Big Brother (TV Series) - History - Alterations in The Format

Alterations in The Format

• In the third UK series, "Big Brother" set live tasks for the housemates on a Saturday night in order to win treats; this was used until Series 5 of the program. The format was used in Australia in the form of Friday Night Live from Series 5 until Series 8.

• The fifth UK edition introduced the "Evil" touch, whereby the authority character "Big Brother" became almost a villain. Big Brother was establishing punishments and was proposing hard tasks and secret tricks. This was also seen in Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Pacific, Scandinavia, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, Philippines and Mexico.

• The sixth UK series introduced secret missions where housemates would be able to win luxuries if they completed a secret task set by "Big Brother".

• The eighth UK series saw an all-female house. However, two days later, one male housemate entered. The same twist was used in Big Brother 4 Bulgaria. Big Brother Africa 4 used the same twist using an all-male launch show instead of females.

• Since Big Brother 2, the UK series always opens with a twist which have included the public being able to choose the final housemate out of three possibilities (Big Brother 2), the public voting for a housemate to leave during the first week and then the housemates choosing between the two housemates with the least number of votes (Big Brother 3), First Night Nominations (Big Brother 4), Suitcase Nominations (Big Brother 5), Unlucky Housemate 13 (Big Brother 6), Big Brother Hood (Big Brother 7), an all-female House and the first inclusion of twins as contestants (Big Brother 8), the first couple to enter as housemates and set a secret task to hide their real relationship (Big Brother 9), all "housemates" really being "non-housemates" who had to earn their housemate status (Big Brother 10), a mole entering the House with an "Impossible Task" (Big Brother 11), Jackie Stallone entering a house containing her son's ex-wife (Celebrity Big Brother 3), the entrance of a non-celebrity in a celebrity edition (Celebrity Big Brother 4) and Jade Goody's family announced to be visiting. (Celebrity Big Brother 5). During Celebrity Big Brother 6, LaToya Jackson was first to enter and walked straight into the bedrooms - which are usually locked until everyone has arrived - and entered a private bedroom. She put her bag on the bed to claim it as her own; it was assumed this was pre-arranged. Terry Christian became Head of House - which had been used in the latter weeks of the previous non-celebrity series - and had to choose three housemates to face the first eviction, which the others later voted to save one of the nominees, Ben Adams, leaving Lucy Pinder and eventual winner Ulrika Jonsson to face the first eviction. In the summer series of 2009 the house at first was empty with only crates to sit on and none of the new arrivals were given housemate status, and had to earn it by doing tasks, some of which were minor sacrifices, the most notable were Noirin Kelly shaving off her hair and drawing a mustache and glasses on her face, which she had to do for almost three weeks until she won a chance to stop doing it, Freddie Fisher and eventual winner Sophie Reade changed their names by deedpoll to Halfwit and Dogface respectively, they were addressed by these names by Big Brother for nine weeks - although their fellow housemates could refer to them by their original names except during nominations - they were given a present by Big Brother in Week 10 to have their original names back. On Day 4 the six people who had not received housemate status were put up for a public vote, the person with the least votes - which turned out to be Beinazir Lasharie - had to leave immediately, the house was then transformed into looking like a Big Brother house. Other countries such as Bulgaria and the United States (and previously Australia) have now started using these opening night twists.

• The fifth UK edition introduced "Fake evictions" where one or two housemates are "evicted"; however, unbeknownst to the housemates, they have in fact not been evicted. The housemate/s usually are put into a secret house where numerous twists happen. In the eighth UK Series one housemate was evicted, interviewed, and then sent straight back into the house. The housemates in the house got to see everything live, though.

• In France and Canada, the format has been developed using couples. 12 single people stay in the same house until only the winning couple is left.

• Big Brother U.S. currently uses a different set of rules that began with the second season (the first season used the traditional format). Nominations are done by one houseguest, the Head of Household (HoH) and the houseguests vote for which nominee to evict, not the viewers. The third season introduced the Power of Veto, where a houseguest can save a nominee causing the Head of Household to name a replacement nominee. It's been adapted in Brazil and Africa and since then some countries modified their nomination rules.

• The eighth American season introduced "America's Player," a houseguest that is given assignments, unknown to the other houseguests, through votes from the viewing public. Included in the public voting is which nominated houseguest America's Player should vote off and campaign to get evicted. (Dan was "America's Player" on Big Brother 10 (U.S.). This was also seen in the second Teen Edition, third regular season, fourth regular season and fourth Teen Edition of the Philippine version as the "House Player."

