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Short summary

Twelve contestants, who have never met are challenged to stay in a house, cut off from any contact with the outside world for 85 days. There is a cash prize of $250,000 for the winner. The contestants are free to leave at any time, but if they do, they walk away empty-handed. Once a week the contestants nominate three members of the group for eviction, with viewers making the final decision, by way of a phone-in, of who will leave the house. Conditions inside the house are basic, but occupants earn money to supplement their rations if they all successfully complete weekly assignments, designed to test their team spirit. Over the weeks the numbers will be whittled away until eventually, one contestant will emerge victorious. In the meantime, the residents of the BIG BROTHER house have no idea of what the public thinks of them or what impact they are having on the world.

Housemate "Bree" of Season Four, became the first person in the history of Big Brother to be wrongly evicted and allowed to re-enter the house.

In seasons 4-6, the maximum prize money offered was one million dollars. Australia is the only country to offer such a prize on Big Brother. Housemate "Trevor" in season 4 is the only person to win one million dollars, as housemate fines were deducted from the prize in seasons 5 and 6.

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: Jelar
    If there was a 0 stars rating i would gladly hand it out to this absolutely horrid pile of waste. The fact that the actual summary is perfectly fine and that if it had been made different it could have been brilliant only makes it worse. The basic task of locking up a group of people in an experiment chamber is fine, but WHERES THE EXPERIMENT? All i see is a bunch of unintelligent surfers and blondes chatting about music and culture i don't know or want to know about... The challenges are pathetic and silly. The whole point of reality TV is to show REALITY. If you set a 'challenge' don't make them play with exaggerated props of food and stereotypical cultural elements in 'friday night games'. make them do an actual challenge. And as for 'earning' prize money, thats fine, if they actually earnt it! These people are nuts. If only they would make the show better, the actual idea would be glorious. But that ain't gonna happen!
  • comment
    • Author: one life
    A year or two ago I was channel-flipping late at night when, on channel 10, I stumbled across a static shot of people sleeping in a large, dimly-lit, dormitory. I lingered briefly, waiting to see which movie this rather dull establishing scene was from, but the shot just went on and on and on, with only the camera angle occasionally varying. Suddenly I realised that someone was pulling a prank, and clearly the prankster (God knows how he did it) was either overriding the channels normal transmission, or more likely, had snuck his way into the studio and was substituting this prank video for the normal program. I started laughing, and sat entranced by this brilliantly outrageous stunt, wondering when the station supervisors would notice this ratings-destroying prank, and envisioned the newspaper headlines the next day such as "Student Jams TV Station". Then after several minutes of this Warholian drivel, the station unexpectedly flipped to a commercial break. I figured that the station had discovered the prank. I was eagerly awaiting the apology for technical difficulties. Instead, after the break, the static dorm shot resumed, and I learned that this supposed student prank was actually the high-rating (!) program "Big Brother". This soul-destroying tedium WAS the program. You couldn't make up something like this. Given that this was late night filler, I checked out the prime time version with only the "highlights" included. It was just as excruciating, yet it rates well. This raises a terrifying question - just who are you freaks? What is the appeal of watching extremely ordinary people of no particular talent, accomplishment or attractiveness (indeed most are downright ugly) sitting around a lounge for hours doing precisely nothing except perhaps spouting inanities? I have read about retards who sit entranced happily playing with string for hours on end, or heroin addicts staring at their shoes all day, but watching this program is about ten levels beneath that. Lord help us.
  • comment
    • Author: Akta
    *SPOILERS - I GUESS*

    Very educational - I wasn't aware that people needed to have a cry from time to time. They can be totally fine but just want to sit down and cry for no good reason. I've never really felt the urge to have a cry unless I was very upset. I don't know anyone that has random cries.

    One day I walked into a room and my sister was watching this. I consider myself open-minded - willing to try anything. So I sat down and watched and submitted myself to the horror of watching a person explain for 10 minutes that they are completely fine and just need to have a "cry"

    This is quite honestly the worst TV show that I've ever seen. How people can consider this entertainment is beyond me. How the show producers can sleep at night is also beyond me. I try to get anyone that likes this show to read Dead Famous by Ben Elton - which deals with the whole reality buzz quite nicely. I'll finish with a quote from that book.

    "In the early days of TV they used to stick a potter's wheel on between the programmes. Now the potter's wheel is the ******* programme"
  • comment
    • Author: Nayatol
    I never watched Big Brother 1. I wanted to but it seemed boring, I had other shows and I couldn't be bothered. Now, 2004, I finally decided to start watching the 4th Season of Big Brother. And i loved it.

    The housemates were funnier, more brighter. In the snippet I saw of the other 3 BB's the housemates were dull, boring with no excitement.

    The Round up of the housemates is.

    Igor - Evicted in the first week, he was full of stories and full of himself.

    Aphrodite - Bubbly in an annoying way, a bit self absorbed.

    Trevor - An all round nice guy, who is tipped to win.

    Ashalee - A bubbly, sometimes ditzy brunette who is lovable and sweet.

    Paul - A surfer-mad dreadlocked 31 year old who loves stirring things up. Catherine - The mother hen, who is a single mother to her 2 kids.

