''Big Brother Australia'' (also known simply as ''Big Brother'') is an
Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Au ...
reality show
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
based on the international '' Big Brother'' format created by
John de Mol
Johannes Hendrikus Hubert "John" de Mol Jr. (born 24 April 1955) is a Dutch Mass media, media Business magnate, tycoon. De Mol is one of the men behind production companies Endemol and Talpa Network, Talpa. He created the reality television form ...
.
Following the premise of other versions of the format, the show features a group of contestants, known as "housemates" who live together in a specially constructed house that is isolated from the outside world. The housemates are continuously monitored during their stay in the house by live television cameras as well as personal audio microphones. Throughout the course of the competition, housemates are evicted from the house - eliminated from the competition. The last remaining housemate wins the competition and is awarded a cash prize.
''Big Brother'' was produced from 2001 and ran for eight seasons and a Celebrity edition on
Network Ten
Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...
before the network cancelled it in July 2008 after experiencing audience erosion and controversy. Big Brother returned in 2012 on the
Nine Network
The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...
. Nine's iteration of the series lasted 3 seasons and was not renewed beyond 2015. In 2019 the
Seven Network
The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
picked up the series, which is produced by
Endemol Shine Australia
Endemol Shine Australia is an Australian production company and is a division of Banijay led by Rory Callaghan.
Following an acquisition of shares, production company Endemol Australia merged with Shine Australia on July 26, 2015.
They produce ...
. All eleven previous seasons were produced by
Endemol Australia
Endemol Australia, formerly known as Southern Star Group, Southern Star Productions, Southern Star/Hanna-Barbera Australia and Taft-Hardie Group Pty Ltd, was Australia's largest independent television production and distribution group. On 26 Jul ...
and Endemol Southern Star. The twelfth season aired in 2020. The series was renewed for a 13th season in June 2020. Seven has also commissioned a new celebrity edition titled ''
Big Brother VIP
''Big Brother VIP'', is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, the housemates or houseguest ...
'' to air on 1 November 2021.
The Ten and Nine iterations of the series used a
compound
Compound may refer to:
Architecture and built environments
* Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall
** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struct ...
Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, as the ''Big Brother House''. It has since been abandoned and vandalised. In June 2019, the house was set ablaze and burnt down entirely. The entire compound was demolished by Dreamworld in August 2019. A new ''Big Brother House'' located on
Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...
's North Head is used for Seven's iteration of the series in season 12, although this house has since been pulled down following season 13. The following VIP season was filmed at a newly built compound in Sydney Olympic Park. The Season 14 was too filmed at this location.
The series was renewed for a fifteenth season at Sevens 2023 upfronts in October 2022, under the title ''Big Brother: House of Love''.
Format
Housemates must remain in the house at all times, with the aim of avoiding eviction from the house to be the last Housemate remaining to win a substantial cash prize at the end of the series. Alternatively, housemates can also be removed from the house if Big Brother feels this is necessary, and can voluntarily leave the show at any time. In order to support the housemates' well-being, all participants have access to psychologists and a doctor, at all times. Housemates are filmed 24 hours per day with edited highlights broadcast during
prime time
Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...
slots every evening.
Big Brother
While in the house, the housemates are under the watchful eye of "Big Brother" - the embodiment of the Show's Producers, who will act as an authoritative all-seeing
voice of God
In the Abrahamic religions, the voice of God is a communication from God to human beings, heard by humans as a sound with no apparent physical source.
In rabbinic Judaism, such a voice was known as a ''bat kol'' ( he, בַּת קוֹל ''ba ...
to the housemates. Housemates are at all times under the control of Big Brother, a rule enforcing
authority figure
In the fields of sociology and political science, authority is the legitimate power of a person or group over other people. In a civil state, ''authority'' is practiced in ways such a judicial branch or an executive branch of government.''The Ne ...
who monitors the behaviour of the housemates, set tasks and punishments and provides the mechanism for contestants to make external requests.
Unlike other versions of Big Brother, housemates would refer to Big Brother as if it was one person. Over the course of the series, Big Brother developed a dry wit in his interactions with the Housemates. He would also offer to counsel his housemates in need of ''His'' wisdom.
Eviction Format
Over the duration of the competition, the Housemates will face nominations and evictions to eliminate housemates from the game. However, over the course of the series, the format regarding evictions has changed.