• The third Dutch edition introduced the notion of "The Battle," in which the house is separated into a luxurious half and a poor half, with two teams of housemates constantly fighting for time in the luxurious half. Separated houses have also been used in:
  • Netherlands, 2001 and Netherlands, 2002, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Poland, 2002, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • UK, 2002, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor (effective from the 3rd to 6th week).
  • Australia, 2003, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Round House and Square House (effective until Day 22).
  • Denmark, 2003, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Germany, 2003, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Greece, 2003, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Norway, 2003, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Spain, 2004, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Germany, 2004-2005, The Housemates lived in a house with 3 areas: Rich, Normal and Survivor.
  • Scandinavian Peninsula, 2005, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Norwegian House and Swedish House (effective on the 1st week).
  • Germany, 2005-2006, The Housemates lived in a village with 3 houses. Rich, Normal and Poor.
  • Slovakia, 2005, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Italy, 2006, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • UK, 2007, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Masters (Luxurious area) and Servants (Basic area) (effective from the 3rd to 6th day).
  • Italy, 2007, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Normal and Dump.
  • Spain, 2008, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: House Big Brother Season 10 and House Big Brother Season 1 (effective to 4th week).
  • Germany, 2008, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Slovenia, 2008, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Germany, 2008-2009, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Heaven and Hell.
  • UK, 2008, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Heaven and Hell (effective from the 6th to 10th week).
  • Brazil, 2009, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor (effective on the 1st week).
  • Israel, 2009, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor (effective from the 4th to the 8th week).
  • Spain, 2009-2010, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Normal house and Spy house (effective to 6th week).
  • Finland, 2009, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Paradise and Slum (effective from the 2nd to 10th week).
  • Philippines, 2009, there are two separate group of housemates who lived in two different houses: House A (Antoni Gaudí architectural design inspired) and House B (Vincent van Gogh paintings inspired). (Effective until the 9th week; each two sets of housemates compete each other for the weekly allowance. Two nominees from each house are nominated every week. The lowest number of votes is evicted. House B was reopened on the 16th week as part of a season twist).
  • U.S., 2009-present: Houseguests had to compete to become Haves or Have Nots. Have Nots were required to sleep in the Have Not Bedroom, which contained simply a large metal bed with a thin pillow and blanket for Season 11; but in Season 12 they were forced to sleep on a lawn chair. Have Nots were only able to eat slop and could only take cold showers. Big Brother 13 (U.S.)'s Have Not Room looked like an insane asylum padded room type room and the Have Nots for the week were forced to keep the lights on 24/7. In season 14, the houseguests had to sleep in the most "twisted" room yet, the beds are at a 360-degree angle with a metal bed with spikes (not sharp or harmfull though) and the walls look like a maze.
  • Serbia, VIP 2010, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Albania, 2010, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Rich and Poor.
  • Philippines Teen 3, 2010, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: The Villa and The Apartment.
  • Spain, 2010, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Normal house and Future house (effective to 6th week). Then the Normal house became "La Casa Repesca" where ex-housemates competing to become housemates of the future Big Brother.
  • Africa, 2010, The Housemates lived in the house without knowing that Evicted Housemates were exiled in the Barn where they watched the house and the Barnmates were able to nominate the housemates living in the house without the Housemates knowing. (Effective for 63 days from Day 14 to Day 77)
  • Africa, 2011, The Housemates lived in two houses, Heads & Tails. (Effective for 50 days from Day 7 to Day 57)
  • Ex-Yugoslavia, 2011, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Luxurious and Dump.
  • Philippines, 2011, Housemates are living in four Houses: Slums (Effective from Day 1 to Day 22), Industrial House (Effective from Day 8 to Day 77), Luxury House/Mansion (Effective from Day 18), and the Hacienda (Effective from Day 128).
  • Africa, 2012, The Housemates lived in a house with 2 areas: Upville and Downville. The seven celebrity contestants entered in Upville while the other 30 entered in the Downville. After surviving an eviction, the remaining housemate(s) enter the Upville house.
  • India, 2012, A secret village themed house (effective from Week 6) was built adjacent to the main house where initially three housemates lived - One wild card and two evicted housemates.

• In Germany a new version of the show started: Big Brother - Das Dorf (Big Brother - The Village). It was the sixth season and started the same day season 5 ended. This was the first version supposed to run for years (without a predetermined end). It was set in a small artificial village including a church tower, a marketplace, 3 houses, 3 working areas (farm, car garage, dressmaking, a match arena, a pub, a fitness room, and later a small hotel, into which celebrities from the real world could move). The season ended after 363 days in February 2006 because of low ratings. In season seven, RTL II switched back to a traditional version.

