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Auditions: Big Brother

A casting notice teases reality show return.... even though contracts are yet to be signed.

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Rumours around a Big Brother revival have been swirling for weeks while producers Endemol Shine Australia have been shopping the show to several networks.

As late as yesterday neither network nor production company could confirm details while numerous media reports flourished….

A casting notice for the show has now emerged, declaring “Big Brother is back. The game has changed. Are you ready to play?”

Nine most recently staged the show in 2014 and still has has right of refusal for a few more weeks (and whether that expires in time for Seven’s Upfronts on October 23 is unclear).

If Nine decides not to proceed -and that seems unlikely- Seven is interested in the show. As of yesterday no contracts had been signed at Seven, until Nine’s rights expire. But Nine also has Love Island, is it too much of the one genre?

The show would clearly help to lower the average age of Seven’s audience, which is something CEO James Warburton has flagged.

As to where the show will be staged….. look to the UK model of a house built inside existing studio facilities. It’s cheaper than the stand-alone Dreamworld model. Chatter has suggested FOX Studios -but those are all tied up by Marvel. Another plan will be likely.

Those key words “the game has changed” also nod to BB in a different guise than how we remember….

Former host Gretel Killeen recently said, “I think the essence of Big Brother is brilliant because when we first started that show it was about just watching humans interact without interference, just seeing what humans do.”

The casting notice appears to be something of an each way bet… either Nine will be pushed to remount it, or Seven will pounce on it. That puts ESA in a prize seat and the more the show is reported in media, the better their bargaining position.

Endemol Shine Australia has not confirmed the network late today.

An Endemol Shine Australia Spokesperson said, “We are thrilled to be casting for Big Brother, to apply bigbrothercasting.com.au”.

Sources: Colin Vickery, TV Blackbox, news.com.au

47 Responses

  2. If they bring it back they should also bring back Big Brother Uncut in the original guise it was on Channel Ten. Many of us remember the confected outrage whipped up by the Murdoch tabloids, John Howard as PM calling for TEN to drop it and how they meekly complied because they were involved in a takeover which needed government approval. Kyle Sandilands expressed dismay that TEN caved in and canned Uncut “instead of standing up to the wowsers.

    An opportunity exists here to fill a gap left by the censorious Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat with their bans on nudity and NSFW content. We haven’t seen nudity and dirty talk on TV for a long time so we should be able to see it again uncut. My only fear is that Seven will get BB and they have a bad reputation for “family television” and bland, vanilla programming. Nine tried to make BB “family friendly” and the ratings were not…

  5. Idea: Celebrity Big Brother (like in the UK), but just with ex-reality TV stars. Surely amongst Bachelor/ette, Love Island and MAFS there would be enough people after 5 mins more fame, and BB could bank off their existing popularity.

  6. Hell yeah.. This is so great..! We are getting closer to reviving Big Brother. With all these rumours and news surrounding it, it is surely confirmed that Big Brother is Back!! I guess the only thing we are waiting for and finding out where it’s going to be located. Can’t wait for this to finally happen. Bring it on Big Brother.!! Let’s go, let’s do this! Woooohoooo!!!!!!

  7. “The show would clearly help to lower the average age of Seven’s audience, which is something CEO James Warburton has flagged.” ….from what i hear the younger demographics (18-30?) are too busy watching Youtube to bother with FTA TV anymore. As people have said, they might be better off trying for more of a nostalgic feel to get the old audience back. Older audiences still spend money just not on the same things, get advertising sponsors like Bunnings Warehouse & Super funds instead of KFC 😉

  8. Please please please 10 .grab this!!!! Would help to round out your 50 weeks of programming strategy and you are the only channel that will do it justice. Seven just don’t know how to do this type of tv!!!! Please let it be 10!!!!! Won’t watch it on any other channel

  9. Longtime every ep BB fan….

    I think there is only 2 ways of doing this:

    1-bring it back to the original, regular ppl like the Sara-marie, Reggie and Chrissie and bring Gretel back (pls god). Limited 1 or 2 or no wannabe instamodels. Not 9 reboot where it was made to be family friendly. Bring back uncut and uplate. We want normal people! Thats what made the show such a hit in the beginning.

    2-Use the US format where they can make alliances, have head of house and veto and make it more survivor style. This Could be part of “the game has changed”….

    Either way it needs to be not “played safe” this time like 9 did it. Then it will struggle. Push the boundaries and make it worthwhile. Do it justice!!!

    2. I agree with the first part, however the whole U.S. style show, I don’t think it will be popular. People watch BB for the social aspect, the drama, the entertainment. I don’t think a U.S. syle show will be embraced by alot of original BB fans, the younger market and the audience in general.

      1. Agreed, either format it like it was back in 2001 or don’t even bother at all. I just wanna see people in a house living together and sharing their stories. I don’t wanna see gameplay and strategy and aliances. We have survivor for that.

      2. The social aspect still exists in the US format, just that it’s structured around the game like Survivor. It also means you don’t need to add a “twists” or new housemates to keep the competition interesting, however it does mean less audience participation (which may be a good thing for the show as they tend to remove conflict/drama). It’s allowed the US version to run for 20 seasons so far, and Canada 7 so it must be doing something right!

        1. I think the reason for the continued success of the American format of BB (as well as other competition-focused reality shows – Like Survivor and TAR), is that it’s a spectator sport that anyone can play and win at.

          It doesn’t get stale, as long as the players are interesting, diverse and ready to play – not only do the audience have many different people to root for and against, but the game and gameplay changes in interesting ways.

  11. I also hope Channel Nine doesn’t get it – when they had it, it was a snoozefest. It’d be better on Seven, although my ultimate preference would be for Ten (but that ship has sailed).

  12. Nostalgia has a very short shelf-life. If it’s just a rehash of the first few years, it’ll get good ratings for one or two episodes tops, but people will tune out.

    Having Gretel and possibly Mikey back might be just work, though – all the other hosts were misfires.

  13. Come on 10!! this is exactly what they need, get rid of the bloody game shows move project to 6:30 and BB at 7! + add in an Up-late edition and semi liv stream on 10all access(to avoid FTA controversies) id pay for that service for BB alone

  14. Big brother on 7… It will fail like everything they try. Give it back to 10 and make it about every day Aussie’s not about wanna be celebs playing house and partying.

  17. I hope this “the game has changed” thing doesn’t equal a complete 180 with the format. I would hate for it to take on the US/CANADA format with housemates voting out each other. I want this public voting to stay, otherwise the phrase “it’s time to go” will just lose its meaning. Am also hoping Gretel comes back as host!

  19. The US house is built on a soundstage, and the Canadian house is also inside a studio, with internal garden (nothing is outside).

    I think Nine should take it up, creating a ‘mini’ series of The Block to build the house. They should also throw Denham Hitchcock a lifeline as host. He’ll be broke after he gets home from 6 months of sailing.

    2. While it screens on CBD in the US, it is produced by Endamol US (the same company that produces most the UK and Australian series). If the Aussie version follows the US one, I won’t be watching. It’s basically Suvivor in a house.

  23. I want this! Considering the great contestants that have featured on Australian Survivor, there are interesting characters to be found and if Chrissie Swan or someone decent can host, I’m in!!

  25. I’m a huge BB fan, but it’s time has passed well and truly. If this is Sevens answer to reviving ratings, I feel very sorry for their shareholders.

    2. Huge BB fan here too and I’m all for the nostalgia. Rebuild the house at Dreamworld, on 10 with Gretel hosting and Mikey narrating. A boy can dream…

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