Chained

Reputed to be a kind of "Blind Date" but in bondage, Chained is the new style game show brought to us by E4.

Broadcast every Monday - Sunday. The show takes six contestants and manacles them together all day and all night. The contestants consist of one of one gender and five of the other.

Cameras will record their every move as they socialise, eat and sleep (in their specially made bed). The contestants get the chance to say what they think about their fellow chainees when the others don soundproof headphones.

Each day the picker decides which of his/her companions they want to unchain so that, by the end of the week, only their final 'ideal' date remains. To liven things up even more, as well as having a straight guy choosing from five girls and a straight girl choosing from five guys, a mixed bisexual group get to play too.

There are bound to be tears before bedtime but, as flirty Mel Hill will surely remind the contestants, "It's only a Game Show, It's only a Game Show!"

From the makers of Big Brother comes the most extreme dating show ever - six people are chained together 24 hours a day. One contestant makes a daily choice of who to bin until the chain has only two members. Big Brother's Melanie Hill presents the action. Exclusively on E4.

One moment she's got the eyes of the nation watching her every move, and the next it's all just a memory. Mel talks in a very matter of fact way about the transition back into normal life. "After Big Brother had finished I just went straight back to work again, selling software to banks." Mel "can't wait" to see the new series of Big Brother, but is happy to be a viewer rather than a participant this time round "My life changed immeasurably after Big Brother but it was really hard, a tough, tough challenge."

Post Big Brother life has brought with it a mixture of little irritations and opportunity: "Being recognised in the street is a bit of a pain, the kids in particular are really great, they get so excited when they see someone who has been on television, but it can get a bit tiresome." However that's not to say that there haven't been any benefits, she's absolutely thrilled to be presenting Chained and beyond that "I hope to do more presenting in the future, there's a few projects in the pipeline, and I'm also the travel writer for Marie Claire. I've had the chance to travel to California and Rome and I'm off to Morocco next."

Mel explains how Chained differs from Big Brother: "In Big Brother there was this awful feeling of paranoia. The whole thing was designed to breed conflict, whereas Chained is far more to do with teamwork and having fun. The contestants get to have a really good time. Over the five days they get the chance to spend loads of money. Some choose to spend it on limos, clubbing, lavish meals and one group even hire some clowns and entertainers to perform for them."

Mel says that she would not have been tempted to enter Chained as a contestant. "No way, it's different from Big Brother in that you are in such close proximity to the other contestants and you are so physically restricted." But if she did take part, who be in her ideal chain? "Robbie Williams, Anna from Big Brother, my best mate Ruth, Angelina Jolie - she'd be really good fun and who else is really good looking, I know, Jude Law." And who would she definitely not like to be chained to?: "Anyone else from Big Brother" she laughs.

Having been through the Big Brother experience Mel is particularly well equipped to present the show. "I have an insight into how the contestants might be feeling. I can empathise with what they're going through, the vulnerability and the rejection." Mel can see the attraction of this type of extreme television, as it "taps into the voyeuristic nature of people. There's something quite naughty and yet there is definitely something pleasurable in it."

Although Mel remains tight lipped about specific highlights in the new series she promises that there will be "lots of love and lust" and that it will be a "uniquely addictive viewing experience."