Big Brother’s Trish and Noky scenes are a painful missed opportunity

It’s laughable to think that Big Brother ever thought of itself as simply a social experiment. Straightforward 24-hour people-watching, with added analysis, would be peak boredom for many. So they did what any self-respecting TV-maker would do, adding a houseful of clashing personalities and a shedload of explosive tasks, just to shake things up a little bit.

While this formula has provided some great, must-watch TV moments, it’s also made for some seriously uncomfortable viewing, sometimes hitting a little too close to home.

Take last night’s episode of Big Brother (November 8). For weeks now, Trish and Noky have been in the metaphorical doghouse, one created by their fellow disgruntled housemates.

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But faced with nominations for eviction yet again, Trish crumbled. Acknowledging that she had more haters in the house than outside, she headed to the toilet to slow breath and talk herself down. And when she embraced Noky, the only thing she wanted to know was why neither of them were ever afforded the same grace (presumably to speak and be themselves) as everyone else. It was the kind of heartfelt interaction that reached beyond the screen, taking it outside of the confines of a gameshow.

Some might call it “weird” that Trish, arguably one of reality TV’s most emotionally intelligent and eloquent contestants, has been stuck with labels such as ‘aggressive’, ‘hard to read’ and ‘strong’ – all attached to her by fellow housemates.

She is passionate about things for sure, and has no problem illustrating her points. But when you think about the fact that every Black woman on reality TV has worn the same or similar labels, you understand that “weird” isn’t the word you’re actually looking for.

Big Brother original Makosi, former X Factor star and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Alexandra Burke and Love Island’s Whitney Adebayo were all seen as either aggressive, strong or diva-ish at some point.

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Given the fact that these are often society’s labels for Black women, it’s not “weird” that Trish and Noky have suffered the same fate: it’s predictable. Black female viewers know it, Trish knows it, and sadly we also know that there’s not much to be done about it.

When housemates were given the task of choosing who could and couldn’t see friends and family, it was all to play for. But what hurt Trish and Noky most was the rationale behind why they were overlooked.

Despite all the events of the previous week, having faced eviction and then baring the brunt of the housemates’ disappointment in Paul’s departure, both were still deemed strong enough to do without a visit from their loved ones.

To make matters worse for both Trish and Noky, it seemed as though there was no appropriate way for them to respond either. Trish’s ability to take it on the chin simply backed the housemate’s vision of Trish as some kind of warrior queen. See, Trish really is a tough nut who wasn’t arsed about seeing family.

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But time and again, Trish has been at pains to point out that she’s no stronger than anyone else. Trouble is, they don’t seem to be listening.

Given Big Brother’s so-called commitment to the mental wellbeing of its contestants, it doesn’t seem to be doing as much as it could. A friend of Trish has spoken to the producers about her treatment in the house and even new BB host AJ has criticised the housemates’ behaviour towards Trish.

Yes, the show is traditionally hands-off in its approach (although we’d argue that there’s been some meddling in other areas so far this series). But Big Brother has a unique way of interacting with its contestants on-camera, as part of its format, via the Diary Room. In this way, the show is really missing an opportunity.

By being clever in the way BB presents questions to the housemates, both the cast and the viewers alike might be invited to consider a different perspective.

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We’d love to hear Big Brother asking Chanelle what she feels Trish needs to be forgiven for. Or perhaps they could have quizzed Paul about what his definition of the word “aggressive” is? Perhaps it would have been insightful to ask the housemates why Trish and Noky are still considered ‘too strong’ to want to see family, despite their visible hurt and tears?

There seems to be an appetite for this accountability among the viewing public. It’s been reported that, within the space of a few days and various dramas within the house, more than 1,000 complaints have been made to Ofcom with regards to the treatment of Trish and Noky (via Metro). Viewers have also been calling out ‘microaggressions’ they’ve seen on the show.

With both Trish and Noky up for eviction again this week, we can only hope for some further vindication for them in the voting results.

Big Brother airs Sundays to Fridays at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX. Each episode is followed by Big Brother Late & Live at 10pm on ITV2 and ITVX.