Original Format
For Ten's and Nine's iterations of the series, the format of the show resembled the original Dutch version of the show - a format adapted by most versions of the ''Big Brother'' format. In this format, the competitive aspects are minimised - The eviction decisions were determined by viewer voting, Housemates were not allowed to discuss nominations (at the risk of punishment) and most seasons did not feature any regular competitions for power or safety (with the exceptions being the ‘'Friday Night Games'’ and ‘'Showdowns'’). The main elements of the original format are as follows:
*Nominations: Every week, the Housemates would participate in nominations, a secret voting process to determine who would be nominated for eviction that week. Each Housemate nominated two other fellow housemates in the Diary Room, providing full reasons to Big Brother for their nominations. The three or more housemates with the most nominations were nominated and faced Australia's vote
** For Seasons 1-7 and the second half of Season 8; each housemate had 3 nomination points to allocate two housemates - one housemate for two points, and another with one.
** For the first half of season 8; The power over nominations was given the viewers, with viewers voting to save a housemate via
televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.
Broadcast contest televoting
Televoting ...
and the 3 lowest vote receivers facing a House Eviction Vote.
** For Seasons 9-11; each housemate had 5 Nomination Points to allocate to two housemates - For a 3/2 or 4/1 point allocation.
*Eviction: After the nominations are finalised, voting for viewers is open, the Australian public voting via
televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.
Broadcast contest televoting
Televoting ...
(and in later seasons via
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
) to determine the evictee of that week. As the first four seasons aired in New Zealand on a one-day delay, New Zealand viewers could also participate in the eviction voting (and then vote for the eventual winner). Later seasons aired in New Zealand on an extended delay, with New Zealand viewers being unable to vote.
** For Seasons 1-5 and the second half of season 8; viewers voted to evict a nominee. The nominee with the most votes is evicted.
** For Seasons 6 and 7; viewers had the option to both save and evict. Both vote tallies would be combined and the nominee with the highest net-evict vote (or lowest net-save vote), is evicted.
** For the first half of season 8; the housemates voted between Australia's nominees in a similar style to the original nomination vote (3 Eviction Votes to be allocated in a 2/1 vote allocation). The housemate with the most votes is evicted.
** For Seasons 9-11; viewers voted to save a nominee. The nominee with the fewest votes is evicted.
*Finale: The final housemates would face a Final Vote to determine the winner of the series.
** For Seasons 1–5; viewers voted to evict between the final 2 housemates. The housemate with the fewest votes is declared the winner.
** For Seasons 6 and 7; viewers had the option to both vote to save and to evict between the final 2 housemates. Both vote tallies would be combined and the housemates with the highest net-save vote (or lowest net-evict vote), is declared the winner.
** For Season 8; viewers voted to evict between the final 3 housemates. The housemate with the fewest votes is declared the winner.
** For Seasons 9-11; final voting began with the final 5 or 6 housemates with Australia voted to win. Throughout the final week, the housemates with the lowest vote total are progressively evicted until 3 remain for the grand finale. Of the final 3, the finalist with the most votes to win is declared the winner.
Current format
In 2020,
Seven Network
The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
revamped the format of the series to resemble the format of the
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
&
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
editions - with housemates deciding both Nominations and Evictions among themselves. The new format added emphasis to the competitive aspect of surviving the eviction process. As such, the housemates will now be allowed to strategise, politic and collude about the nominations and evictions. However, there will still be key differences compared to the American/Canadian format, most prominently with the Australian public still deciding the eventual winner - rather than being decided by a "Jury" of evicted housemates (as is the case on the American and Canadian show).
* Nominations: At the start of each round, the housemates compete in a "Nomination Challenge". The winner of the competition has immunity from the next eviction and the power over the nominations. Immediately after the challenge, the winning housemate will be called to the Diary Room by Big Brother to name their nominees, and provide full reasons for their nominations. The number of nominees is determined by how far into the overall game housemates are, as the game starts with three nominees and reduces to two nominees towards the end of the game.
* Eviction: On eviction night, all housemates must vote to evict one of the nominees, with the exception of the nominating housemate (who will only cast a tie-breaker vote, if required), nor do the nominated housemates vote when there are only two nominees (on account of their votes cancelling the other's out). The eviction vote is by secret ballot, with housemates casting their votes orally in the Diary Room to Big Brother, and must provide a reason for their vote. The nominee with the most votes is evicted from the house.
* Finale: The final three housemates will face Australia's vote to determine the winner. This vote is conducted on a dedicated website, with voters voting for a winner and the finalist with the most votes wins.
Prize money
The winner of ''Big Brother Australia'' receives a cash prize for being the last remaining housemate.
* In ''Big Brother 1'' - ''Big Brother 3'', ''Big Brother 8'' - ''Big Brother 10'' & ''Big Brother 13'', the prize was guaranteed A$250,000. Some seasons only mentioned the grand prize part-way through the series.
