How Big Brother’s ‘Charley’ Taught Us The Value Of Hate
How Big Brother's Charley Taught Us the Value of Hate
2007 was a long time ago. I would have been eleven. Honest to God, that calculation took me a while. Proper speaking aloud, trying to do 2024 minus 2007, then taking the answer off my age (28). I used to think I was good at maths, but I went down the English route at school. Evidently not.
Anyway, at age eleven, I was very into Big Brother. Not necessarily by choice—you kinda just watch whatever your parents are watching at that age. That being said, Big Brother was very popular. For anyone unfamiliar, it was a reality show where a bunch of random people lived in a house together while being filmed 24/7. The public voted to evict housemates, and the last person standing won prize money.
It’s funny to think this was all before social media took over. Back then, reality TV was about normal people—well, normal people willing to humiliate themselves for a shot at fifteen minutes of fame. And from what I remember, the idea of “playing the game” wasn’t really a thing yet. People weren’t going in with a strategy; they were just being themselves (for better or worse).
That changed with Charley Uchea.
The Birth of the Reality Villain
A bit about Charley, right—she was a total bitch. Or at least, that’s how she was framed. If I watched it back now, I’d probably see a lot of myself in her, but I won’t put myself through that torture. She was loud, defensive, and always ready to start an argument. More than willing to attack, but also quick to take offense. And everyone fucking hated her. She was up for eviction three times and survived, simply because she made for good television.
When someone got evicted from Big Brother, the presenter would speak to the housemates live via microphone. The presenter would be outside with a live audience, and when they read out the nominees’ names, the crowd would either cheer or boo, letting the contestants know exactly where they stood.
It was always funny when some old contestant—like the token granny—would be up for eviction, not get evicted, and still receive loud boos when their name was mentioned. Not because they’d done anything offensive, but purely because they were boring. And that’s what was so funny about it. Booing is usually reserved for people you despise, right? But here’s this old woman, guilty of nothing but dull chat, getting the full stadium treatment. Imagine if we treated boring co-workers the same way. Every time Brian from Accounting opened his mouth, a chorus of boos erupted.
Anyway, despite not being up for eviction that week, Charley still got her own special moment. As soon as the presenter began speaking, the crowd erupted: “Get Charley out!” It was a just so you know we fucking hate you, Charley moment.
And yet, when she was finally evicted, something unexpected happened. The show became boring. And the producers, recognising the goldmine they had, pulled a stunt.
The Fake Eviction—A Masterclass in Manipulating Hate
Instead of sending Charley home, they staged a fake eviction. She left the house, was interviewed as if she were gone for good, then got sent to a secret room where she could watch the other housemates reacting to her exit. She got to see them bitch about her, mock her, and celebrate. And then, the producers sent her back in.
It was pure villain origin story stuff. But more importantly, it was a test of a principle that now defines modern entertainment: hate sells.
Think about it. Charley had been up for eviction three times. The audience had the chance to get rid of her, but instead, they voted out nicer, plainer people. And when the fake eviction happened? The audience still paid real money to vote her out again. It was never about removing the people they disliked—it was about indulging the hate just enough to keep watching.
The producers realised something crucial: the audience thought they wanted Charley gone, but they actually wanted to keep hating her. And once they understood that, they made the decision for them. We know what’s best for you, they essentially said. What’s best is more hatred.
The Legacy of Hate-Watching
Now, Charley Uchea didn’t invent the financial rewards of being hated. If you’re not my age, not from the UK, you probably have no idea who she is. But to me, she represented a shift.
Today, the biggest names in entertainment aren’t famous for being talented or smart or even good people. They are famous because they make you watch them. Jake Paul. Logan Paul. Kim Kardashian. Every single influencer you will ever see. The ones who go viral, again and again, are often the ones people love to hate. And as long as you’re watching—whether in admiration or in rage—it does not matter.
Charley was an early case study in the economy of hate. And the lesson was clear: people might complain about someone’s success, but if they keep giving them attention, they keep them in business.
And as Limmy put it: They got a reaction oot ye, ye got to give them that