Nigerian Housemates Karen & Vina with Ugandan Sharon O definitely in the Big Brother Amplified Finale – Seven Other Housemates are up for Eviction!

Bernadina, Mumba and Karen

The trio of Bernadina, Zeus and Mumba were evicted from M-Net’s Big Brother Amplified on Sunday night (17 July 2011) – meaning that just ten Housemates are in the hunt for the two USD200 00 prizes in two Sundays’ time!www.mannastores.com

IK started off this week’s show by showing the love that Big Brother Amplified is getting from across the continent – but got down to business pretty smartly by asking Head of House Vimbai to reveal her ‘save & replace’ decision early on. Resplendent in nothing but two towels, the Zimbabwean stood to tell her Housemates how she had used her power to influence the nominations. “I’ve always said from day 1 that I’m here for a cause and purpose that’s bigger than myself. I’m here to promote my country and the unity of my country, so obviously I had to save my fellow countryman,” she said, as Wendall thanked her. “The person I had to swap in had nothing to do with personality, nothing to do with character, it was not an emotional decision because I wasn’t in the space to make any decision along those lines, so I had to make the most practical decision. I feel bad because this is a very God-fearing person, a very decent person, a principled person and I hope Africa does what they do best – I had to choose a person who’d been up for elimination the least number of times and that’s Mumba, I’m sorry,” was her well thought-out speech.

After rising South African Hip-Hop star L-Tido got the crowd jumping with We Rolling, it was time to evict the first Housemate of the evening.

“I’ve got the news, let’s get to the business of the day. You know the drill, when you hear your name, please stand up,” IK told the Housemates. “Bernadina, please stand up. Vina, please stand up… Bernadina leave the House now,” he said.

Bernadina, Zeus and Mumba

Once the Amplified crew had performed and the Namibian had emerged onto the stage, IK confirmed that she had been evicted from the Big Brother House. “What are you going to miss most about the House?” he asked her. “I think I’m gonna miss the Housemates – we’ve had 11 weeks, 11 weeks is a long time to get to know each other, so I’m going to miss the Housemates -and not the messiness,” she told him. When he asked her who she thought had nominated her, she could only name Vimbai. Once she’d seen the nominations, where only Luclay and Hanni chose her, she said she was surprised to see that Luclay had nominated her, jokingly calling him “a traitor”. IK then gave her the chance to Blow a Fuse: “All Housemates will receive a message from home, except for one Housemate. That Housemate is…” he read out. “I’m sorry Luclay!” said Bernadina as the South African sat stony-faced on the couch. “Now you had an amazing time in the House, who do you think you’re going to miss least?” IK asked her. “Probably Vimbai because we weren’t that close, Nibbles as well, and most of the Housemates that I wasn’t that close to,” she told him. “What’s next for you, Bernadina, where are we going to see you next?” asked IK. “Watch TV!” was her typically bubbly response, before departing the stage.

Then it was time to go back into the House.

“Zeus, please stand up,” said IK. “Zeus please leave the House,” he said, almost immediately. “I’m going home, baby!” said Zeus as he hugged his Housemates goodbye. After L-Tido and Nigerian star Banky Whad rocked the stage with It Ain’t My Fault, Zeus took his place alongside IK. “You had some pretty close friends in the House, you were close to everyone, who do you think nominated you?” asked IK. “It’s so hard to tell, I have a reason to think Vina might be one of them, maybe Sharon, she gave me a cold stare one time? Those two are the easiest”, the Motswana told IK. After watching the nominations, Zeus was clearly stunned to see that Wendall had helped send him home. “I’m definitely surprised by Wendall and Zeus – I thought they were my boys, I feel betrayed,” he told IK. “Don’t feel betrayed, be in the mood, feel vengeful, it’s time to Blow a Fuse!” IK told him. “One Housemate must wear a floral swimming cap all week. This fuse will last until this time next week. That Housemate has to be…” IK left the question hanging. “Wendall – you know why!” said Zeus. “What’s this going to do for your career?” asked IK. “Definitely more exposure, I hope more people get a chance to hear my music, let’s work! Thank you to Africa, it’s been amazing,” Zeus said, before departing the stage.

