Big Brother 2 kicked off in 2001 to much public anticipation, the first series having been a huge success. The major new feature this year came in the form of a live (actually, there was a ten minute delay) Big Brother feed on the digital television channel, E4. Despite the initial perception that the series wasn't as good as the previous one, lacking the novelty factor, the contestants eventually became just as loved as the previous ones. The show gained just as high an audience as it had the previous year, killing off the competition from rival Reality TV show Survivor, imported from the USA, which reduced its coverage halfway through the show.

The Contestants

• Stuart - Stuart didn't live a very high-key life in the Big Brother house. The father-of-three was the second person to be evicted from the house, having being identified by the housemates and most of the public as generally annoying. He spent much time topless, trying to top up his tan, and proved himself to be a fitness fanatic. He was thought to be overly competitive and smug in his attitude to the other housemates, qualities which do not get you far in Big Brother.

• Paul - After a shaky start where Paul was initially disliked by the public, he came out of the house fourth and with public affection, mostly due to his romantic relationship with contestant Helen. Their relationship didn't really kick off until halfway into the programme, and didn't reach much of a conclusion in the house, mostly down to Paul's fears of repercussions from Helen's boyfriend. His love for Helen was revealed when he was there to meet her when she left the house, bearing gifts and a promise to take her on holiday.

• Narinder - The only Asian contestant in the house, Geordie Narinda was loud, boisterous and a lot of fun. Narinda pleased the public by having no problem with giving reasons for nominating the other housemates, regularly slagging them off in the diary room chair. 'I don't see what all the fuss is about, I could have nominated five people in there,' she said in her interview with Davina, presenter of the show. Other than Brian, with whom she formed an extravagant double act, she made few friends in the house.

• Bubble - A former cocaine-addict, Bubble received a lot of attention from the tabloid press, who tried to dish a lot of dirt about his previous life while he was in the house. Aged 25, he was one of the youngest of the contestants, and with his unassuming charm was looked on upon fondly by the other housemates. Despite his youth, he is father to a baby girl, of whom he often spoke. Fourth to be evicted from the house, Bubble was the joker among the housemates and provided much entertainment.

• Helen - Widely tipped to win the series, Welsh hairdresser Helen, from Swansea, was loved by the public who enjoyed her charming naivete and quirky mannerisms. She was famed for her relationship with Paul, with whom she dallied despite having entered the house in a relationship with scary boyfriend 'Big G', and also for the daft things she sometimes said. These 'Helenisms' included the quote that became a catchphrase, 'I like blinking I do', thinking that 'magic' was spelt with a 'j', and asking if there was chicken in chickpeas¹. The glitter-clad girl finished second in the series, and left the house to a huge welcome and massive fan base.

• Dean - Emerging third from the Big Brother house, Brummie Dean was widely thought, by the public and the Big Brother psychiatrists, to be the father figure of the house. He looked after the other members of the house, though he often sniggered at their childishness, and was good friends with Brian and Elizabeth. Though often criticised for being boring and moany, Dean had a few great moments, including the fabulous moment where he pretended to be a gorilla and chased Brian around the room, a clip which was repeated many times. He came out of the house into the emotional arms of his loving girlfriend Vanessa, whom he had set aside a daily time for thinking about during his stay in the house.

• Elizabeth - Website designer Elizabeth was liked by the other contestants, but disliked by the public, resulting in her staying for the full length of time in the house, but being evicted fourth with only a small percentage of the population voting for her. She was disliked for being 'posh' and had a tendency to be snobby, though she was appreciated more towards the end of the series. One of the older members of the house, 27-year-old Elizabeth became the 'mother' figure of the household, doing most of the cooking and cleaning, and giving emotional support to the younger contestants. After leaving the house she returned to living with her 53-year-old boyfriend, who controversially had sold naked pictures of her to the tabloid press while she was in the house.

• Brian - Lovably camp Brian was the eventual winner of Big Brother 2. Brian, from Ireland, entertained viewers with his great sense of humour and mischief. Brian's only hard time in the house came during the period when Josh, also gay, was in the house. The two didn't get along at all, their different personalities clashing. Despite being gay, or perhaps because of it, Brian had a huge schoolgirl following. With young girls being a demographic most likely to phone vote, it is little surprise Brian won despite Helen's equal popularity. Brian said he would take the prize money home to Ireland and throw huge parties.

• Amma - A former table dancer, Amma asserted herself strongly in the Big Brother house. Amma had an emotional time in the house, and revealed in interviews afterwards that she didn't think she behaved as herself, instead being overpowered by the stronger personalities of the other contestants. In her last moments before eviction she told the other housemates that 'they were all fantastic' and that she would miss them.

• Josh - Josh entered the house in a different way from the other contestants; he was voted in, and only joined the others after they had been in the house for a week already. This made him an outsider from the beginning, and his position was made worse by discontentment from Brian.

• Penny - A teacher from London, Penny was the first to be evicted. She was thought of as bossy from the moment she entered the house, and irritated most of the other contestants with her fussiness and barking orders. The most significant moment for her in the house was when her towel accidentally dropped from being wrapped around her body after leaving the shower, revealing her naked body to thousands of Internet fans. After this she was criticised by her school and the teachers union for entering the game show when she was a role model to young kids. She didn't return to her school after leaving the house, instead opting to embark upon a showbiz career. This Researcher's friend who was taught by her says she will be sorely missed.