We're watching Big Brother again

Sixteen Big brother hopefuls have entered what producers are calling the meanest house yet.

Presenter Davina McCall welcomed the new contestants who are set to spend the summer in the brightly coloured setting of the house with just crates for tables and chairs.

The 10th series of Big Brother kicked off on Channel 4 last night but none of the "housemates" who entered were aware they are not guaranteed to stay in the house – and face a series of challenges to win the right to stay.

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Housemates include student Rodrigo Lopes, 23, from Brazil, who said Britain was "turning him gay", and 22-year-old Charlie Drummond, a customer service advisor from Newcastle and former Mr Gay UK 2007.

Other housemates include Siavash Sabbaghpour, 23, an events organiser originally from Iran but now living in the UK who says he is a slave to fashion, 25-year-old Sree Dasari, a student union president from India who calls his parents "living Gods", student Cairon Austin-Hill, 18, from the USA, who wants to work in hip-hop, and 35-year-old window fitter Marcus Akin, from London, who thinks X-Men character Wolverine looks like him.

Among the female housemates are 20-year-old glamour model Sophie Reade, from Nantwich, Cheshire, who has posed nude for Playboy and Karly Ashworth, 21, from Fife, a part-time glamour model who dropped out of university after three weeks.

Also in the house are south Londoner Angel McKenzie, 35, a former rock star turned boxer, originally from Russia, 28-year-old Beinazir Lasharie, a study support assistant from Pakistan.

Unemployed Lisa Wallace, 41, from Birmingham, and 25-year-old retail manager Noirin Kelly, a former All-Ireland athletics champion from Dublin.

Other contestants include 26-year-old private banking assistant Sophie Brown, from London, and mother-of-two Saffia Corden, 27, a beauty consultant from Nottingham.

Davina handed over to Big Brother who told the hopefuls that through a series of tasks they would be given the chance to become proper housemates.

Rodrigo was called to the famous diary room, where Big Brother told him all contestants must earn the right to become housemates by completing a personal challenge.

On Sunday the public will vote for the housemates they want to say in.