About The Circle
The Circle is the social media-themed reality gameshow where anyone can be anyone.
Often described as a cross between Big Brother and Catfish, The Circle holds a mirror up to social networking in the real world by demonstrating just how easy it can be to be duped by someone online.
But how exactly is the game played? Whether you’re new to the show or just want a refresher, we’ve got a full explanation right here…
The Players
The Circle begins with at least eight contestants, known as ‘players’. All players are strictly forbidden from meeting each other while they are actively participating in the game. Instead, they can only communicate with each other through their online Circle profiles. They are free to play the game as they see fit, and portray themselves however they wish.
Players can present their genuine personalities, or do so while changing certain details about themselves, e.g. knocking a few years off their age, or concealing their sexuality.
However, players can also be someone entirely different, going as far as to change their name and use photos of someone else as their profile picture. This can either be someone they know in real life, e.g. a friend or family member, or a fictional character they’ve developed from scratch. As in real life, players who present a completely false online profile are known as ‘catfishes’. Show producers obtain permission from any third parties whose likenesses and personalities are being used by catfishes.
For genuine players, the aim of the game is to identify and block any catfishes who are standing in their way of the £100,000 jackpot. For catfishes, the goal is to create the most popular member of The Circle, tricking the other players in to handing them the grand prize.
New players will continue to arrive throughout the series as older ones are eliminated.
The Apartments
Throughout the game, players are isolated in their own flats within The Circle’s apartment block in Salford, Greater Manchester. Each apartment is decorated in a unique style, and contains an open plan living space with a full kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. All areas contain a screen, so players can access The Circle wherever they are. Each apartment also features a balcony, although players are banned from using them.
For the duration of their stay, players have no direct contact with the outside world. They are filmed 24 hours a day and are strictly forbidden from leaving the building. However, there are five shared areas which they can leave their apartments to use; access is facilitated by the producers to ensure the players never meet.
There is a Gym and a Yoga Room, as well as a Roof Terrace, the only outdoor area, where players can go to catch a breath of fresh air and relax in a hot tub. All three areas have screens, so they can continue using The Circle.
There is also a Confessional, where players will go to share their thoughts and feelings about the game, similarly to Big Brother’s Diary Room. Only one person may use these areas at a time.
Every so often, producers will open The Hangout, where two players can go for an intimate, one-on-one conversation. This is a plush space separated by a wall, with back-to-back screens on either side. Visitors sit directly in front of the screens, meaning they are facing each other – but cannot see their companion due to the division. The Hangout may be used for a romantic date, a getting-to-know-you meeting, or when players discuss who to eliminate from the game.
Players are allowed to bring certain home comforts with them, and may even move in with their pets or young children, at the producers’ discretion. They are also allowed writing equipment, enabling them to make notes about the game, but electronic devices are not permitted. There are no shopping challenges; players are given a budget to spend on any food and supplies they want or need, although takeaways and treats may be offered as rewards from time to time.
The Circle
The only way players can communicate with each other is through The Circle, the show’s titular voice-activated social networking platform. To use it, they simply issue voice commands to any of the screens where they can access The Circle.
When entering The Circle for the first time, players must set up their profile by writing a bio and selecting a picture from their private gallery. They must choose their profile picture wisely, as they cannot update it at will.
Each day, players write a new status update. Other players can read these in their news feed, and respond by ‘liking’ their favourite updates.
Although players do not have direct access to the outside world, at certain times the news feed will be updated with real-life news stories, in order to create discussion topics for the players and help bring out their true personalities.
The news feed is also used to deliver important updates about the game, e.g. when someone voluntarily quits.
The Circle’s main feature is its chat function. Players can invite each other to participate in private chats whenever they wish; these can be one-on-one, or group chats involving multiple players.
There are three default chat groups: Circle Chat, where everyone can talk together; the Influencer chat, where players in power can discuss who to block; and the At Risk chat, where those who face being blocked can discuss the looming result.
Every so often, The Circle will run games, which players must participate in. These can range from harmless quizzes, to tasks that reveal players’ true thoughts about each other, e.g. painting how they envision someone else. Winners of the games will receive a reward, such as the opportunity to add one new picture to their profile.
A brand new feature for series two is the Circle Shop, where players can buy gifts for a recipient of their choice.
The Ratings
Players must do anything in their power to become the most popular member of The Circle, and they’ll find out how successful they’ve been during the Ratings.
Every so often, each player will be asked to rank the others in order of preference, with 1st place being their favourite. The combined results are revealed to the group, and the two or more players who rank highest become ‘Influencers’, receiving a blue verified tick on their profile.
Players may follow their personal feelings or opinions, or play strategically by giving higher rankings to allies who might save them should they become an Influencer.
Influencers have the power to decide who is blocked from The Circle. They must come to a unanimous agreement in the private Influencers chat, before announcing their decision to everyone else in Circle Chat.
The player they choose is immediately blocked from The Circle, and therefore eliminated from the show.
As with most reality shows, twists occur from time to time. For instance, the lowest-rating player may be immediately blocked, or the Influencers may choose two people to leave in a double blocking. Occasionally, the highest-rating player may become a ‘Super Influencer’, who can secretly block one person from The Circle without having to consult with anyone else – or reveal their status to the group.
The Meetings
Blocked players must immediately pack up and move out of their apartment. However, as they’re no longer in the game, they are no longer banned from meeting anyone else.
Therefore, before they leave for good, they can choose one other player to visit inside their apartment. They can finally meet someone they’ve formed a close friendship or romantic connection with, ask one of the Influencers face-to-face about why they blocked them, or find out the truth about someone who they suspect is a catfish.
The blocked player is permitted to offer game advice to the person they visit, sharing their theories and suspicions. It is up to the visited player to decide how much information about the meeting they want to share with the rest of the group.
Inevitably, certain blocked players will find out the person they visit isn’t who they said they were, creating some of the show’s most dramatic moments.
Shortly after players leave, someone new will arrive to replace them. As a rule of thumb, new players are exempt from the first blocking they are present for, although this is at the producers’ discretion.
Newbies continue to arrive throughout the series until the final stage, when players begin to pick each other off one by one.
Eventually, the top four will submit their final ratings for who they want to win. These will undoubtedly be the most strategic ratings of the series, as they do everything they can to try and take home the £100,000 prize themselves.
Once these ratings are submitted, the game is complete, and the four will meet each other face-to-face for a celebratory dinner. The winner will then be announced in the live grand finale, hosted by Emma Willis.