** ''Big Brother 11'' & ''Big Brother 12'' also intended to have a A$250,000 prize, but tasks and challenges during both seasons resulted in the prize decreasing. In ''Big Brother 11'', the final prize was A$200,000 and in ''Big Brother 12'' the prize was $234,656.
* In ''Big Brother 4'', the prize money was a guaranteed A$1,000,000.
* In ''Big Brother 5'' and ''Big Brother 6'' continued to offer the A$1,000,000, but introduced a fine system. The winner of ''Big Brother 5'' received $836,000, while the winner of ''Big Brother 6'' received $426,000.
* '' Big Brother 7'' was advertised as having no prize money. When the series began, it was revealed the grand prize would be based on the Household's completion of weekly tasks. The money earned for the grand prize was $450,000.
* In both celebrity spin-offs, '' Celebrity Big Brother Australia'' and '' Big Brother VIP Australia'', the winner was awarded $100,000 to the charity of their choice.
Tasks & Missions
During their time in the house, housemates are given tasks by ''Big Brother''.
Punishments
'' Big Brother 5'' introduced a fines system in which the $1,000,000 cash prize was decreased by $5,000 each time housemates violated a rule of Big Brother. The house used for the 6th season featured a ''Punishment Room'', where housemates would sometimes be sent to be punished in addition to the $5,000 fine. In '' Big Brother 7'', some changes were made. These monetary fines were subtracted from the household budget rather than from the prize money, while the ''Punishment Room'' remained.
In '' Big Brother 9'' there was a small, rectangular-shaped room, linked to the lounge. This room was the ''Naughty Corner''. This room was similar to the ''Punishment Room'' of the sixth and seventh series. The eighth and ninth series' featured no fines system at all. Instead, Big Brother used the original striking system more frequently that meant when a housemate received three strikes they were evicted.
Intruders
Most seasons of ''Big Brother Australia'' usually includes "Intruders". Intruders are new housemates added to the house by the show's producers as ongoing housemates after the series has started. Intruders will be eligible to win the series but will often face a special "Intruder Eviction" shortly after their entrance to the house (either by House Vote, Australia's vote or some combination of both).
''Big Brother'' in Australia
Network Ten iteration (2001–08)
The first Australian series began to broadcast on 23 April 2001. It was hosted by
Gretel Killeen
Gretel Killeen (born 3 February 1963) is an Australian comedian, television presenter, media personality and author. She is known for being the host of '' Big Brother Australia'' from its inception in 2001 until the 2007 season (including ''Ce ...
from 2001 to 2007. In late 2007 it was announced that Gretel Killeen would not host the show for its 2008 return as part of a revamp of the formula.
In 2008, ''Big Brother'' returned for its eighth season with hosts
Kyle Sandilands
Kyle Dalton Sandilands (born 10 June 1971) is an Australian radio host and television personality. He is currently the co-host, with Jackie O, of the weekday morning radio program '' The Kyle and Jackie O Show'' on Sydney's radio station KIIS ...
and Jackie O. Ten's chief programmer David Mott admitted the series had recently experienced "audience erosion" inherent with the show's long run. Mott defended the new hosts saying that the ratings for eviction shows held up.
Mike Goldman
Michael Goldman (born 7 November 1972), is an Australian actor, television and radio host and voice over. He has appeared in television roles, mini-series and films like Young Rock, The Wilds and A Place to Call Home. He is the son of televisio ...
provided narration and voice-overs for all eight seasons.
First hiatus
Big Brother Australia was axed by
Network Ten
Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...
on 14 July 2008 with the broadcaster confirming that the 2008 season would be the last to air on the channel. A decrease in ratings for the daily shows was cited as the reason for Network Ten opting not to renew its contract for another season.
After the show was axed in 2008, there were many rumours about a possible revival by
Nine
9 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
9 or nine may also refer to:
Dates
* AD 9, the ninth year of the AD era
* 9 BC, the ninth year before the AD era
* 9, numerical symbol for the month of September
Places
* Nine, Portugal, a parish in the ...
,
Seven
7 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
7 or seven may also refer to:
* AD 7, the seventh year of the AD era
* 7 BC, the seventh year before the AD era
* The month of
July
Music Artists
* Seven (Swiss singer) (born 1978), a Swiss recording artist ...
, Ten, or SBS. SBS Programmer Shawn White denied the show would be revived on their channel despite rumours with Nine CEO David Gyngell notably 'interested' in the idea soon after the cancellation, only to turn it down days later. The
Seven Network
The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
expressed interest since bidding for the show after the seventh-season finale; however, denied any and all revival occurring a week after the 2008 finale on morning program
Sunrise
Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon and its accompanying atmospheric effects.