Big Brother wasn’t done yet, though, and IK took viewers into the House once more. “Mumba, please stand. Lomwe, please stand… Mumba, you have been evicted from the House, Lomwe you are safe,” read IK. Once a stunned Mumba emerged on stage, IK confirmed that she was to be the last Housemate evicted from the House on the night. Not wasting any time, he gave her the opportunity to Blow a Fuse right away. “One Housemate must only walk backwards until this time next week,” he read. After listening to the studio audience, the Zambian chose Luclay – “I’ve got two!” said the disbelieving South African, before dissolving into a fit of giggles at his misfortune. “What are you gonna be up to next?” IK asked Mumba. “I’m gonna take a chill pill and get back to work!” she told him, before bidding the crowd farewell.

Earlier in the show, viewers had gotten a chance to see what two of last week’s evictees had been getting up to. Miss P described the Big Brother Amplified experience as “amazing” and said that the experience had been totally different from what she had expected. “I don’t only see myself as a Motswana, but as African as a whole and I’ve learned we have so many similarities. It was loads of fun, a lot of emotions involved, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” she said of her experience.

Alex said that the best part of his experience had been the opportunity to meet people from diverse cultures –“even though we’re all one, we’re all African and our culture mix is so eclectic,” he said. “I came in with the strategy of being personable and comfy with everyone, however, it seemed as though the girls seemed to be drawn more, which resulted in a lot of drama and my nomination, but I don’t think I would have played it any other way,” he said.

IK had another message for viewers – “this Tuesday, we want viewers to send shout outs to the Housemates on Twitter. They will read out the best tweets live on air on Wednesday and if your tweet gets read out, then you stand the chance to be put in a random draw to win an awesome prize,” he said. Best you get going – send your best tweet @bigbroafrica and you could pick up some amazing Samsung gear. Some viewers who did win some fantastic prizes for voting and interacting with Big Brother this week wereLaraba Dadieng (Nigeria), who won a Samsung Laptop, Agnes Ause (Namibia) who won a Samsung Galaxy S and John Akoluo (South Africa) who won a Samsung Camcorder.

Nominations
The nominations are in and Africa must choose – Hanni, Kim, Lomwe, Luclay, Millicent, Vimbai andWendall are all in the firing line after the Housemates had their say on Monday (18 July 2011) on M-Net’s Big Brother Amplified.

On the other hand, Karen, Sharon O and Vina are assured of a shot at the two USD200 000 prizes on 31 July after dodging nominations. Karen fortuitously finds herself in with a chance of taking home one of the two major prizes after Vina crucially saved her and put Lomwe up for eviction in her place – with Karen only up for eviction after she had once again refused to nominate anyone in the first place! Big Brother cut short an uncertain Vina’s ramblings in the Chat Room and asked that she deliver her ‘save & replace’ decision – and she chose fellow Nigerian, giving her an automatic spot in the final next week.

· Earlier in the day, Hanni, Luclay and Karen had bizarrely refused to participate in the nomination sessions. Hanni told Big Brother that she didn’t have the right to make a decision about who should stay or go, Luclay wouldn’t really give a reason for his refusal to nominate any Housemates, while Karen simply told Big Brother to put her up for eviction.

· Wendall and Vimbai both nominated Kim and Millicent, with the former claiming that Kim’s personality had changed since she stopped drinking, while he felt that Millicent was being horrible to some of the other Housemates.

· Vina also nominated Kim, saying that she was a strong competitor – and then nominated Wendall because he is too competitive.

· Millicent also chose Wendall, because she felt he hadn’t opened up to her. Her second nomination went to Karen, since “Nigeria still has two representatives in the House”.

· Sharon O shared Millicent’s sentiments on Karen, while she nominated Vimbai because she wouldn’t like to go up against her in the final week.

· Lomwe nominated Hanni because she is the Housemate he has bonded with the least and Luclay as part of a strategy to remove all the other men in the House and help get him closer to the prize.

· Kim nominated ‘strong contender’ Vimbai and Vina, to see if Africa would save her.

The winner of Big Brother Amplified, headline sponsored by Coca-Cola, will be named on 31 July – and the power to award USD200 000 each to TWO winners, rests in the hands of the viewers.