''Big Brother Africa'' is the

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n version of the international reality television franchise ''Big Brother'' created by producer

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 ...

in 1997. The show was first aired in 2003 for one season on M-Net and broadcast to audiences in 42 African countries. In 2007, the show was back from four-year hiatus, until it got cancelled after season nine in 2014. The African version initially involved 12 countries within Africa (

Angola , national_anthem = "Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordinat ...

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kal ...

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and Tog ...

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northe ...

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The ...

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...

) with two countries (

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

and

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

) being added in season 4 and two other countries (

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast� ...

and

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierr ...

) being added in season 7 while

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

was added in season 9. Each country provides at least one contestant living in an isolated house while trying to avoid being evicted by viewers and ultimately winning a large cash prize at the end of the show. The show is co-produced by Endemol South Africa. A special edition of the ''Big Brother Africa'' franchise called ''Big Brother Titans'' was announced and will premiere on 15 January 2023. It faces off brand-new contestants from South Africa and Nigeria.

Series details

Big Brother Africa 1

The first season of Big Brother Africa, featuring 12 housemates from 12 African countries, premiered to audiences in 42 African countries on Sunday 25 May 2003, and ended on 7 September of the same year, lasting 106 days. It was the first time in the world that the internationally famous program will be created using participants of different nationalities from one continent. Mark Pilgrim was the host.

Big Brother Africa 2

The second season of Big Brother Africa, featuring 12 housemates from 12 African countries, premiered 5 August 2007, and ended on 11 November of the same year, lasting 98 days. The show returned from its four-year hiatus, with a brand new host, KB Ngakane.

Big Brother Africa 3

The third season of Big Brother Africa, featured 12 housemates from 12 African countries, premiered 24 August 2008, and ended on 23 November of the same year, lasting 91 days. KB returned as host.

Big Brother Africa 4: Revolution

The fourth season of Big Brother Africa, featured 25 housemates from 14 African countries. The season premiered 6 September 2009, and ended on 6 December of the same year, lasting 91 days. This year, Ikponmwosa "IK" Osakioduwa took over as the new host. It was the first season featuring more than 12 contestants. It was also the first time 14 countries participated.

Big Brother Africa 5: All-Stars

Big Brother Africa 5 started on 18 July 2010, and ran for 91 days until 17 October 2010. This was an all-star series which featured 14 former Big Brother Africa contestants. For the second time, IK was the host. The winner was

Uti Nwachukwu Uti Nwachukwu (, born 3 August 1982) is a style icon, TV personality, actor and the co-host of the Nigerian show Jara. He is a native of Ndokwa, Aboh Kingdom, Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. Early life Uti is the la ...

a. k. a uti

Big Brother Africa 6: Amplified

The sixth season of Big Brother Africa, tagged "Amplified" ran for 91 days from 1 May 2011 to 31 July the same year. Bringing together 26 housemates from 14 African countries, M-Net co-partnered with

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance bar, temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pembe ...

for the series. IK returned as host. This season is the first ever series of Big Brother in the world to have 2 winners; Karen Igho from

and Wendall Robert Parson from

. One of the notable housemates in this season was Zimbabwean actress, model and TV personality, Vimbai Mutinhiri.

Big Brother Africa 7: StarGame!

The seventh season of Big Brother Africa premiered to viewers in 47 African countries on Sunday 6 May 2012 and ran for 91 days until 5 August 2012. Live performances were made by

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 ...

rapper

J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...

during the opening ceremony. The show was once again headline sponsored by

and hosted by IK. This season, the cash prize was raised to US$ 300,000. A new rule called ''Double-Up'' was introduced to the show. This means that entrants partnered with other people to enter as a pair.

and

were represented in the house for the first time ever, while

was not represented in this season, and contestants from

were expected to take on a new role that was not announced, the idea was dropped and replaced with seven celebrity housemates making it a ''Stargame'' themed series. This season featured a ''record breaker'', for the first time ever in the worldwide history of big brother, ''35 housemates'' went into the big brother house on launch night. From 14 African countries the 35 contestants constituted 14 pairs called ''BBFs'' (Big Brother Friends) and seven ''VIP'' celebrity housemates. Keagan Pietersen from South Africa was crowned the winner of the $300 000 cash prize on 5 August 2012 during the 2 hours 20 minutes finale.

Big Brother Africa 8: The Chase

The eighth season of Big Brother Africa aired in 2013 titled ''The Chase''. M-net's Africa Magic confirmed the return of the series on 18 December 2012. The season premiered Sunday 26 May 2013 with 28 housemates from 14 African countries and lasted for 91 days ending on Sunday 25 August 2013.

returned as the fourteenth participating country in the show, replacing

. IK returned as host of the series. Airtel took over the role of headline sponsor becoming the official sponsor of Big Brother The Chase. Once again 2 houses are featured on BBA The Chase, "Diamond" and "Ruby". Dillish Mathews from Namibia was the winner of the $300 000 cash prize.

Big Brother Africa 9: Hot-Shots

M-net's Africa Magic announced the ninth season of Africa's top reality TV series on 26 May 2014. The show began with housemates on Sunday 7 September 2014 and ran live for 91 days, 24/7 on

Dstv Digital Satellite Television, commonly abbreviated to DStv, is a Sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice and based in Randburg, South Africa. Launched on 6 October 1995, the service provides multiple audio, ...

channels 197 and 198, ending with the series finale on 7 December 2014. The auditions were held in the same 14 countries as the previous season (The Chase) with the only exception being Angola which replaced by newcomers, Rwanda. Although Angola was the only country left out from the original 12 participating countries, it

premiered a local Angolan Portuguese version, Big Brother Angola. Additional auditions were held in Mozambique. Production of Season 9 had to be put on hold as the Big Brother house in Highlands North,

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...

burnt down. Nobody was injured in the fire. Season 9 premiered on 5 October 2014, nearby the old studio in "7th Street", where the 26 contestants entered the new house for 63 days. Tanzania's Idris Sultan emerged as the Ultimate Hotshot and the winner of the US$300,000.

References

Dillish Mathews from Namibia won BBA The Chase

External links

Official website
{{Big Brother South African reality television series M-Net original programming 2003 South African television series debuts 2003 South African television series endings 2007 South African television series debuts 2000s South African television series 2010s South African television series Television shows filmed in South Africa