Terminology
Al ...
.
Most notably, Network Ten expressed some interest in the format when on 3 June 2011, News Limited posted an article suggesting the network may be interested in putting it on its digital channel,
Eleven
Eleven or 11 may refer to:
*11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12
* one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11
Literature
* ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn
*'' ...
. In the article, Chief Programming Officer David Mott stated that "...Ten have considered ways to bring the show back on a number of occasions'; however, was worried that audiences had 'moved on'. Made mention was the US version where the show has had 12 successful seasons, and a thirteenth on the way." Mott said; "It's a summer show for CBS, it doesn't play in the heart of the ratings season but it's done a pretty good job for them."
Nine Network iteration (2012–14)
On 9 September 2011, it was reported and later confirmed that the
Nine Network
The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...
had signed a deal with
Southern Star Group
Endemol Australia, formerly known as Southern Star Group, Southern Star Productions, Southern Star/Hanna-Barbera Australia and Taft-Hardie Group Pty Ltd, was Australia's largest independent television production and distribution group. On 26 Jul ...
to bring the Australian version of Big Brother back. On 22 February 2012 it was confirmed that Dreamworld will be used again as the location for the 2012 series.
The first episode of the revived series premiered on 13 August 2012 with its daily show airing five nights a week at a family-friendly timeslot of 7pm.
After a successful season in 2012, Nine confirmed that the series would be renewed for Season 10 in 2013 during their Nine Network 2013 promotion & during the 2013 finale, host Sonia Kruger confirmed the series renewal for Season 11 in 2014 formally opening auditions.
Second hiatus
In 2018, "Big Brother" returned to Australia as Nine confirmed they would air the first season of '' Celebrity Big Brother US''. Nine created a special logo for the show resembling the eye logo of Nine's iteration of ''Big Brother Australia'' that previously aired on the network. Episodes were "fast-tracked" and available on their streaming service
9Now
9Now is a video on demand, catch-up TV service run by the Nine Network in Australia. The service launched on 27 January 2016, replacing Nine's previous service 9Jumpin. 9Now offers online live streaming of Channel 9, 9Gem, 9Go!, 9Life and 9Rus ...
shortly after their American airing with televised broadcast on
9Go!
9Go! is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel, which was launched by the Nine Network on 9 August 2009, replacing Nine Guide. It is a youthful channel that offers a mix of comedy, reality, general entertainment, movies, anim ...
starting 11 February 2018. Due to low ratings episodes were moved from the 9:30pm timeslot to 11:30pm effective 14 February 2018. No further American seasons of Big Brother aired.
On 1 April 2018, a highly publicised
April Fools
April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is an annual custom on 1 April consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting "April Fools!" at the recipient. Mass media can be involved in these pranks, which may ...
prank by the Australian television news blog
TV Tonight
TV Tonight is an Australian-based website which features reviews, news and programming information related to television in Australia as well as OzTAM ratings information.
The site was started by television critic David Knox in 2007 after list ...
reported the return of ''Big Brother'' on Ten with
Lisa Wilkinson
Lisa Wilkinson (born 19 December 1959) is an Australian television presenter and journalist.
Wilkinson currently narrates '' Ambulance Australia'' and has previously co-hosted the Nine Network's breakfast television program, ''Today,'' with K ...
to host.
Seven Network iteration (2020–present)
On 23 October 2019, Seven Network confirmed it will be reviving the series in 2020. Rumors indicate the series will be closer in format to the
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
&
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
versions - particularly given the upfronts trailer featured footage from '' Big Brother US 17'', '' Big Brother Canada 2'' and '' Big Brother Canada 3'' as well as the emphasis on the phrase "Control, Evict, Win" in the promo.
The reboot has been compared to '' Survivor'' - in which the politicking and strategising regarding the Nomination and Eviction processes is allowed (being disallowed in earlier iterations) and central to the format, with Housemates directly voting each other out of the house. Seven's Director of Programming Angus Ross confirmed there would be no live shows on 26 October. It was announced on 5 February 2020 that
Sonia Kruger
Sonia Melissa Kruger (born 28 August 1965) is an Australian television presenter and media personality, who has been a prominent figure in the media for over 20 years. Kruger is currently the host of '' Big Brother Australia'' and a presenter o ...
will return to host Big Brother. The show was renewed for a 13th season (the second with 7) on the 28th of June, 2020.