    Terri - Total stuck up tart.

    Krystal - Nice.

    Ryan - Fryzie Rootman or Ryan whatever you call him, Ryan is crazy and loves to pull pranks but is generally good hearted.

    Merlin - The sweetest guy, he was a refugee. Made his mark by refusing to speak when evicted and wearing a "Free the Refugees" sign.

    Elle - Missed parts when she was in house.

    Wesley - One of the Blondies, Wesley is quiet but sensible. Kane - Crazy.

    Monica (Intruder)- A nice girl, who Ryan fell head over heels for.

    Violeta (intruder)- Evicted almost immediately. A bit stuck up.

    Bree- Evicted wrongly, then returned to the house. Bree is sarcastic, strong and opinionated.
  • comment
    • Author: Tetaian
    This rubbish excuse for television is the single most god-awful piece of trash ever to hit Australian television. The house-mates are dull, uninteresting, ridiculously unintelligent and are picked on the basis that you would be likely to attempt to murder them if you had to live with them. As far as I am concerned Big Brother is the decline of western society, showing how us as a society are on a steep slope to becoming brain-dead morons. Whatever happened to television that didn't target the lowest common denominator of society as an audience? This cannot be classified as entertainment. I think that it true that Channel Ten can remove your soul. It happened to Rove McManus who was once a respectable comedian and, once moving to Channel 10, become horribly unfunny. With the exception of The Simpsons which is highly intelligently made.
  • comment
    • Author: Love Me
    I have only seen one or two episodes of this utter garbage, but I feel based on that it is more than enough to review.

    Basically the premise is take a bunch of awful people and retards, place them in some house for three months and whoever comes out on top receives $250,000. No no no, no work or anything that would make people think "money well earned" it's just sitting around trying to boost ratings, all for the money.

    I will also say something right now, canceling this was the best move the 9 Network ever did. Nothing entertaining comes to ground, nothing that is in any way engaging (but that's just me). Just people sitting around talking and going through activities that make no sense.

    I have heard people ask what a meter is on this show. If they can't work that one out then this crap deserves to be canceled where it belongs.
  • comment
    • Author: Jairani
    (SPOILERS)

    Usually I'm against reality TV. I admit that I watched most of the Survivor series', but apart from that I don't like reality TV. I'd never heard of Big Brother before the 'Who Is Big Brother' special aired, introducing the housemates, but I didn't think that one TV show could have sucked me in watching their every move for three months!

    Big Brother is a very clever concept where 12 housemates (and 2 intruders) are asked to stay in a house for 3 months, cameras watching their every move, to be the last housemate to be evicted and to win the $250,000.

    Fortuantely, the producers managed to cast 12 completely different individuals. In eviction order, I'll tell you a bit about each one:

    ANDY: A South-American dominatrix who was unfairly typecast and booted out after only 2 weeks.

    SHARNA: A stroppy middle-aged tart who should have gone first. The poor old bag even thought that sweet Christina would be evicted over her, despite Sharna's many bitchy comments throughout the week she was nominated.

    TODD: The most mis-interpreted housemate. Had it not been for his early eviction, Todd would've been a house favourite.

    GORDON: Or, Flash as he's known. Had a doomed crush on Jemma, and liked to wear full red body paint. NZ guy with a cool hairstyle.

    RACHEL: An intruder, who was only in the house for 3 days. Nice girl, though.

    LISA: Labelled the "Fence Sitter" of the house. Apparently too quiet who never took part in group discussions until it was too late.

    PETER: Christina's on-again, off-again boyf who was liked by most of the housemates, and fancied by Sharna. Early on, Pete was involved in a love triangle with Christina and Blair. Pete won.

    ANITA: The second intruder. Unbeknown to the country, Anita had stopped smoking whilst in the house without any patches. This turned her into a house "bitch" who was really only liked by Sara-Marie.

    JOHNNIE: Called "Johnnie Rotten" in the early days because of his tendency to nominate housemates, and the cuddle them afterwards. He soon became a lot nicer, but the Australian voters different care.

    JEMMA: The Posh Spice of the house was known for her always-applied lip gloss and her off the shoulder tops. Became scared of Flash after his persistent hugging became too much.

    CHRISTINA: The doona-dancing ballerina of the house, was nominated 6 times before finally being evicted. I wanted her to win, because she stayed the same the whole way through. When Christmas came, so did the tears.

    SARA-MARIE: The bum-dancing bunny-ears-wearing loudmouth, was Australia's and my own favourite housemate, which is why it seems strange that she didn't end up winning. Now the most successful housemate, with a single, album, book and pyjamas.

    BLAIR: The 19 year old guy that every girl had a crush on. Best mates with Ben. Now resides in Ramsay Street, as a regular in Neighbours.

    BEN: The winner of Big Brother. Once a security guard. After the Big Brother publicity died down, Ben took his $250,000 and hid.

    As you can probably tell, Big Brother managed to quite effortlessly get me hooked. I watched Big Brother every day, Big Brother Eviction special and Big Brother Uncut every monday and the Big Brother week in review every sunday. Yes, I was fanatic.

