It’s that time again.
The wait is finally over for anxious Big Brother Canada fans across the country as Canada’s most-watched reality series premieres tonight at 8 p.m. on Global.
While Neda Kalantar and Arlie Shaban set the standard for superfans in the Big Brother Canada house last season, this time around it seems like the entire house will be filled with fanatic Big Brother aficionados. It is for this reason and this reason alone that I expect Big Brother Canada‘s third season to be one of the most cutthroat seasons of all-time.
This season, it isn’t really a question of whether the new houseguests have seen the show before. The real question is if they can name every HOH competition in order (to use as a scale for their fandom). I believe that in terms of pure Big Brother knowledge, Jordan, Johnny, and Sarah stand at the top of the pack and, as a result, I see this trio making it quite far. In that same regard, I definitely believe that this season will see the ‘Misfits’ take on the ‘Bromance’ with the outsiders uniting to take out the popular table. I truly believe that Zach/Bobby/Graig will form a bloc and it will be interesting to see if anyone else joins them. Personally, I believe that the superfans will see right through this (only because an all-guy alliance has basically happened on EVERY Big Brother season so far) and will try to flush it out as quickly as possible.
In addition, I also believe that Godfrey has a certain star quality and magnetism about him that will make him the talk of the town. I believe that he will effectively fuse strategy with dastardly schemes (designed to steer everyone away from him). While he risks being discovered and ousted because of everything he wants to do (as he noted in his pre-show interview), I believe he is smart enough to know when to stop. I cannot wait to see him in action.
In any event, while I like him… Godfrey isn’t my pick to win.
Who do I think will be taking home the grand prize this season?
You’ll have to continue reading my breakdown to find out.
One quick caveat. Please note that my first impressions below are based solely on the cast biographies and introductory videos. I don’t know how the contestants will fare and many (if not all) will likely get much farther than I have predicted.
Bruno Ielo
Age: 31
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Occupation: Construction Worker
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Emmett Blois
We are starting off with one of the players that I find to be the hardest to read. While I liked Bruno’s introduction video, I am concerned about him being seen as a physical threat by the others in the house. That said, what makes Bruno so unpredictable is the fact that he is aware of how his athleticism will be perceived and says that he will only win the competitions that he has to. While I like his blue collar background, I think that he will have a tough time throwing competitions. His best move is to team up with one of the other three super strategists in the house (Johnny, Jordan, Kevin) but I think it is far more likely that he will bromance it up with Bobby, Zach and Graig. I have a feeling that the other players will see him as someone too strong to take to the end-game and will likely attempt to get rid of him early. The good thing is that I think he is smart enough to recognize this and will make sure that the other guys are seen as stronger threats than he is. So while I hope I am wrong, I think he will be early jury (only because of how many great things that he brings to the table). He seems very likeable and I am hoping he chooses to connect with Sarah and the misfits instead of the boys. Time will tell.
Pre-Show Prediction: Early Jury (although I am hoping he makes it to the end)
Brittnee Blair
Age: 25
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Occupation: Plus-Size Model
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Scott Bosse
Brittnee definitely seems like she will be a big personality this season. Describing herself as vivacious, I believe that the model will immediately bond with Johnny (in fact, this is one of the predictions that I feel the most strongly about) and that these two will attempt to control the votes early. That said, I just think that her personality will clash with some of the others and that she will be an early target. I believe that Brittnee’s best play is to stay under-the-radar since this season is already being called “The Superfan Showdown.” As a result, it is better for her own game to simply let the others take themselves out. After watching her pre-show interviews, however, I don’t believe she will be able to stay out of the politics and will find herself to be an early casualty.