In October 2021, the series was confirmed to return for its 3rd main season with Seven and 14th overall. In celebration of ''Big Brother Australia's'' 21st anniversary, season 14 would have former Housemates from all eras of the show returning to compete against new Housemate. A second VIP edition was also confirmed, and as well as '' Big Brother Canada'' being made available to stream in Australia on
7plus
7plus (stylised as 7+) is a video on demand, catch-up TV service run by the Seven Network. The service became available on 27 November 2017. 7plus also offers online live streaming of Channel 7, 7two, 7mate, 7flix, Racing.com and 7Sport.
7p ...
.
Series details and viewership
Location
First house (2001–2014)
The first ''Big Brother House'' was located at near Dreamworld, a theme park in
Coomera
Coomera is a town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Coomera had a population of 13,305 people.
Geography
Located next to the Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads), ...
, a northern suburb of the city of the
Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
. The house was used for Ten and Nine's iteration of ''Big Brother''. Footage from the house is monitored and edited in
Dreamworld Studios
Dreamworld Studios was an auditorium with production facilities located at the Dreamworld (Australia), Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia. It is notable for being the location of ''Big Brother (Australia ...
. There is also an auditorium where the live audience shows, such as the eviction and finale episodes, were staged. The auditorium was an existing facility at Dreamworld used for live stage shows prior to the first series of ''Big Brother''. It was leased to Endemol Southern Star for the duration of the series each year.
Only slight modifications were made to the interior of the house for the second series and the special '' Celebrity Big Brother Australia'' series that were screened in 2002. Subsequent to those series, the interior of the house has been rebuilt or extensively remodelled for each new series. Two separate houses were built for ''Big Brother 2003'', and they were merged twenty-three days into the series when previously hidden connecting rooms were revealed. The fifth series introduced a ''Friday Night Live'' games arena. An animal enclosure was added to the side of the compound for the sixth series. It was retained for the seventh series.
During production on the series, visitors could access the ''Big Brother'' auditorium and view live footage from the house. This feature was, however, discontinued at the start of the ninth series.
Second house (2020–2021)
As the original house had burned down,
Seven Network
The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
who currently produce and broadcast the series decided on a new location for the ''Big Brother House'' much closer to where production and crew members live. It has been understood the house has been built inside a warehouse which existed during World War II as an artillery shed, with a secondary building (previously used a gym) housing activities and challenges for the housemates. The exact location is next to the North Head Sanctuary Visitor Centre car park on
Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...
's North Head near Manly. This house has since been pulled down following the 2021 season.
Third house (2021–present)
The third Big Brother house was built at
Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb of Greater Western Sydney, located 13 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta Council. It is commonly known as Olympic Park but officially na ...
The theme music was adapted from the original theme used in the original ''Big Brother'', which aired in the Netherlands. The theme for ''Big Brother Australia'' was written by Siew Ooi and 001 Productions in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. The track is an extended version of the main title theme used in the first two seasons of ''Big Brother'' Australia, and tracks heard throughout the seasons that followed are shorter, remixed versions of this track. The original track can sometimes be heard in the background when eviction votes, or the nomination tally in the ''
Nominations
Nomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to a public office, or the bestowing of an honor or award. A collection of nominees narrowed from the full list of candidates is a short list.
Political office
In th ...
'' show, are shown on screen, or when eviction phone numbers are during a show. In 2008, the theme music was retooled into an electric amplified remix, in counterpart of the format changes that were made that year. Four years later in the 2012 revival of the program, the original theme song returned with a futuristic remix. The theme song was completely absent from the 2020 season.
The title theme was initially released as a single. The track was an extended mix of the main title theme used in the first two seasons, and was released with an acoustic "Diary Room" mix and more trance influenced "Eviction" mix. It barely scraped in the top 50, but was re-released a few months later where it reached #12 on the
ARIA
In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
charts in 2001 with a B-Side of The Sirens' hit "Don't You Think That It's Strange", which was also co-written by ''Big Brother 2001'' housemates; the ''Diary Room'' mix; and an extended version of the ''Big Brother Uncut'' theme.
International broadcasts
New Zealand
Between 2001 and 2003, as well during 2005, Big Brother Australia aired on TV2 in New Zealand. The show aired on
Prime
A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...
in 2004. Between 2001 and 2004, the show aired on a one-day delay from the Australian broadcast. As such New Zealand viewers had the ability to cast eviction votes to determine the weekly evictee, however this did not continue in 2005 as the show aired on a three-week delay long after voting in Australia had concluded.
The show returned to New Zealand, as part of the TV3 summer line-up in November 2013 with the tenth season of the show. The following eleventh season was also broadcast by TV3 in November 2014.