• The fourth Greek season introduced a new element: the mother. In Big Mother, nine housemates take part in the game with their mothers, with whom they must coexist during the contest. The "mamas" were not able to win the prize but they would stay with their children until their eviction. However, this proved to be a failure with the show's audience and the show switched back to the traditional Big Brother format in mid-season. This concept, in modified form, was used in the second Philippine Teen edition, wherein the guardians. The housemates' kins had a separate winner.

• In the tenth week of Seventh UK season, the housemates were paired with their "best friend" in the house and had to nominate and face eviction as couples. The ninth American season took this format and added a romantic aspect, by pairing the Housemates up and having them compete as couples chosen by their compatibility to each other.

• The ninth Brazilian season featured the "Bubble," a glass house built inside a shopping mall in Rio de Janeiro where 4 housemate-wannabes lived for a week until 2 of them were voted to enter the actual household. Later in the same season, a new "Bubble" was built inside the Big Brother household, with another 2 housemates living inside it for a week until they were voted in and the glass house dismantled.

• Introduced in the fifth season of the American series, several countries have included twins, and in some cases triplets, in their shows. Series that have used Housemates who are twins or triplets are:
  • U.S., 2004, Adria Montgomery-Klein and Natalie Montgomery-Carroll, 7th (Adria) and 8th (Natalie) Evicted, Used Name: "Adria."
  • Australia, 2005, David and Greg Matthew, 14th Evicted (David) and Winner (Greg, although the prize money was split), Used Name: "Logan" (Middle name of both Twins).
  • Germany, 2005-2006, Beate and Birgit, 26th Evicted (Beate) and 33rd Evicted (Birgit).
  • Bulgaria, 2006, Lyubov, Nadejda, and Vyara Stancheva, 7th (Nadejda) and 9th (Vyara) Evicted, Winner (Lyubov), Used Name: "Vyara."
  • UK, 2007, Amanda and Sam Marchant, 2nd Place (both were treated separately until Day 68 when they became one). They were then known in the media as Samanda
  • France, 2007, Marjorie, Cyrielle and Johanna Bluteau, Winners (They competed as a team).
  • Spain, 2007, Conchi and Pamela De Los Santos, 2nd Place.
  • Poland, 2007, Aneta and Martyna Bielecka, 4th Evicted (They were discovered as twins), Used Name: "Martyna."
  • India, 2008, Sana and Alina, 4th Evicted (Sana was introduced as Alina but the housemates soon found her to be different person and both were out at the eviction)
  • Israel, 2008, Leon and Boris Schneiderovsky, 1st Evicted (Boris) and 5th Place (Leon).
  • Africa, 2009, Edward and Erastus Moongo, 7th Evicted (Erastus) and 3rd Place (Edward).
  • Serbia, 2009 Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro, Admir and Enis Mujabašić, and Violeta and Kristina Raleva.
  • Philippines, 2009, Kenny & Toffi Santos and JM & JP Lagumbay. The twins in each set originally must switch roles when instructed (only true with the Santos twins after JP's exit, but JM must still assume JP's identity when instructed). JP voluntary exited and JM along with the Santos Twins were forcibly evicted.
  • Portugal, 2010, Renato and Mário Lima. They have to take turns in the house without the other housemates discover that they are twins. If they succeed they become two housemates, if they don't, both will be up for eviction and one of them will leave. The name used during the turns is Renato. The secret was found on Day 2 and therefore both are up for eviction. On Day 4 Mário was evicted, being the first housemate evicted on the series. Renato was the 5th housemate evicted, on Day 28.
  • Israel, 2011, Rinat and Shiran Guitter, 4th Evicted (Shiran) and 5th Evicted (Rinat).
  • France, 2011, Zarko and Zelko, the Master of the underground,7th Evicted (Zarko)and Zelko is 2nd plce
  • UK, 2011, Jedward, joined as one housemate finishing in 3rd Place.
  • Ukraine, 2011, Nazar and Taras, enter in the house on Day 42, Taras is Walked on day 57,13th Evicted (Nazar)
  • Argentina, 2011, Fabricio & Leonardo and Jesica & Jimena, enter in the house on Day 10 in House 2. Jesica & Jimena (Evicted Day 17), Fabricio Walked on day 47, Leonardo was 6th Evicted.
  • UK, January 2012, Karissa and Kristina Shannon, joined as one housemate finishing in 5th Place.
  • Philippines Teen 4, 2012, Jai and Joj Agpangan, playing as one housemate (effective Day 8),4th place.
  • Portugal, 2012, Daniela and Nicole. In the beginning of the show was revealed that only one of them would become a housemate and that the decision was to be made by both of them. At the end of the show was revealed that both of them would be at the house but they would play as one. They are the accomplice of La Voix.
• A variation of the above twist was done in the second Celebrity Edition of the Philippine version wherein two housemates related by profession or as familial relationships are considered as 2-in-1 housemates wherein they were to play as one housemate until an appointed time.
• In Celebrity Hijack UK evicted housemates were given the opportunity to affect the house one last time and had to choose if a "ninja" delivered good or bad gifts to the house. Later that year Big Brother Australia 2008 introduced the 'Housemate Hand Grenade,' where the evicted housemate was given the power to decide which housemate receives a big brother devised penalty.