Pre-Show Prediction: Pre-Jury
Bobby Hlad
Age: 27
Hometown: Oakville, ON
Occupation: Rock Climbing Instructor
Big Brother Canada Equivalents: Alec Beall / Jon Pardy
How Bobby will fare in the Big Brother house really depends on the strategy he chooses to employ. In his pre-show interview, he said that he enjoys doing yoga and I am hoping he uses this to bond with the female players in the house. I believe that working with the female players could result in Bobby making it to the end. Unfortunately, as a self-admitted adrenaline junkie and professing to have only started watching Big Brother during season 9 (which we all know was the worst season), I believe he will just attempt to win every competition. After he wins an early HOH, the rest will see why they have to bounce him. I also see him as being the most likely to form an all-guy alliance with Graig and Zach. If this is the case, then I suspect the others will get together to oust him. I believe that Bobby, Zach and Graig will align (potentially with Bruno) and I believe that their collective fates in the game will be intertwined. They will either all go early or all make it to the end.
Pre-Show Prediction: Pre-Jury
Sarah Hanlon
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Occupation: Hemployee At A Vapour Lounge
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Anick Gervais
On any other season of Big Brother, I would likely predict Sarah to be an early evictee, but I really like the strategy she is going in with. In her pre-show biography, Sarah said that her gameplan is to become the Queen of the Misfits. On a season where there are so many strong male athletes, I believe that this is a good plan. If Sarah is able to unite the outsiders, I believe she will target Graig, Bobby and Zach and put herself in a solid position to win. She believes that the biggest mistake players make is pre-judging people (ironic considering I am currently writing this pre-judging preview!) and I believe she is right. Sarah says that she is a super fan and I believe her. I think she is going to surprise people.
Pre-Show Prediction: Mid-Late Jury
Zach Oleynik
Age: 22
Hometown: Regina, SK
Occupation: University Student
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Tom Plant
Zach is a player who is definitely opinionated and I believe that this is going to get him in trouble in the early part of the game. While his gameplan is to hide his physical strength and the fact that he is a football player, I believe it will be impossible for the other players to ignore his physique (although last year’s winner managed to do this quite effectively). He also mentions potentially forming a bromance and since I believe this season will truly be a case of the misfits versus everyone else, a lot depends on which side gets the early numerical advantage.
Pre-Show Prediction: Pre-Jury
Willow Macdonald
Hometown: Lower Sackville, NS
Occupation: Sales & Marketing Rep
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Jillian MacLaughlin
Willow seems extremely likeable and is a fan of Jillian (who everyone knows I adore). I believe that with her likeable personality, Willow will be able to float under-the-radar. My hope is that she doesn’t get into a showmance and put an unnecessary target on herself, but I believe she will effectively be able to float between the Bromance and Misfit alliance and that this will result in her not being targeted until much later in the game. I actually think that she has a good shot and see her making it to mid-jury at the very least.
Pre-Show Prediction: Mid-Jury
Sindy Nguyen
Age: 25
Hometown: Huntsville, ON
Occupation: Assistant Cruise Director
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Is there one?
On a season of superfans, Sindy is toast. I think her best chance is to align with the other female players early. Whereas it is better to lay low for most players, I believe that Sindy will need early protection in the game. The problem is that I am not sure Sindy will be playing as hard as the others will be and as she is one of the players that is the least savvy about the game, I think that she will be an early target.
Pre-Show Prediction: Pre-Jury
Pilar Nemer
Age: 22
Hometown: Dartmouth, NS
Occupation: Student
Big Brother Canada Equivalents: Talla Rejaei / Heather Decksheimer / Anick Gervais
Pilar clearly likes burgundy and as a result, she immediately stood out to me (as I also have an affinity for the color). Sometimes you just get a feeling about houseguests, and Pilar is a contestant that I feel strongly about. Like Willow, I also believe that Pilar will fly under-the-radar and while she reminds me of Talla and Anick (both A-type personalities), I also see a lot of similarities between her and Heather from last season. Heather became much more competitive as the season went along and I believe that Pilar’s fate in the game will follow a similar path. If she can keep the zany elements of her personality under wraps for the first few evictions, I could actually see her coast to the end. I believe that as the other power players evict each other, Pilar won’t be seen as a threat and could end up sneaking her way into the end game. In addition, I think she will connect with Sarah and (as a result), be a prime candidate to join a potential Misfit alliance. This is one of my riskier prognostications but I think we will see Pilar for most of the season.