The show then returned to New Zealand and TV3, which has since rebranded as
Three
3 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
3, three, or III may also refer to:
* AD 3, the third year of the AD era
* 3 BC, the third year before the AD era
* March, the third month
Books
* '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
, with the Seven iteration of the show in June 2020. This marked the first time the show has aired in primetime in New Zealand since the conclusion of the 2004 season due to the network needing to fill a scheduling gap caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
delaying
The Block NZ
''The Block NZ'' is a New Zealand reality television series based on the popular Australian series '' The Block''. The first season premiered on Three on 4 July 2012.
The show is hosted by former New Zealand cricketer Mark Richardson and Shel ...
's ninth season to 2021. On 14 July 2020, it was announced due to low ratings, the show would be moving into a later timeslot and would drop to airing two episodes per week.
The second season to air on Seven was broadcast online-only, via
TVNZ OnDemand
TVNZ+ ( mi, Te Reo Tātaki Ā-Tono), formerly known as TVNZ OnDemand, is an online New Zealand television and video on demand streaming service offered by TVNZ. It offers a variety of free content, such as news updates and programmes seen on TVN ...
, starting 4 May 2021 with the first four episodes and each subsequent episodes being released within 48 hours of the Australian broadcast.
Finland
The 2020 edition of the show was also broadcast on Finnish streaming service Ruutu.fi from 6 December 2020, with two episodes airing every Sunday.
The Netherlands
Dutch broadcaster RTL revealed that they are going to broadcast ''Big Brother Australia'' from season 12 on
RTL 5
RTL 5 is a Dutch free-to-cable television channel that was launched on 2 October 1993. It mainly broadcasts American films and hit series but also reality shows, comedy, travel, international shows and local productions including ''Expeditie Robi ...
, starting from 9 April 2021, only one day after their Dutch-Flemish version ended. The broadcast would occur each weekday at 9:30 pm.
United States
In the United States, seasons 12 and 13 were added to
Paramount+
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
on 16 February 2022.
Companion shows
Reception
Criticism and controversy
The series received some criticism from commentators and audiences for its sexual content. The series was occasionally referred to as "''Big Brothel''" in the press, in reference to the sexual content of the ''Uncut'' episode. Criticism was also voiced in the Australian Government, with one politician referring to it as "toxic television". Complaints about ''Uncut'' led to it being rebranded ''Big Brother: Adults Only'' for the 2006 season. ''Adults Only'' was cancelled early in the season due to continuing controversy.
Censorship and sexual content
After the 2005 series, complaints prompted the
Australian Communications and Media Authority
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is an Australian government statutory authority within the Communications portfolio. ACMA was formed on 1 July 2005 with the merger of the Australian Broadcasting Authority and the Austr ...
to launch an investigation into ''Big Brother: Uncut''. The main complaint was that Network Ten had breached the industry code of practice by broadcasting footage that went past the maximum MA15+ rating for Australian commercial television.
The ACMA found Network Ten had breached the code on a number of occasions:
*The airing of housemate Michael massaging his penis on Gianna's back and hair, allegedly without her consent. Gretel Killeen later expressed her disapproval with Michael's
indecent
Inappropriateness refers to standards or ethics that are typically viewed as being negative in a society. It differs from things that are illicit in that inappropriate behavior does not necessarily have any accompanying legal ramifications.
Co ...
actions (BB 2005).
*Vesna Tosevska plucking her
pubic hair
Pubic hair is terminal body hair that is found in the genital area of adolescent and adult humans. The hair is located on and around the sex organs and sometimes at the top of the inside of the thighs. In the pubic region around the pubis bon ...
in bed (BB 2005).
*A song about
sexual fetish
Sexual fetishism or erotic fetishism is a sexual fixation on a nonliving object or nongenital body part. The object of interest is called the fetish; the person who has ''a fetish'' for that object is a fetishist. A sexual fetish may be regard ...
es (BB 2005).
*Tim hogtied and dumped in the diary room, where he was tackled and had his
testicles
A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testostero ...
hit with a leather strap (BB 2005).
*Airing of housemates Glenn Dallinger and Michelle Carew-Gibson appearing to have sex in a sauna (BB 2005).
*In the 2001 season, Big Brother Uncut received backlash for airing a ‘sex scene’ between Peter Timbs and Christina Davis, though neither of the two were having sex, despite making rhythmic sexual movements under the bedsheets.
*A ' bondage' party earlier in the 2001 season caused concerns when housemate Andrea Silva, a
dominatrix
A dominatrix (; ) or femdom is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are known for inflic ...
in profession, displayed some of her sexual fetishes to the other housemates, where she tied up her shirtless male housemates, pinched their nipples and lashed them with a
scourge
A scourge is a whip or lash, especially a multi-thong type, used to inflict severe corporal punishment or self-mortification. It is usually made of leather.
