The Circle: Meet the new players

24 September 2018

NAME: SINEAD

AGE: 22

FROM: SOUTH WALES

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: SINGLE
PLAYING AS: 65 YEAR OLD ANTIQUES DEALER, CHRISTOPHER ARTHUR STANLEY

 

IN A NUTSHELL: Sinead grew up in rural South Wales where there were just a ‘few people and three pubs’ along her road. Working in a care home, Sinead looks after 41 residents who are elderly or suffer with dementia or Alzheimer’s and she absolutely loves old people. With not much to do in her hometown, Sinead lives for social media.

 

MOTIVATION FOR ENTERING THE CIRCLE: Sinead is obsessed with social media and doesn’t mind posting every detail of her day and she is here to win the £50k.

 

STRATEGY: Sinead wants to win the popularity contest using the profile of an old man called Christopher. She thinks that everyone loves old people and will pity him and his story. She says that Christopher Arthur Stanley is an antiques dealer from Buckinghamshire who has been separated from his wife for 11 years. Sinead has forensically looked into Christopher and written his backstory – even buying and researching antiques. Sinead thinks her apartment in The Circle will look like a CSI films with articles, pictures and stories up on the wall so she can piece her character together.

 

 

You think old people are “lush”. What is it you like about them?

I work in a care home, looking after elderly people and those suffering with dementia or Alzheimer’s. It’s full-on but I absolutely love it and love them all to bits. It’s like having 41 nans and grandads. Old people are so cute, I just want to squeeze them. My mum’s a carer and my uncle’s opening up a care home too - it’s the family business. 

 

What attracted you to taking part in The Circle? 

I love the fact that it’s brand new and such a ground-breaking idea. And I live on social media. I check the apps first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I live in a very quiet rural area and it’s a way of connecting with the outside world. 

 

Which social networks are you on?

Instagram, which is my favourite, plus Snapchat and Facebook. I use them to keep in touch with people all over the world: from when I did Camp America, from when I was a holiday rep and all sorts of other people I’ve met. 

 

Have you started relationships online before? 

No. I was on Tinder and it was an absolute disaster. Boys bored the life out of me with their cringe chat-up lines. I’d rather meet people down the pub, so I deleted it. 

 

 

 

Does social media affect your self-esteem, with how many followers and likes you get?

Not really. My Instagram’s so random. I post everything - not just selfies but pics of make-up, my dogs, nights out - so it’s not one of those perfect ones like the influencers. But some of my friends get so caught up in it. If I post a group pic and they don’t like themselves in it, they make me delete it. So I’m not bothered but I do see how others get worked up.

 

How will you approach The Circle?

I decided not to play as me. It’s more of a challenge to be somebody else. In fact, it’s far more of a challenge that I initially thought. Now it’s getting closer, I’m like, “Crap, this is going to be hard!” 

 

So you’re going to pose as an elderly gent called Christopher?

Yeah, I wanted to go for someone totally different to me - an old man as opposed to a young woman, for maximum contrast. He’s old, he’s lovely, he adores his dogs. I’m hoping everyone will fall in love with him and not find him boring. I won’t make him boring if I can help it!

 

How did you settle on this character?

I had lots of crazy ideas. Originally I was going to be a businessman who lived in Surrey and worked in France - until I realised I didn’t know anything about France or business. And I don’t really know where Surrey is! So I decided to go closer to home, make him like my grandad and draw on what I know. I’ve taken photos of my grandad with my two Cavalier King Charles spaniels, which will be Christopher and his dogs. Because he’s an old man, he’ll be a bit slower on social media, which will give me time to think about my replies. He has an ex-wife called Julia, who’s remarried. And he’s a dealer in antique coins, because that was a narrow field I could research. Hopefully nobody else in The Circle will know anything about it, so they won’t catch me out.

 

So you’ve got a whole dossier about him?

I’ve planned out everything about Christopher. I’ve got a whole notebook of research: family timelines, details of what he eats, information about coins. He decided on his 60th birthday that he wants to start making the most of life and doing new things, which is why he’s on the show. I’ve researched his holidays and some of them were to places I used to rep, so that’ll be believable. And I’m surrounded by old people on a daily basis, so I know all their stories. 

 

Is this a risky strategy?

Very! I could mess up so easily or people might rumble him as fake. But it’s a game and I just love this game-plan. 

 

Do you worry that people might feel deceived?

Not really. It’s a set-up environment and anyone can be anyone in The Circle. It’s not like I’m catfishing. Going in as a grandad type, it’s a bit different. People might be shocked when I finally reveal my true self. I’ll just have to tell them: “I’m really nice too! I’m just not 65 years old. Or a man.”

 

Do you worry that your language or the way you write might give you way?

Definitely not. My nan’s on Facebook and I’ll have in my head the way she writes. 

 

Will Christopher be looking for love in The Circle?

Hopefully, if there’s anyone in there for him. But then it would break my heart if it’s an actual old lady! He won’t be a flirt, he’ll be a gentlemen, pay compliments and woo her. Not like these Tinder types. 

 

Are you a frustrated actress? Is this like playing a role?

I failed drama, so I hope I don’t fail this! No, I just love the idea of Christopher.

 

You say you’ve got “a mental family”. How so?

They’re just wild. My nan’s my best friend. When I was repping, she’d come and visit me three times a year. She’d hit the clubs, where everyone would know her as Nanny Pat. I go out with my mother all the time and she’s crazy on a night out. Me and my aunties have just come back from Ibiza. We were dancing on the chairs, twerking, drinking and having so much fun. 

 

How will you handle three weeks in an apartment on your own?

I’ve been practising at home, actually. I turn the TV and my phone off, then just sit there!

 

Are you competitive?

Quite. I’ll be raging if I’m the first to be blocked. Gutted.

 

How would you spend the £50,000 prize money?

On an embalming course. Oh and I said I’ll give my grandad a fiver. I’ve wanted to do embalming since I was 15. This is going to sound weird but I love funerals and chapels of rest, how respectful it all is. The problem I’ve found is, funeral directors tend to be family businesses and impossible to get into, especially if you’re female. I’ve found a tutor who’ll do distance learning and I’d do my practical work in Bristol, but it’s quite expensive and I can’t get funding.