Pre-Show Prediction: Late Jury
Johnny Colatruglio
Age: 26
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
Occupation: IT Project Manager
Big Brother Canada 1 Equivalent: Gary Levy
I cannot wait to see Johnny play Big Brother. This superfan is one that will definitely be the story of the season and I believe his decisions will determine how the entire game goes. Will he try and spearhead a Misfit alliance? Will he be content in simply forming a strong F2 (with Britnee as I mentioned earlier) and then lying low? Will he decide to align with the other superfans like Jordan and Kevin or will he decide that the house is only big enough for one strategist? Johnny admitted that he can be emotional and I feel like this will likely be his Achilles heel. I do not think he will exhibit the same patience that Jordan does. That said, as he has clearly studied the show, he will definitely not overplay in the early part of the season. For that reason alone, I see him easily making it into the jury house.
Pre-Show Prediction: Mid-Jury
Kevin Martin
Age: 22
Hometown: Grand Prairie, AB
Occupation: Professional Poker Player
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Aneal Ramkisson/Arlie Shaban
I am a huge Kevin fan and he is definitely one of my pre-season picks to win. The guy is a professional poker player and obviously knows how to read other people. In addition, he describes himself as ‘level-headed’ and this is a trait that I feel is the most important in the Big Brother house. While his fellow houseguests showed a lot of their quirks in their introductory videos, Kevin seemed like a cold and calculated assassin. I believe that he will be able to convince everyone that he is on their side (just like Arlie Shaban was able to do last season), and then strike when he has to. While I believe that Arlie jumped from the First Five too quickly, I don’t think Kevin will make the same mistake. The key to Kevin’s game will rest on his interaction with Jordan. If the pair decide to form a Sheyld-like alliance, I believe that they will be unstoppable. My fear, however, is that they will likely target each other and that could have devastating results for both. That said, I still like Kevin’s chances this season.
Pre-Show Prediction: Runner-Up
Naeha Sareen
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Occupation: Chiropractor/Entrepreneur
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Sabrina Abbate
This one hurts as me as I would love to see Naeha go far in the competition, but with her admission that she has a hard time biting her tongue and her strategy being to align with a ‘strong’ player, I believe she is going to be in trouble. While the chiropractor admitted that she knows she has to keep a low-profile, I just don’t think she will be able to and that this will likely get her into some early trouble. That said, there are things about her that I really like. As a chiropractor, I am sure she is great at massages and this could give her a great chance to bond with the other contestants. It’s similar to what Sabrina managed to do last year with the haircuts and makeovers. I believe that Naeha will likely side with the guy alliance and she could be the extra number that gives them control. I am hoping that this isn’t the case but it is just a gut feeling.
Pre-Show Prediction: Pre-Jury
Graig Merritt
Hometown: Pitt Meadows, B.C.
Occupation: Pro Baseball Scout/Coach
Big Brother Canada 1 Equivalent: Adel Elseri
Graig seems like a super nice guy and is a player after my own heart as he also believes in Big Brother percentages and statistics. While I know many doubt the idea that the show is a game of numbers, I genuinely believe that it is. It obviously begins and ends with making sure you are always voting within the majority of the numbers inside the house, but I also love the fact that Graig knew that 12/16 Big Brother winners were in a showmance of some sort during their respective seasons. The fact that he only recently started watching the show and was still able to pick up on that showmance equation is quite interesting to me. I also believe that he will be quite good at the competitions. In fact, my only issue with him making it far into the game is that I feel that the athletic guys will be targeted this season. If Graig does the expected and aligns with Bobby and Zach, I think he could be in some early trouble. It would be a situation similar to the one we saw in Big Brother 8 where Mike Dutz was evicted much earlier than expected (primarily because of who he was aligned with). That said, if the guys go on a winning streak to start the game, Graig could be sitting in a good position. He would have the guys that he will likely align with on one side and a potential showmance side alliance (as he has already admitted that a showmance is something he is interested in pursuing) on the other.