• Big Brother 5 Bulgaria, which started in early 2010 introduced a new family format - Big Brother Family. For the very first time whole families entered the House with their spouses, children and relatives. They received a salary for their stay and the winning family will receive a big cash prize, a car and an apartment.
• The eleventh American season featured "Pandora's Box" and has been in the game from Seasons 11-14 which features the winning HoH being tempted into opening the box, the temptations can include money, a celebrity visit, or alone time with a loved one, but if an HoH chooses to open Pandora's Box, there is also a consequence that comes with it. For example, in Big Brother 11, an HoH was tempted by opening the box to release ten thousand dollars into the house, the HoH chose to open the box, in which resulted the HoH being locked into the box as the money was released for the other houseguests to claim. In Big Brother 12, an HoH was tempted to open the box by being presented with the "Diamond Power of Veto" which was for the HoH to use within two weeks and if the HoH chose to use the power on themselves or someone else, they can then immediately nominate a new houseguest, the HoH took the power but resulted the a consequence into the house (see below). In Big Brother 13, the HoH was presented with Tori Spelling a well known celebrity, the HoH was also shown clothes, in which the HoH thought they would get a shopping spree with Tori. They opened the box and then was locked into the box as Tori entered the house, spent time with the other houseguests and also got a shopping spree. In Big Brother 14 the HoH was tempted to open the box by being presented a money room and the HoH had to choose three boxes that all had different money amounts (from $0.01 to $5,000), the HoH did open the box which resulted quarters being released into the house. The quarters were to be used for an arcade claw machine in the house which had a second Power of Veto inside of it. Since the debut of Pandora's Box in Big Brother 11, no HoH has declined to open the box since Big Brother 14.
• The twelfth American season featured a Saboteur who entered the house to "wreak havoc on their fellow Houseguests", with tasks suggested by viewers. The Big Brother Saboteur will not be eligible to win the game, but will be able to receive financial reward if they can reach the halfway point of the game. However, the Saboteur was evicted in the first week by the houseguests, therefore losing the possible reward. Later in the same season, Big Brother announced that a new Saboteur may be unleashed in the house by Pandora's Box (see above), and America voted on who they wanted the new Saboteur to be, and if they accept the offer, they have to act out two weeks of havoc in the house and if successful for those two weeks, he or she will earn a financial reward.
• Big Brother Africa 6 in 2011 is the first season of Big Brother in the world to have 2 winners, each getting $200,000.
• The thirteenth American season introduced "Dynamic Duos" for the first time, where 8 new houseguests would enter the house with 3 duos from seasons past. The 8 new contestants would pair up, and all 7 teams of 2 would compete. If a contestant's partner won Head of Household, they would be immune for that week. The Head of Household would nominate one duo for eviction, and the power of veto could save one duo from the block. If someone's partner got evicted, the surviving partner would receive the big brother golden key, where they were immune from all evictions until there were 10 players left. Those players with the golden key would not be eligible to compete in any competitions. The final 10 marked the end of the twists. It later returned for week 8 only after the HoH opened Pandora's Box.
• The fourth Philippine season features Unli-Day and Unli-Night, where two separate groups of housemates will be covered by two separate main programs.
• The fourth Philippine season introduced reserved housemates, a number of shortlisted auditionees who are given a chance to be an official housemate by completing several tasks by Big Brother. This is also used in Argentina's seventh season.
• The Philippine version has introduced the 100 Seconds session in which housemates are given a chance to see, talk and be with their loved one for only 100 seconds inside the Confession Room. This was introduced in its first season and was later used in succeeding seasons.
• The fourteenth American season had 4 houseguests from past seasons returning to the house with 12 new houseguests. The four returning houseguests, according to producers, will play their own game for a separate prize of $100,000. On Day 1, the four houseguests were told they will be "coaches" and each had to selected three of the new 12 houseguests. Ultimately, by week two, a public vote was held if the four coaches should abandon the coaches-twist and compete with the new houseguests for the $500,000 grand prize. The winning option was for the four to return to the main game, but the coaches were the ones to make the final decision and in a 3 to 1 vote, returned to the main game and the $100,000 coach prize was dropped.