In 2020, Big Brother returned to Australian screens with a new voice, new format and new house filled with a modern melting pot of housemates. The season reached a total video audience of 1.385 million and smashed 7plus records.
This year, there’s more to Big Brother’s house than meets the eye in a new season that will air Monday, April 26th on Channel Seven.
In the first week, 20 housemates will enter the Big Brother house where they’ll live together for more than 60 days, cut off from the outside world, with cameras and microphones recording their every move 24 hours a day.
These housemates think they know Big Brother, but with new rules and twists in a house full of secrets, they’ll have to think on their feet and play the game hard if they want to make it to the end.
Big Brother’s House Tasks are back to surprise, torture, and delight the housemates as they try to secure rewards.
Housemates will also compete in Nomination Challenges in The Basement and new challenge arena, The Yard, to win the power to nominate their fellow housemates for eviction.
There’ll be an eviction every episode in which housemates will individually vote to decide who will leave the house. Big Brother host Sonia Kruger will use these eviction ceremonies to interrogate the housemates about their strategies, motives and alliances, as well as unpack all the gossip from inside the house.
Ultimately, three housemates will be left standing and, in a live Grand Final television event, Australia will vote to determine who deserves to win Big Brother and the $250,000 prize.
Big Brother 2021 Facts
• The custom-built Big Brother house at Sydney’s North Head required a massive refurbishment to accommodate additional secret rooms and new challenge arena, The Yard.
• Big Brother worked with the Harbour Trust to access the underground tunnel system at North Head, which features in his first secret mission.
• The house features sustainable plantation timber and LED lighting to reduce energy consumption, which were repurposed from other sets.
• There are two living green walls at the house, outside and inside, with herbs for use in the kitchen.
• Water saving measures include shower time limits and toilets flushed with rainwater. There are no hairdryers allowed, however hair straighteners and electric shavers are ok.
• Housemates are not allowed to sleep during the day. Big Brother controls when the bedroom lights are switched on and off.
• Housemates are provided with basic rations such as plain flour, milk, olive oil, butter, potatoes and yoghurt, equating to approximately $8.00 and 1,300 calories per person, per day. Rations across the season include more than 300 cans of chickpeas and cannellini beans, 250 cans of tuna, 1,000 eggs and 14kg of oats.
• Housemates must successfully complete Big Brother’s House Tasks to earn shopping money for “luxury” grocery items and other food rewards.
• Housemates are responsible for their own washing, cleaning and recycling.
• Housemates can enter the house with one suitcase of clothing and personal belongings – everything else is allocated to them by Big Brother.
• There are 65 cameras in the house, including GoPros and purpose-built set cameras.
• More than 100 crew worked on the series.
The Host
Speaking about the new series, host Sonia Kruger said:
“It was great to see Australia embrace Big Brother in such a huge way [last year]. I think we were all excited to witness his mischief and surprises again. However, I suspect he went easy on the housemates last year, so hold on because we’re in for a bumpy ride in 2021.
“To get to the end of the game, housemates need the ability to read a room quickly and adapt. They have to be able to keep secrets and yet appear to be open and honest. They need to play all sides and somehow remain Switzerland. In short, they need to have all the attributes of a politician.
“Every episode our feelings and thoughts about each housemate changes and you tend to fall in and out of love with them across the series. For me, that’s what makes it so interesting as it reinforces you can never judge a book by its cover. We get to see who the housemates really are and by the end, someone will have made a mark on our hearts either because of their gameplay, their personality or both. But who wins? You decide!”
The Housemates
Ari, 22, NSW
Carlos, 39, WA
Charlotte, 24, QLD
Christina, 22, VIC
Christopher, 37, QLD
Daniel, 48, VIC
Jess, 28, VIC
Katie, 27, NSW
Lillian, 26, NSW
Marley, 26, VIC
Mary, 56, VIC
Max, 29, QLD
Melissa, 33, SA
Michael, 29, WA
Mitchell, 26, QLD
Nicholas, 29, SA
Renata, 45, SA
Sarah Jane, 66, NSW
Sid, 34, WA
Tilly, 21, NSW
See More: Big Brother 2021: Everything you need to know about the housemates
Think you know Big Brother’s game? Think again. There’s more than meets the eye. Big Brother is produced by Endemol Shine Australia for the Seven Network.