Etymology
The word is most commonly considered to be derived from Old French ''escorgi ...
.
*Later that night, Sara-Marie Fedele tied up Gordon Sloan on a wooden table and sensually stroke his bare chest.
The ACMA did not impose any direct punishment on Network Ten, however outlined requirements for the 2006 series of ''Uncut''. Included in those requirements is a commitment by Network Ten to compile episode footage early enough for censors to evaluate it. Two censors were taken on by the network specifically for ''Big Brother'', and crew were trained on the restrictions of the MA15+ television rating. As a result of criticism, the show was renamed ''Big Brother: Adults Only'' for the 2006 season.
The daily shows in the first 4 seasons were rated G, despite their (mild) sexual references or
innuendo
An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion ...
s and adult subject matter. The daily shows in the latter seasons were rated PG. Late Night Feast, an adult-oriented show first aired in the 2013 season, was rated M for moderate sexual references, (non-graphic) nudity and coarse language.
2006 alleged sexual assault controversy
On 1 July 2006 two housemates, Michael Cox (using the alias Ashley for the show) and Michael Bric (using the alias John), were removed from the house for allegedly
sexually assault
Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
ing, "
Turkey slap
Swaffelen (or zwaffelen or dick-slap) is a Dutch term meaning to hit one's soft or semi-hard penis - often repeatedly - against an object or another person's body. Swaffelen was named as the word of the year in the Netherlands and Belgium in 2008. ...
controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. The word was coined from the Latin ''controversia'', as a composite of ''controversus'' – "turned in an opposite d ...
. Following the incident the live feed was temporarily replaced by an old UpLate update of the housemates completing their football task, continuously looped, and the forums on the Big Brother website were removed.
Queensland Police
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the principal law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto ...
were shown the relevant footage, but opted not to conduct a criminal investigation. Subsequent to this incident former housemate Rita Lazzarotto reported that she had been subjected to a similar incident during her time in the Big Brother house in the 2005 series.
Then
Australian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the federal government of Australia and is also accountable to federal parliament under the principl ...
John Howard
John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the s ...
asked for ''Big Brother'' to be cancelled, saying, "Here's a great opportunity for Channel 10 to do a bit of self-regulation and get this stupid program off the air"; Leader of the Opposition
Kim Beazley
Kim Christian Beazley (born 14 December 1948) is an Australian former politician and diplomat. He was leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and leader of the opposition from 1996 to 2001 and 2005 to 2006, having previously been a cabinet ...
and Senator
Steve Fielding
Steven Fielding (born 17 October 1960) is a former Australian senator for the state of Victoria and the former federal parliamentary leader of the Family First Party. He was elected to the upper house at the 2004 federal election on two per ...
supported this view. Queensland Premier
Peter Beattie
Peter Douglas Beattie (born 18 November 1952) is an Australian former politician who served as the 36th Premier of Queensland, in office from 1998 to 2007. He was the state leader of the Labor Party from 1996 to 2007.
Beattie was born in Sy ...
argued that the show employed many Australians in production and that, because of the already diminished size of the Australian television industry, the show should continue.
Housemate selection
The show's producers aim to get "real people" in the house. This has been done by personality testing, engaging with people around the country and appearances. While there are housemates who are "unique" and reflect many diverse people in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, there has been a high number of individuals in the latter seasons who come from a modelling background which has alienated them from the public audience.
In the 2007 season, to lower censorship controversies that stemmed from the housemates' generally salacious and revelling personality types from the previous seasons, producers selected more sophisticated, reserved and modest type of housemates, such as Rebecca Dent, a devout
Mormon
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
computer geek
The word ''geek'' is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In the past, it had a generall ...
. Such practise of selecting more educated and mature type of people continued into the latter seasons, with other examples being Michael Beveridge from the 2012 season, who had the IQ of a
genius
Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for future works, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...
, and Priya Malik, an
Indian Australian all of this entry re immigration is a complete fabrication
Indian Australians or Indo-Australians are Australians of Indian ancestry. This includes both those who are Australian by birth, and those born in India or elsewhere in the Indian d ...
schoolteacher with an English
Honours degree
Honours degree has various meanings in the context of different degrees and education systems. Most commonly it refers to a variant of the undergraduate bachelor's degree containing a larger volume of material or a higher standard of study, or ...
from the 2014 season.
