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A buzz about Big Brother

Channel, host, location and a return to Dreamworld have neither been ruled in nor out. But fans are already excited.

By the looks of the online reaction late yesterday, Nine is sitting on a winner with the idea of a Big Brother revival.

The show was trending on Twitter, and there was a flood of comments to TV Tonight in a relatively short time frame.

Some of the show’s more successful graduates were also tweeting their enthusiasm:

Chrissie Swan: Yay! Big Brother back in 2012. So exciting!
Ryan Fitzgerald: I’m so going to become addicted to that show, pumped!

But nobody should be too surprised by the reaction. Big Brother always triggered a reaction, for better or worse. It was only a matter of time before somebody revived it.

Much has changed since we last saw the show in 2008. We now have multichannels, Facebook is firmly entrenched (it was all so MySpace back then) and Twitter is a phenomenon.

All of these can help the show to spring back in 2012.

The idea of the Secrets aspect, as discussed by TV Tonight in April, will bring a new element to the show. It was used successfully in Secret Story, the French version of Big Brother, following The Loft. With cash prizes on offer for discovering housemate secrets, it forces them all to engage with one another.

One of the reasons Big Brother is back in the spotlight is the success of stripped formats: The Block, MasterChef Australia, The X Factor -only The Renovators has failed on this front. If Big Brother is added to GO! at 7:00 every night, it could help lift Nine’s network share every night.

A source tells TV Tonight that most of the decisions on the show are yet to be made: channel, host, location are still to be decided. Questions about a return to Dreamworld or similar have neither been ruled in nor out.

“The economics of these sorts of shows when they work, make a lot of sense,” they said. “Look at what MasterChef has done or the first few years of Big Brother.”

For now we’ll have to sit tight as the project unfolds.

On the show’s official website there’s just the big BB eye with the words, “BigBrother.com. Coming Soon.”

64 Responses

  1. As a former bigbrother fan I’m not even prepared to give this reboot a go simply because it’s on the desperate and toxic 9. It’s not even a right fit for them. The whole thing will be weird. Despererate and pathetic 9.

  2. Please not Jules Lund or any of the other crappy Channel 9 hosts. Why can’t 9 get the picture – people Don’t like Jules Lund. Everything he does fails for a reason.

    I have a feeling James Kerley might get a gig (which I’ll be happy with – he’s funny). If not the hosting role, he’ll probably host Uplate and maybe Friday Night Live. I think that Uplate show on Go is a test for Big Brother Uplate.

  3. @jimmy…have you been to dreamworld of late…the other bigbrother houses have been demolished havent they…thats what ive been told anyway…. 9 insider is on the money…my tip will be the house being in Melbourne….

  4. I am soo excited for Big Brothers return, it has and i think always will be my favourite show to unwind and enjoy! I love getting to know the housemates.. Please bring Gretel back – she made Big Brother and it was a joke when Kyle and Jackie O hosted ,.. Kyle didn’t even know the housemates names and always called in sick!

    Yeeeww!!! So excited!!!!

  5. I look forward to the return of BB, I just hope Gretel is not the host. In the begining she was fine but in the end she acted as if she was the show and it was really off. New host please.. Someone with personality..

  6. I am personally very happy that the show is coming back and I think a new station will give the show a desperately needed new direction. I don’t think that Gretel is an integral part of the show. I suggest recycling! Let’s get a couple of former housemates to joint host it! Here’s who I think: Crissy Swan (’03) and Jamie McDonald (’07). She’s a logie winner and he has been hosting tv and radio since he left. If we can’t get Crissy then Jamie’s girlfriend in the house was Bec Dent – she’s been hosting regional video hits and we already know they work well together!

  7. There seems to be a lot of Love for Gretel out there. I cannot think of anyone who comes close. There is a lot more to this job than reading an autocue. Grab her Nine, or seven or Ten might do a spoiler and offer her a million dollers. Is’nt Ten looking for a new breakfast show host.

  8. Big Brother needs Gretal. 2008 was a case of “you don’t appreciate something until it’s gone”. It became painfully obvious that Gretal managed to hold the live shows together with her quick wit and ability to think on the spot – unlike Kyle & Jackie O who were horrible hosts. Oh how I love trash tv!

  9. I think that nine are pulling out all the stops to get top of the ratings. Bring back Friday Night Live (will pull in younger audiences) & put either Gretel Killeen, Hamish Blake & Andy Lee, Fitzy & Chrissie Swan. Also show the UK & US editions when the show is off air. Will defiantly be watching & will audition when I’m 18 in 5 years.

  10. There are few locations on the table, Melbourne and Sydney will almost certainly be the home state of the location we choose.

    Execs in Sydney were so impressed how Melbourne took The Block to the next level, so i would put my bets there.

    But everything is on the table at the moment but it wont be DreamWorld unless something dramatically changes to as it is at the moment

    Dont write off night talent too btw!

  11. Yes Andrew. Gretel was an integral part of the BB brand. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone capable of single handedly doing the live gig she did week in week out. She carried it home with wit, gusto and professionalism, cementing herself in Australian tv as a definitive queen of the IFB. She always seemed to glide over production disasters that occurred during the broadcasts making it seem as if nothing was really wrong. She also poked fun at BB himself and the sometimes slow production staff…as she steered the show back on course after one of the disasters (and there were a few…not that many would realise) She also loved encouraging mischief at any possible opportunity. If I was 9, I’d be giving her a call as anyone that works in Live tv, knows, it takes a real knack to stand on that sort of stage and run with it…

  12. @nineinsider, i hope you are joking. i really dont want a Nine personality to host! they need some new blood. If its not ganna be on the gold coast, i wonder where they’ll base it. i cant think of any popular place. maybe a Westfield shopping centre. :S

  13. I Hope Mike Goldman definetely comes Back he was the best host! Also Bring Back Gretel Killeen, Bree Amer, Fitzy and someone else whose good and popular!!!!!

    Goooo!!!!! Channel 9!!!

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