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A shot girl, a fashion student and a ‘fake’ old man: Meet The Circle contestants

This show is bizarre but I love it

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Imagine a huge house filled with a shot girl, a boy pretending to be his girlfriend, someone pretending they're not gay, a fashion student, an estate agent and a pretend cancer doctor. They can't see each other, or physically talk to one another but they have to communicate and rate one another as they all bid to become the most "liked" and win £50k. Sounds odd, right? Well that's basically new show The Circle in a nutshell. But who are The Circle contestants?

The show, presented by Maya Jama and Alice Levine, has already divided opinions and confused viewers – but the basic concept is that people can pretend to be whoever they want to be liked, and if they're not liked they'll get "blocked".

*SPOLERS AHEAD*

If they're allowed to be complete catfishes to win £50k then surely they are all pretending to be really fit and fun, no? Here they are:

Aiden – BLOCKED

https://www.instagram.com/p/BngvrZkl7_M

Besides being one of the fittest people you'll ever lay eyes on, Aiden is 19 and from Wakefield. This makes her the youngest player on the show.

She works in a call centre in the day and is a shot girl by night.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkcKZrdFJCE

If her Insta is anything to go by then she's a bit of a party gal and knows her way around an eyeshadow pallet.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmHSzYmlPPV

She looks like she goes out a lot, is super fun and basically I want to be her best friend.

She said on the show that when she goes out she always dresses so that she can get an Instagram photo and she is on social media 24/7.

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She believes that she will do fine playing The Circle as herself as everyone likes her for her.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjlQ0y3FSO2

Aiden unfortunately didn't make it to the end as she was blocked and booted from the show.

She had to try and persuade the "influencers" that she shouldn't be blocked – telling them that she had "so much more to give".

Freddie brutally described her as "boring" before they gave her the boot.

Alex – WINNER

Alex is a 26-year-old YouTuber from London. And this is where things get interesting: he's not playing as himself. He's playing as his girlfriend, 25-year-old Kate, as he thinks he'll be more popular this way.

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He said he'll be using photos of Kate, but the rest of the character is completely made up.

It looks like even her name is made up, as the girlfriend in all of his Instagram pictures is actually called Millie.

He's lying about her school, where she grew up and her dog Bruno.

Real life Kate, i.e. Millie is 25 and from London.

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LIES

He says he wasn't very popular at school, so through The Circle he will create the ultimate popular person.

Alex is clearly pretty clued up in the social media world – it looks like Millie has trained him in how to be a top Insta boyfriend. Candid photos galore.

In the last few episodes it is clear that Alex has been rumbled. The girls showed that they definitely did not trust him, and could tell that "Kate" had something to hide.

Like Aiden, he had to explain to influencers why he shouldn't be blocked. He opted for the more brutal approach saying he wouldn't beg, and said that he had previously saved all of the people who held his fate in their hands.

Weirdly, Dan thought this made her "too nice" and she was spared. Then Aiden was blocked and she payed "Kate" a visit – she knows the TRUTH.

Dan – FINALIST

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Former estate agent and 28-year-old Dan will be playing as himself. He probably thinks his sales charm and charisma will make people like him enough. Tbf, if you can sell a house you can probably sell yourself.

He thinks he has a pretty likeable face, and he bought his pet turtle into the apartment he's staying in for the show – which is cute!!

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By the looks of it he doesn't shy away from showing his body on social media, and he says he's "always up for a laugh".

Freddie – FINALIST

20-year-old Freddie from Essex is throwing a complete curve ball into the game.

He's openly gay, but for the sake of the game show is pretending to be straight to see if this changes the way people will perceive him.

After a quick Instagram stalk it's clear that Freddie lives a pretty wild life. He goes out ALL the time and admits to having gone on multiple reality shows.

Call him fame-hungry or even a little bit desperate – but this guy has been on three reality shows just this year. He's tried out for Dress to Impress, Social Media Addiction and The Circle.

Genelle – WALKED

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm_U-3fBqBt

Genelle is arguably one of the most "normal" amongst the contestants. The 31-year-old mum from London had a baby six months ago – but she'll be keeping that a secret from the other contestants.

She thinks that this will help people see her for her, before they make a judgement.

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Jennifer – BLOCKED

Jennifer has already caused controversy as viewers are "blasting" the show for allowing her to pretend to be a cancer doctor for the sake of being liked.

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The 40-year-old from Newcastle reportedly hates social media, so is using her fake profile to prove that people can pretend to be whoever they want online.

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On the show she admits she doesn't have any social media and also lied about her age – saying she was 34. She said writing a bio for social media was "shit" lol cool.

Mitchell – BLOCKED

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmasoUqAMQU

Mitchell is basically every lad at pre drinks. He went to Ibiza in summer, posts topless pics, and his gram is full of pictures of him and his pals in skinny jeans with drinks in their hands. Oh, and he says if he wins the show he wants to spend the money on a boys' holiday. Classic.

He's 22, from Norfolk and a bar supervisor – he'll be playing as himself.

On the show he said he was "hashtag aubergine emoji". What a guy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bju1izAAi3N

Sian – FINALIST

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnHjFJIgBWv

Sian looks like the ultimate cool girl. She's a fashion student, she goes to LOADS of festivals and her Insta is littered with the HUJI filter.

She's 6ft 1, from London and loves makeup. But for the show will be ditching the makeup to see if this makes her come across as more approachable.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgWgq-4F-qc

She says she'll be using chilled out photos of her in bed – and no photos of her done up or modelling.

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Sinead – BLOCKED

22-year-old Sinead, from South Wales is another contestant that has decided to switch up her persona for the show.

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She's playing as a 65-year-old antiques dealer called Christopher Arthur Stanley – which is totally normal.

She admitted that she thinks playing as an old man will help her to win the pity vote.

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She opted for this persona as it's a complete opposite from what she is actually like – she's a young woman and he's an old man.

And she's clearly thought it through, she's planned everything down to how he's going to adore dogs.

And PLOT TWIST it's actually her grandad. This is weird.

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Too much tbh

Her lies proved too much, as Sinead was swiftly blocked by the influencers who saw straight through her.

Ryan – BLOCKED

28 year old Ryan is a psychic medium who lives with his husband in Ipswich.

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Abra Cadabra x

He says that he is able to communicate with those on the other side, and pick up people secrets and everything that is on their minds – but then again, he did said he thought everything about Kate was "real" so I don't know how much I'd believe him.

He also says he's a massive Nigel Farage fan: "Let's make Britain great again. Yes I have strong opinions, just deal with it." This could be interesting.

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Hopefully The Circle will be the latest show to fill the reality TV voids in our lives. It's on every day apart from Saturday and airs at 10pm on Channel 4.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

1) Meet Maya Jama: Host of The Circle, Stormzy’s girlfriend and radio DJ

2) Meet Dr Alex’s new GIRLFRIEND: Olympic snowboarder Aimee Fuller

3) Love Island 2018: Where are they now?