Pre-Show Prediction: Early Jury
Ashleigh Wood
Age: 21
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Occupation: Unemployed
Big Brother Canada 1 Equivalent: Allison White
I adore Ashleigh Wood. I believe that she is a knockout, a strategist and a player that has many options in the game (which is always a good thing). Right off the bat and in her introductory videos, Ashleigh admits that she is open to the idea of a showmance and that she isn’t into people who are full of themselves. As a result, I think it is quite likely that she will bond with both Graig and Kevin (further separating the two). Despite Ashleigh saying that she tends to gravitate toward guys rather than girly-girls, she came off as quite rational in her interview and I believe that like Johnny, she will have the choice of which side to choose when the house inevitably divides. I am hoping that she becomes friends with Willow and that the pair finally give us the strong female alliance that we have been waiting for. In any event, regardless of whether she chooses to go with Bobby/Zach/Graig or Sarah and company, I believe Ashleigh is in it for the long haul.
Pre-Show Prediction: Late Jury
Godfrey Mangwiza
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Occupation: Psychology Student
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: AJ Burman / Arlie Shaban
I absolutely LOVE Godfrey’s pre-game interview. There is just so much to absorb! So let me get this straight. He is a psychology student who plans on telling the houseguests he is a stripper so that he doesn’t appear threatening. He hates gossip, but plans on gossiping about the others to ensure the target stays off his back. He doesn’t mind cuddling with girls or guys as long as it means he gets to stay. I am still laughing! There is no doubt in my mind that Godfrey will be this season’s most popular contestant and that he will keep everyone at home laughing. Can you imagine a segment with him and Marsha?! I haven’t even talked about his plan to bring a gold ring in the house and plant it on one of the guys who gets into a showmance to out his victim as a cheater! I wish you could see me laughing as I type this. I love Godfrey and while many think that his lies will get him into trouble early in the game, I simply have to put him in the jury. If he is even half as funny in the Big Brother house as he is in his pre-show videos, he will likely win any Canada’s Choice votes to save himself.
Pre-Show Prediction: Mid-Jury
Jordan Parhar
Hometown: Cloverdale, B.C.
Occupation: Student
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Peter Brown
Jordan Parhar will win Big Brother Canada 3. Why? Because it might as well say ‘student… of the game’ next to his occupation (instead of just ‘student’) as he clearly indicates that he has spent his life preparing for this opportunity. I like Jordan for a multitude of reasons, and it starts with his take on last season. Parhar immediately recognized the beauty of Neda’s game and I believe that he will try to emulate some of the successful tactics she employed. I believe that he will form a quiet Sheyld-like Final 2 with someone and that this power duo will basically be able to run both sides of the house. While there are many superfans this season, I believe that Jordan stands above the rest based on who he follows and listens to on social media. This can be translated to mean that Parhar not only knows Big Brother, but that he is also familiar with analysis and the mistakes that his predecessors have made. As a result, he is unlikely to repeat them. Jordan is smart, cunning, likes Frank Underwood, and wants to get into a showmance. This guy has all of his Big Brother ducks in a row. In a house of standouts, Parhar stands above the rest.
Pre-Show Prediction: Winner
Risha Denner
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Occupation: Waitress
Big Brother Canada Equivalent: Sarah Miller
Another very tough one to predict. While popular thinking seems to think that Risha will almost certainly be evicted sooner rather than later, I am not so sure. Risha seems perceptive to me and life experience is perhaps the best trait to have in the house. Older players traditionally haven’t done well on Big Brother Canada, but I definitely think Risha has the ability to surprise people. If she can avoid being an early target and latch onto a strong alliance early, I believe she will be able to successfully float her way to the end. While most players are advised to not overplay, I actually think that Risha should play as hard as she can in the first three weeks. I feel this way because she will have to play a different type of game than everyone else. In the first few weeks, it’s hard to nominate anyone and because of the age difference, the others might choose to simply nominate Risha based on her age alone (as unfair as it is). This is why she should try and pull an alliance together quickly. I feel that if she makes the jury, she could actually get to the end.
Pre-Show Prediction: Jury (just to be safe)
Big Brother Canada 3 debuts tonight at 8 p.m. on Global
