Celebrity Big Brother (British TV series)
Celebrity housemates compete for charity in isolation.
Celebrity Big Brother is a British reality show based on the Dutch format created by John de Mol Jr. in 1997. It ran from 9 March 2001 to 10 September 2018, returning on 4 March 2024. The programme isolates celebrity housemates in a custom house, with public votes evicting one each week until a winner remains. Its name comes from George Orwell’s 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Reality competition
- Based on
- Big Brother, John de Mol Jr.
- Presenter
- Davina McCall
- Brian Dowling
- Emma Willis
- AJ Odudu
- Will Best
- Narrator
- Marcus Bentley
- Theme music
- Elementfour
- Opening theme
- "Big Brother UK TV Theme"
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
History
In 2000, the reality series Big Brother premiered in the United Kingdom and became a ratings success, leading to a celebrity edition. Celebrity Big Brother aired in March 2001 as a one-time special on Channel 4 in association with the BBC's Comic Relief charity telethon, partly broadcast on BBC One, and lasted eight days, won by comedian Jack Dee. A second series premiered on 20 November 2002, concluding with Mark Owen as winner after 10 days. The show did not air for the next two years; Channel 4 aired Teen Big Brother: The Experiment in 2003 and Big Brother Panto in 2004. The third series launched on 6 January 2005, lasting eighteen days and won by Mark "Bez" Berry. The fourth edition premiered on 5 January 2006, won by Chantelle Houghton, the only non-celebrity housemate. The fifth series launched on 3 January 2007, becoming the most controversial due to accusations of racism towards housemate Shilpa Shetty by Jade Goody and others; Shetty won, Goody was evicted after two weeks. Following this controversy, Celebrity Big Brother did not air in 2008, but returned in 2009 and 2010, with the 2010 series announced as the final one.
Format
Big Brother is a game show in which a group of celebrity contestants, called housemates, live in isolation from the outside world in a custom-built house under constant video surveillance. Housemates must nominate two fellow contestants for potential eviction; the two or more with the most votes are nominated. Failure to comply can result in expulsion. During the Channel 4 broadcast, viewers voted to evict a nominated housemate, with the one receiving the most votes removed; the third series had viewers vote to save. Series 8–12 on Channel 5 had the public vote to save, and the housemate with the fewest votes was evicted. Voting is done by telephone or online. In the final week, viewers vote for which remaining celebrity should win, and the housemate with the most votes wins. Unlike the main series, celebrities compete for a charity of their choice; the third series was the only one where they competed for a prize fund for themselves. Housemates receive weekly tasks, wagering a portion of their shopping budget; they win double or lose the wagered amount based on performance. Tasks require group work, with format varying by number of housemates. Some housemates receive secret tasks to complete individually or in small groups; failure can lead to nomination or punishment. Emergency rations are available if food runs out. Housemates are forbidden from discussing nominations, with punishment for doing so. The format is seen as a social experiment, requiring interaction with those of differing ideals, beliefs, and prejudices. Housemates visit the Diary Room to share thoughts and feelings.
More in British Television Series Revived After Cancellation
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced