shape shifters
The Circle returns to Channel 4 TONIGHT at 10pm – here’s everything you need to know
THE Circle is hailed by some as a mixture Black Mirror, Catfish and Big Brother - and it's no secret that the Channel 4 show has become just as popular as Love Island.
Here's everything you need to know about the current series...
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When is The Circle on TV?
The second series has been airing on Channel 4 since September 24.
You can watch it every day except Saturday at 10pm.
It is likely to finish around October 15, 2019.
The show has a new host for 2019 - Emma Willis.
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What is The Circle about?
The show has been billed as a cross between Big Brother, Catfish and Black Mirror and is nothing like we’ve ever seen before.
Each contestant moves into a newly refurbished block of flats in London and is handed the keys to their own apartment.
None of the stars ever meet one another in person, until they are knocked out of the game.
Instead they communicate with one another by a specially designed social media app.
The platform is completely voice activated, meaning the contestants speak to one another through the app – rather than face-to-face.
The game means that any of the stars can pretend to be whatever, and whoever, they want to be.
At the end of the series, the most popular player – the person whoever gets the most likes – will be in with a chance to win the £100,000 prize pot.
Who is in the cast of The Circle season 2?
Richard - Blocked
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TV presenter Richard Madeley joined the cast as a player and if that's not exciting enough, he isn't even playing as himself.
Instead, it was up to the show's viewers to decide his profile by voting on The Circle app - and they opted for 27-year-old blonde bombshell Judy.
Talking about why he wanted to get involved with the series, the former This Morning presenter explained: "It's not your normal reality show. It's got quite a lot going for it intellectually as well as being a lot of fun."
He left the show after four days after his alter ego Judy was 'Blocked' and his game was over.
Brooke
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Brooke is a disclosure officer for the Home Office, who loves to travel the world for all its culture and she documents her holidays on her YouTube channel.
The 24-year-old is tired of men "inboxing" her and fears romance is dead for her generation.
Emelle - Blocked
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The 31-year-old is a model from Manchester, who is a single lesbian but in The Circle she will play a younger, straight girl.
Emelle has chosen to change her sexuality for the purpose of the game because she believes getting ahead will be easier as a young straight woman.
Unfortunately Emelle was 'Blocked' after the first day.
Georgina
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Georgina, 21, works in the tailoring industry and has decided to play the game as her authentic self.
On social media, she discusses living with Crohn's disease, a lifelong condition in which parts of the digestive system become inflamed.
James
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The Liverpudlian, who is a 26-year-old recruitment consultant, is adopting the persona of "Sammie", a single mother.
Despite going into the game catfishing, James believes he is doing it for the right reasons as he sees winning the competition as an opportunity to change his family's life for the better.
Katie
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Katie, 43, is a tanning salon owner from Hampshire, who is a married mother of four.
However, in The Circle she will be playing her 25-year-old son Jay in hopes of finding him a girlfriend and her future daughter-in-law.
Sy - Blocked
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The single fourth-generation farmer from Somerset loves the countryside and working in the field.
Sy, who hopes to settle down and have children, sees The Circle as the perfect way to adventure in the city and potentially find a farmer's wife.
Sy was the second player to be 'Blocked' in the competition.
Tim
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University academic and animator Tim is 58-years-old and from Rugby, who jokes that he is a cross between "Santa and Mrs Doubtfire".
Tim has had quite the life experience, he was a monk until being kicked out of the monastery when he was offered a place at Oxford University.
Woody
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Zoe Ball and Fat Boy Slim's 18-year-old son Woody has signed up to appear on the show but will not be revealing who his famous parents are.
He is currently in a relationship and works in a pub but is going into The Circle with the hopes of not being pre-judged for having celebrity parents.
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Who won The Circle in 2018?
Last year Alex was announced as the winner of The Circle and scooped £75,000.
Over the course of the show he'd been playing the game as a girl called Kate, using his girlfriend Millie's pictures.
In the final the remaining contestants met face to face and fellow contestant Dan - who Alex had been flirting with as Kate - was shocked to discover that Kate was really a man.
Alex is a YouTuber and has a wealth of knowledge of social media having worked as a content producer for UNILAD.
More on TV Explainers
What does the winner of The Circle get?
The 2018 winner Alex earned the cash prize of £50,000.
But he also emerged as the viewer's champion and was awarded with £25,000.
That took his total prize winnings to an incredible £75,000.
So if this year follows the same format then the winner can potentially win the same amount if they play their cards right.
The Circle contestants find out who's the most popular in first reveal
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