their salt will have watched last year's (and previous year's) shows and will understand what is expected of them. It can be summed up in a couple of words: 'conflict' and 'sex'. I shudder to think about the kind of contestants who will have made it through the open auditions. We had intensive interviews with producers and psychiatrists. However, if you have Pop Idol style auditions, you must expect Pop Idol style contestants. I'm expecting lots of playing to the cameras - US BB style - and as the weeks go on I'll be pointing out the less obvious examples of how contestants try to manipulate the public's and their fellow Housemates' perceptions of each other. It should be interesting stuff.

Like everyone else, I've seen the pictures of the new House. It's going to be hard on the Housemates. I don't know how they are going to deal with the uncomfortable sofas (one of the saving graces of our House) and those sloping mirrors look intrusive and will heighten the sense of claustrophobia. I pity the girls most of all though. No doubt Big Brother will play his oh-so-obvious trick of pretending that the air conditioning is broken in the bedroom. Boys smell at night - it's just one of those things but it will be one of the first issues to cause tension and then arguments.

It's now 3pm on Friday and I have to run off to a wedding. Unfortunately I haven't received the biographies of the incoming Housemates yet (I have my sources you know!) so I can't give you the inside track on the (un)fortunate dozen. However, I will be setting my video for tonight's show - whatever happens it will be good. I'll leave you with a thought from the incomparable Mr. Chris Moyles: if you don't vote, you can't complain about who stays and goes. See you on the forums!

JT