Big Brother is undoubtedly the most famous and successful reality format around the world. To date, there have been more than 350 seasons of the show, broadcast in over 50 countries across the globe. You may think you know all about Big Brother but not all versions are the same. Versions of the show broadcast in Canada and the US are very different from the Big Brother UK we’ve come to know and love.
Below, we take a look at some of the elements which make Big Brother… Big Brother!
Each week, housemates are required to nominate two of their fellow contestants for potential eviction, and the two or more with the most votes are nominated and face the public vote.
At various periods throughout the show’s history, the public have been asked to either vote to save (where the housemate with the fewest votes would be evicted) or vote to evict (where the housemate with the most votes would be evicted) a housemate.
The housemates are forbidden from discussing nominations, and doing so could result in punishment.
During their time in the house, housemates are given weekly tasks to perform. This includes a weekly shopping task which housemates must pass to win a luxury shopping budget. Fail, and they would be surviving on basic rations for the week.
Following the shopping task, housemates would have to compile a shopping list. In early series, this was done via a chalkboard and laminated shopping list. In later years, housemates placed their order via a tablet.
Throughout the series, some housemates have been given secret tasks that must either be completed individually or with a small group; failure to do so can result in the housemate being nominated or punished in the house.
During the show’s final week, viewers typically are asked to vote for which of the remaining housemates should win the series, and the housemate with the most votes is crowned the winner.
The prize fund up for grabs has varied throughout the series, ranging from £50,000 to £100,000.
Throughout their time in the house, housemates are required to make visits to the infamous diary room, where they can share their thoughts and feelings on their fellow housemates and life in the house.
Rules are an integral part of the Big Brother experience, and there are consequences for breaking them. You can find out more about the rules of Big Brother here.
So there you have it, everything you ever needed to know about Big Brother, or to start with at least! The one golden rule on Big Brother is to expect the unexpected, you never know what tricks BB has up his sleeve.