    And as the countdown to the next series of Big Brother gets closer, my anticipation only get's higher.

    I REALLY can't wait.
  • comment
    • Author: Ynap
    Big Brother was and still is the coolest show ever. I dont get into the whole reality tv show thing but there was something about this one that i just really enjoyed. I was initially impressed by the publicity that they did and that inticed me to watch it. I really fell in love with the people (even Anita and Sharna!!!) and I still feel quite sad that the show has ended. Ben so deserved to win. I thought that Blair had it in the bag but I am immensely happy that a guy as terrific as Ben did win. He is so nice and friendly!!! I really want to audition for Big Brother 2 but I wont be old enough (I will probably not even be 17 when they hold the auditions). Oh well maybe Big Brother 4!(if there is one!)But I certainly cant wait until I WATCH Big Bro 2. They will probably be a bit more concious of the cameras but you never know what will happen with Big Brother! Gretel is very good choice for a host. Not only is she pretty but she also has a good sense of humour and can control an audience. The perfect host. I had no idea that New Zealand had a differant host?! Anyway, I will finish by sayin that big brother introduced us to some wonderful crazy characters that will remain in Autralias hearts forever!!!!! Go Big Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • comment
    • Author: WtePSeLNaGAyko
    Big Brother is probably one of the greatest shows ever to come out of Australia. (Actually I lie - there was Neighbours and there is Home and Away, Water Rats etc.). Anyway, although we are a day behind it's still thrilling watching Big Brother especially on eviction day. I think Gretel is an amazing host and a great comedienne. I've been watching from day one and seen everything from Andy's whips to Sharna spitting the dummy to the Anita vs. Blair bitch fight. By time this gets on the IMDB the winner may already have been announced and I wish them congratulations. I hope Sara-Marie wins because she's such a great person. She's funny and very normal (in the physical sense - she's... bigger than most stars if you know what I mean). Anyway great show Australia!!! and to all the housemates good luck in your careers. (Gretel, Ballerina, Blair & Flash ROCK!). And I don't think that many of the housemates realise that they are also famous in New Zealand. Pete knows as does Flash.

    BTW

    Mark Ferguson is our host in New Zealand as well as Gretel. He introduces and concludes the show so in as much sense should be credited after all it wasn't an Australian who put the Big Brother titles in... it was me, a pure bred Kiwi.
  • comment
    • Author: Mr.Twister
    I gave 10 stars to BB Australia because out of all of the BB series I have watched since 2001 (BBAUS, BBUK, CBBUK, BBUSA, BBCAN) their Big Brother is the best reality competition series (next to Survivor USA) on television as it is very entertaining. BB Australia has the best looking house mates, the nicest and funniest HMs, the best looking house/yard, the best punishments/rewards, and the best comps too. BBAUS is the only reality TV show overseas that I would pay money to watch if I were not able to view it for free on you tube. I highly recommend to any fan of other BB series to go to you tube and watch Big Brother Australia. My favorite seasons were 2004, 2007, and 2013.
  • comment
    • Author: Yannara
    I saw parts of the first two seasons out of interest and all I can say is that Big Brother is one of the worst shows on television. Following the 2002 season, I vowed never to watch any of the future seasons.

    Apart from a very small handful of contestants who seem like decent people (Peter Corbett the 2002 winner was one of the few genuinely nice guys on the show), a majority of the contestants are made up of drama queens, cry babies, badly behaved bitches, egotistical jerks, bullies, deceitful backstabbers that should never be trusted, dumb people that have somehow miraculously made it through life, and generally immoral dropkicks. I also can't believe the large amount of contestants that seemingly got their big break on the show and have got their foot into the door into their entertainment industry.

    Although a lot of people bag Big Brother, it still manages to attract a large fan base.

    Following its cancellation by Channel 10 in 2008 due to dwindling ratings, Channel 9 decided to revive the show in 2012 which made no difference whatsoever. It still attracted a large fanbase but has since decreased.

    There are rumours that Channel 9 will not be screening Big Brother in 2015 and may have since been cancelled. If this is the case, Good Riddance, and may Big Brother stay off the air for good.

    1/10.
  • comment
    • Author: Anayajurus
    I have heard of Big Brother around the world but I never knew it was this cool. This is the best show I have ever seen. Who ever thought of Big Brother is a genius. It is funny, witty, charming plus much more. You find yourself falling in love with the characters and just dying to meet them. The housemates song they wrote was just great. Losing Big Brother is going to be like losing a loved one (Reads as if I actually am!).
  • Series cast summary:
    Mike Goldman Mike Goldman - Himself - Host / - 198 episodes, 2001-2008
    Alice Redwood Alice Redwood - Herself - Housemate / - 89 episodes, 2008
    Rory Ammon Rory Ammon - Himself - Housemate 89 episodes, 2008
    Travis Keyser Travis Keyser - Himself - Housemate / - 89 episodes, 2008
    Ben McCallum Ben McCallum - Himself - Housemate 88 episodes, 2008
    Terri Munro Terri Munro - Herself - Housemate / - 84 episodes, 2008
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