Format
Big Brother is a game show in which a group of contestants, called housemates (in Big Brother 10, contestants had to earn their housemate status), live in isolation from the outside world in a custom built "house", which includes everyday facilities such as a fully equipped kitchen, garden, bedroom, bathroom and, from 2005, a task room. The house is also a television studio with dozens of cameras and microphones in most of the rooms to record the activities of the housemates. The only place where housemates can escape the company of the other contestants is the Diary Room, where they are encouraged to voice their true feelings. Not all Diary Room footage is broadcast due to the privacy of the contestants.
Each week all housemates nominate two of their fellow contestants for potential eviction. Failure to do so may result in a punishment, such as a reduction in the prize fund. The two, or more, housemates with the highest number of nominations face a public vote conducted by phone, with the contestant receiving the most votes being evicted from the house. Occasionally more than one housemate may be evicted in a week. The last contestant remaining in the house is declared the winner and is awarded a cash prize. From 2000 to 2003, the prize fund was £70,000. From 2004 until 2010 the prize fund increased to £100,000. Since the show has been on Channel 5 the prize fund changed for both the 2011 (£50,900 won by Aaron) and 2012 (£50,000 won by Luke A as Conor McIntyre walked with the other 50k) series.
The main television coverage takes the form of a daily highlights programme.
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