Big Brother (Australian TV series)

Original Network Ten series

The first Australian series began to broadcast on 23 April 2001. It was hosted by Gretel Killeen 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 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 provided narration and voice-overs for all eight seasons.

Cancellation

Big Brother Australia was axed by Network Ten 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, Seven, 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 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.

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. 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 revival

On 9 September 2011, it was reported and later confirmed that the Nine Network had signed a deal with Southern Star Group 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.

On August 8, 2015, after months of speculation, Nine confirmed that the Big Brother house had been dismantled, and that they had formally 'rested' the format. This does not mean that the show may not return in future years, though, as Nine have rights until 2016. Then a few days later, Dreamworld had confirmed that the house had not been dismantled. On 27 September 2015, it was reported that Nine was "in talks" with Endemol Shine for Big Brother to air in late 2016.

Format

Big Brother Australia is based on the international Big Brother series produced by Endemol in the Netherlands which began in 1999. The show's name comes from George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), which revolves around a dystopia in which dictator Big Brother is the all-seeing leader. The series generally constitutes 14 or more contestants who live in an isolated house for several months. Housemates are at all times under the control of Big Brother, a rule enforcing authority figure who monitors behaviour of the housemates, set tasks and punishments and provides the mechanism for contestants to make external requests.

Housemates must remain in the house at all times, and avoid being evicted by viewers of the show with the aim of winning 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 on matters such as wanting to leave the house, all participants have access to the Big Brother psychologist Carmel Hill, and a doctor, at all times.

Housemates are filmed 24 hours per day with edited highlights broadcast during prime time slots every evening.

Prize money

The winner of Big Brother Australia receives a cash prize for being the last remaining housemate.

In Big Brother 2001, Big Brother 2002, and Big Brother 2003, the cash prize stood at a guaranteed A$250,000. In Big Brother 2004, the prize money was raised to a guaranteed $1,000,000. Big Brother 2005 and Big Brother 2006 both continued to offer the $1,000,000 prize money, however, with the introduction of the fines system. The winner of Big Brother 2005 received $836,000 in prize money, while the winner of Big Brother 2006 received $426,000 as a result of the fines system. Housemates in Big Brother 2005 and Big Brother 2006 were given opportunities to regain lost prize money in special Friday Night Live events named: The Prize Fight. Big Brother 2007 was advertised as having no prize money available to the winner of that series. Later, when the series began, it was revealed that prize money could be accumulated upon the successful completion of tasks. The prize money at the end of the series stood at $450,000. In Big Brother 2008, the prize money was not mentioned until halfway through the series, eventually being revealed as $250,000. In Big Brother 2012, the prize fund was not mentioned until the end of the second week when the prize was revealed as a guaranteed $250,000.

In the only celebrity version of the show, Celebrity Big Brother 2002, the winner was awarded $100,000 to the charity of their choice.

Fines

Big Brother 2005 introduced a fines system in which the $1,000,000 cash prize was decreased by $5,000 each time a housemates violated a rule of Big Brother. The house used for the 2006 season featured a Punishment Room, where housemates would sometimes be sent to be punished in addition to the $5,000 fine. In Big Brother 2007, 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 2012 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.

Nominations

A fundamental and strongly-enforced rule of Big Brother Australia is that nominations, and the use of the Twist, are not to be discussed at all. Specifically, all housemates are forbidden from disclosing to other housemates who they have previously nominated, who they plan to nominate in the future, or who their Twist has been used on; and they must not engage in conjecture about who may attract nomination votes and why. These discussions are banned and are deemed collusion by Big Brother, as they may give housemates a competitive advantage. Breaking this rule incurs fines, punishment, or loss of the right to nominate in the following round.

During the Big Brother 2007, the winner of Friday Night Live competition and their chosen companion were permitted to privately discuss who they planned to nominate in the Rewards Room.

Halfway through Big Brother 2008, a purpose-built Nominations Room was introduced. This was where housemates were allowed to discuss who they wanted to nominate.

In Big Brother 2012, the housemates nominated differently. They were allowed to nominate using a total of five points, but could only use these points on two of their fellow housemates.

In the 11th season the rules were slightly altered due to the pairs twist in play. Housemates would nominate, be nominated as a pair, however they would not be evicted as a pair. The pair with the lowest save vote from the public vote would have a house vote where housemates stand behind the person they wish to stay. Also housemates could talk about nominations to their partner. This rule was only in play for the first week.

Intruders

Every series of Big Brother Australia usually includes "Intruders". Intruders are new housemates added to the house by the show's producers as an ongoing housemate after the series has started. They are eligible to win the final prize.

Location

The purpose built Big Brother house is located at 27°51′32″S 153°18′53″E within Dreamworld, a theme park in Coomera, a northern suburb of the Gold Coast in Queensland.

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 remodeled 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.

Footage from the house is monitored and edited in Dreamworld Studios, There is also an open-air auditorium where the live audience shows, such as the eviction and finale episodes, are staged.

During production on the series, visitors could access the Big Brother auditorium and view live footage from the house. This feature was, however, discontinued with the start of the ninth series.

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.

In November 2009, the house was opened to the public as a function room.

On 22 February 2012, it was confirmed that Dreamworld will be used again as the location for the ninth series.

In August 2012, a second Gold Coast house was featured in the series for a two-week period, as part of a prank played on the 2012 Housemates. The Housemates were led to believe they were competing with a second 'Big Brother' house, referred to as 'House One' (leading the real Housemates to believe they were in fact staying in 'House Two'). Scenes from the fictitious second house were recorded at a waterfront holiday house situated in the suburb of Paradise Point, called Paradise at the Point.

The home has become a popular accommodation choice for fans of the show visiting the Gold Coast.

Theme music

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. 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 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 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 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.

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.

After the 2005 series, complaints prompted the Australian Communications and Media Authority 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 two occasions: the airing of housemate Michael massaging Gianna with his penis exposed, and the song about sexual fetishes. 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.

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 assaulting, "Turkey slapping" female housemate, Camilla Halliwell, in a season of the series that had already attracted significant controversy. 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 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 John Howard 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 and Senator Steve Fielding supported this view. Queensland Premier Peter Beattie 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, there has been a high number of individuals each season who come from a modelling background which has alienated them from the public audience.

Other media

On 8 July 2003, a DVD entitled Big Brother: Unseen/Uncut/Unreal 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 differ to Australia'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.

Notable contestants