The Circle

The Circle: Interview with Katie

Category: Press Pack Article

NAME: Katie
AGE: 43
OCCUPATION: Tanning salon owner
FROM: Fleet, Hampshire
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Married
PLAYING AS: Her 25-year-old son Jay

IN A NUTSHELL: Katie will be playing The Circle as her 25-year-old son Jay. She describes Jay as her best mate and she knows him inside out so thinks it should be easy. In the real world, Katie is married with four children and owns a tanning and beauty salon which she has run for 14 years. Katie loves social media as it’s helped her grow her business.

MOTIVATION FOR ENTERING THE CIRCLE: Katie believes entering the game as herself ‘a married mum of 4’ would not allow her to progress far in the competition as her fellow players might write her off as “an old bird”. Katie says Jay is useless when it comes to chatting women up and securing a girlfriend. Therefore, she is open to potentially seeking him out a girlfriend and future daughter-in-law during her time in The Circle.

STRATEGY: Katie plans to use photos that represent Jay as a young, handsome, kind-looking guy. She has no issue with flirting with other females if it means becoming popular. Katie also wants ‘Jay’ to be the alpha male in the game amongst the guys and knows how important it’s going to be initiating ‘LAD chat’. She plans to take in a glossary of “young people’s slang” to help her fit in.

What is it about playing The Circle that made you want to sign up?
£100,000! And let's be honest, I'm now at the age where I've lived in Fleet all my life. It's a midlife crisis and I want to do something completely different.

Can you describe your profile in The Circle?
I'm being my oldest son. He's 25, I decided to be him because he's much more popular than me. I know him so well I know I can pull it off. He thinks it's cool.

Can you tell us about your eldest son and who you're pretending to be?
His name is Jay, he's 25, he's a builder, he's cool, calm and collected and I’m the opposite, I’m much more outgoing in real life.

What's your strategy for winning?
To be the cool kid and to be funny. I'm putting my personality into Jay's profile. So the lads are going to love me and obviously I'm a girl chatting to girls so I think I’ve got the upper hand of knowing what girls want to hear.

Will it be a bit weird chatting up girls as your son?
It is going to be really weird, but do you know what I might actually find him love from this, so that's alright because he's single.

Is he expecting a cut of the winnings if you win?
He wants a hair transplant, he never ever takes his hat off ever. It would give him loads of confidence.

Why do you think that being Jay will be more popular than being you?
I'm 43 years old. I'm a boring over 40 married mum, compared to a 25-year-old good looking chap. He’ll be so much more popular than me.

How easy do you think it's going to be to win people over with just pictures and words?
Jay's a good-looking cool kid and I have a bubbly personality so a mixture of them both will win everyone over, I think.

How will you decide which pictures to use?
Jay has chosen the photos he's comfortable with. In every single photo he's got a hat on.

And do you use any social media at home?
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, I love it all, yes.

Have you ever been in contact with a celebrity on social media?
Yes, Sam Faiers. In May this year we were both on holiday in Turks and Caicos so we met through our children and I spent a bit of time with her.

Have you got a favourite star on social media?
Holly Willoughby.

Have you ever had a bad experience on social media?
I had a bad experience when I didn't know what a hashtag meant and that was embarrassing on Instagram. And I filmed a live video the wrong way around at a rock concert and it was filming me the whole time around and not the concert.

Have you ever been catfished?
No.

Do you think you'll be able to spot any catfishing on the show?
Yes. I have a game plan of asking questions and then a couple of days later asking the same questions. They'll be completely random questions that if it was your real life you'd definitely know the answer.

Is there anything that really bugs you about social media?
Yes, all the young girls pouting.

Were you popular at school?
Yes I was, if I’m allowed to big myself up.

Are you worried about getting any backlash at the end when you reveal who your real identity is?
To be honest I have enough friends and I’m not here to make new ones. Normally I'm an honest loyal person but this is a game and I’m in it to win it.

How far would you go to win?
I’ll do whatever it takes.

What will you do with the prize money if you win?
I’d like to treat the whole family. I’d take all five of us on holiday.