Celebrity Big Brother (American TV series)
Celebrity HouseGuests compete in a condensed Big Brother season.
Celebrity Big Brother, also known as Big Brother: Celebrity Edition, is an American reality television spin-off of the Big Brother format created by John de Mol Jr. The series premiered on February 7, 2018, on CBS and is simulcast in Canada on Global, with Julie Chen Moonves reprising her role as host. It features celebrity contestants living in the Big Brother House for a condensed month-long competition, with a reduced grand prize of $250,000 compared to the parent series.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Reality television
- Based on
- Big Brother, John de Mol Jr.
- Presenter
- Julie Chen Moonves
- Starring
- Celebrity Big Brother houseguests
- Voices
- Don Wollman
- Narrator
- Clayton Halsey
- Theme music
- David Vanacore, Ken Berry
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Format
The series is a game show in which a group of celebrity contestants, called HouseGuests, live in a custom-built set known as the Big Brother House under constant video surveillance. They are completely isolated from the outside world, with no phone, television, Internet, magazines, newspaper, or contact with those outside the House, though this rule may be broken in cases of medical injury, family emergency, or death. The format is seen as a social experiment, requiring HouseGuests to interact with others who may have differing ideals, beliefs, and prejudices. HouseGuests may quit the game freely but cannot return, and rule-breaking can lead to expulsion. The grand prize is $250,000, with the runner-up receiving $50,000, and viewers vote for America's Favorite HouseGuest for a $25,000 prize. Periodically, a HouseGuest is evicted. Each round begins with a competition for Head of Household, who gains luxuries such as a private bedroom and immunity from nominations, and must nominate two fellow HouseGuests for eviction. The Head of Household cannot compete in the next Head of Household competition except during the final round. The Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other HouseGuests selected by random draw compete for the Power of Veto, which allows saving one nominee; if used, the Head of Household must nominate another HouseGuest.
Production
After the British version of Big Brother succeeded on Channel 4, the network collaborated with the BBC for the first British season of Celebrity Big Brother in aid of Comic Relief, running eight days with six British celebrities. A second British season aired on Channel 4 in November 2002, and after a two-year break, the third season in 2005 became a regular staple alongside the regular British version, featuring celebrities from outside the UK. American actor Gary Busey won the fourteenth British season in summer 2014, becoming the first American to win Celebrity Big Brother in the UK. An American version had been speculated since 2002, with Julie Chen and then CBS CEO Leslie Moonves revealing talks as far back as Big Brother 2. Rumors suggested a fall airing after Big Brother 3 with Howard Stern as a possible Houseguest; Chen stated Paris Hilton agreed to participate and Roseanne Barr initially agreed but backed out. Barr later appeared on the British spin-off Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack in 2008. On September 7, 2017, Julie Chen announced during a live double eviction episode of Big Brother 19 that Celebrity Big Brother would air in winter before the twentieth season.
Broadcast and coverage
The main television coverage of Celebrity Big Brother airs on CBS over thirteen episodes per season, alongside the late-night show Celebrity Big Brother: After Dark. Live Internet video feeds from the House are available through Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access during the first two seasons), though CBS does not webcast competitions, nomination or eviction processes, slanderous statements, or copyrighted music. The series introduced "Big Brother Bot" (renamed "Big BroBot" for the first season) available through Facebook, Kik, and Skype, allowing viewers to participate in quizzes, polls, ask questions, get highlights, and cast votes affecting the game. The show maintains social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter. The series is simulcast in Canada on Global, and the first season aired in Australia on 9Go! under the title Celebrity Big Brother U.S., with episodes broadcast on a delay and uploaded to 9Now shortly after the American airing.
Reception
The first season of Celebrity Big Brother received media attention for the inclusion of Omarosa Manigault and her discussions about her time in the Trump administration. Reed Gaudens of Fansided reviewed the series premiere positively, noting it "could either be so bad it’s good or just plain bad. Thankfully, it’s the former," while saying the HouseGuests "weren’t exactly the famous faces we anticipated." Andy Dehnart of Reality Blurred was more critical, observing that most season one HouseGuests had previously appeared on other reality shows like Dancing with the Stars and The Celebrity Apprentice, though in a post-season review he called the first season a "delight" compared to a season of Big Brother. The series premiere drew 7.27 million viewers with a 1.8/7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, the highest since Big Brother 13. The first season finale on February 25, 2018, had 5.2 million viewers with a 1.4/5 rating, finishing second behind the Olympics closing ceremony, and the season averaged 5.04 million viewers per episode. The second season premiere had 5.36 million viewers with a 1.4/6 rating, its eighth episode hit a low of 3.28 million viewers, the finale had 3.87 million viewers, and the season averaged 4.40 million viewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Celebrity Big Brother (American TV series) are there?
Celebrity Big Brother has 41 episodes across 3 seasons.
When did Celebrity Big Brother (American TV series) end?
Celebrity Big Brother last aired on 13 February 2019.
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