Awards and nominations
Other media
On 8 July 2003, a
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
entitled ''Big Brother: Unseen/Uncut/Unreel'' by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, featuring risqué moments from the series was released and became marginally successful. It was rated M which means that the DVD requires a mature perspective, however there is no legal restriction on access. The DVD is broken down into three sections. ''Unseen'' showed ''Launch'' and ''Eviction'' episodes, while ''Uncut'' features clips from ''Big Brother Uncut''; speaks of how television censorship laws of different countries that have Big Brother seasons that differ from
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
's; footage of the audition process; and a package where Peter Abbott, the voice of Big Brother for the first three seasons, was "Big Brother'd" for a day, where a camera followed him from the time he woke up to when he went to sleep. ''Unreel'' section has information on the first three seasons' housemates, including ''Big Brother 2003'''s housemates' introduction packages shown at ''In They Go''; an image gallery with information on what the 24 original housemates of the first two seasons were doing at the time of the DVD's release; and an interactive tour of ''Big Brother 2003'''s Houses before and after they were merged.
Blair McDonough
Blair McDonough (born 30 April 1981), is an Australian actor who is best known for playing the role of Stuart Parker in the Australian TV soap opera '' Neighbours''. He first shot to fame the age of 19 in 2001, when he finished runner-up in the ...
; 2002
* Nathan Morris
*
Brodie Young
''Big Brother 2002'', also known as ''Big Brother 2'', was the second season of the Australian reality television series '' Big Brother''. The season started on 8 April 2002, and ended on 1 July 2002, lasting 86 days. Big Brother 2002 was similar ...
; 2003
*
Regina Bird
Regina "Reggie" Sorensen (formerly Bird; born 19 March 1974) is an Australian television personality best known for being a contestant on and winning the third and fourteenth seasons of '' Big Brother Australia'' in 2003 and 2022 respectively, ...
*
Chrissie Swan
Christina Swan (born 3 November 1973) is an Australian television and radio presenter and media personality. Swan co-hosts '' Chrissie, Sam & Browny'' on Nova 100 with Sam Pang and Jonathan Brown. In 2022, she served as a judge on '' The Mas ...
; 2004
*
Bree Amer
Bree Amer (born 17 August 1982 ) is an Australian television personality.
Biography
Amer was a contestant on ''Big Brother Australia 2004'' from the Gold Coast, in Queensland, and the first housemate of ''Big Brother Australia'' to re-enter t ...
*
Wesley Dening
Wesley Dening (born 14 July 1983) is an Australian television producer based in Los Angeles. He is the President of an international production company called WD Entertainment Group Inc. and serves as Executive Producer of Eureka Productions ser ...
*
Ryan Fitzgerald
Ryan James Fitzgerald (born 16 October 1976) is an Australian radio personality, television presenter, comedian and former Australian rules footballer. After being drafted from the South Adelaide Football Club, he made his Australian Football ...
; 2005
*
Tim Brunero
Tim Brunero (born 1976) is known to the Australian television-viewing public as the runner-up of ''Big Brother Australia 2005''.
Brunero visited East Timor in November 2005 for APHEDA, also known as Union Aid Abroad. Hann, BelleFrom housemate ...
Greg Greg is a masculine given name, and often a shortened form of the given name Gregory. Greg (more commonly spelled " Gregg") is also a surname.
People with the name
*Greg Abbott (disambiguation), multiple people
*Greg Abel (born 1961/1962), Canadi ...
and David Mathew
; 2006
*
Danielle Foote
Danielle Foote, born 8 June 1987 in Adelaide, is an Australian former reality series star and business person. She appeared on ''Big Brother Australia 2006'' and lived in Sydney. Her debut single, a cover of Underworld
The underworld, also ...
*
Krystal Forscutt
Krystal Forscutt (married name Krystal Hipwell) is an Australian former model and reality television contestant. Since then she has gone into work as a waitress and as a personal trainer.Jamie McDonald
; 2008
* Craig Barnett
*
Michael Crafter
Michael Crafter is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and entertainment manager. His music career began as lead vocalist for I Killed the Prom Queen. He is the vocalist of Confession, and former vocalist of Carpathian, xAll It Cost Was ...
Daniel Gorringe
Daniel Gorringe (born 2 June 1992) is an Australian media personality and former professional Australian rules footballer who played for and .
After being drafted from the Norwood Football Club, he made his Australian Football League debut for ...
Jess Trend
Jessica Trend (born 1 July 1991) is an Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition. She was also part of Fremantle's squad for a season, but was on the inactive list and didn't play. She al ...
See also
*
List of Australian television series
Future shows
Seven
* ''The 1% Club'' (Seven Network game show 2023–)
* ''Apartment Rules'' (Seven Network reality 2023–)
* '' Animals Aboard with Dr Harry'' (Seven Network reality 2023–)
* ''Armchair Experts'' (Seven Network sports ...