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Big Brother

Big Brother (Nineteen Eighty-Four)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Big Brother’s face looms from giant telescreens in Victory Square inMichael Radford‘s 1984 film adaptation of George Orwell‘s Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Big Brother is a fictional character in George Orwell‘s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. He is the enigmatic dictator of Oceania, atotalitarian state taken to its utmost logical consequence – where the ruling Party wields total power for its own sake over the inhabitants.

In the society that Orwell describes, everyone is under complete surveillance by the authorities, mainly by telescreens. The people are constantly reminded of this by the phrase “Big Brother is watching you”, which is the core “truth” of the propaganda system in this state.

Since the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four, the term “Big Brother” has entered the lexicon as a synonym for abuse of government power, particularly in respect to civil liberties, often specifically related to mass surveillance.

Purported origins[edit source | editbeta]

In the essay section of his novel 1985Anthony Burgess states that Orwell got the idea for Big Brother from advertising billboards for educational correspondence courses from a company calledBennett’s, current during World War II. The original posters showed J. M. Bennett himself; a kindly looking old man offering guidance and support to would-be students with the phrase “Let me be your father” attached. After Bennett’s death, his son took over the company, and the posters were replaced with pictures of the son (who looked imposing and stern in contrast to his father’s kindly demeanour) with the text “Let me be your big brother.”

Additional speculation from Douglas Kellner of UCLA argued that Big Brother represents Joseph Stalin and that the novel portrayed life under totalitarianism.[1][2]

Appearance in the novel[edit source | editbeta]

Existence[edit source | editbeta]

In the novel it is not clear whether Big Brother is (or was) a real person or a fiction invented by the Party to personify itself.

In Party propaganda Big Brother is presented as a real person: one of the founders of the Party, along with Goldstein. At one point in 1984 Winston Smith, the protagonist of Orwell’s novel, tries “to remember in what year he had first heard mention of Big Brother. He thought it must have been at some time in the sixties, but it was impossible to be certain. In the Party histories, of course, Big Brother figured as the leader and guardian of the Revolution since its very earliest days. His exploits had been gradually pushed backwards in time until already they extended into the fabulous world of the forties and the thirties, when the capitalists in their strange cylindrical hats still rode through the streets of London…” In the year 1984 Big Brother appears on posters and the telescreen as a man of about 45. Goldstein’s book comments: “We may be reasonably sure that he will never die, and there is already considerable uncertainty as to when he was born.”

When Winston Smith is later arrested, O’Brien, his interrogator, again describes Big Brother as a figure who will never die. When Smith asks if Big Brother exists, O’Brien describes him as “the embodiment of the Party” and that he will exist as long as the Party exists. When Winston follows up his question by asking “Does Big Brother exist the same way I do?”, O’Brien replies “You do not exist.”

Cult of personality[edit source | editbeta]

A spontaneous ritual of devotion to Big Brother (“BB”) is illustrated at the end of the “Two Minutes Hate“:

At this moment the entire group of people broke into a deep, slow, rhythmic chant of ‘B-B! …. B-B! …. B-B!’—over and over again, very slowly, with a long pause between the first ‘B’ and the second—a heavy murmurous sound, somehow curiously savage, in the background of which one seemed to hear the stamps of naked feet and the throbbing of tom-toms. For perhaps as much as thirty seconds they kept it up. It was a refrain that was often heard in moments of overwhelming emotion. Partly it was a sort of hymn to the wisdom and majesty of Big Brother, but still more it was an act of self-hypnosis, a deliberate drowning of consciousness by means of rhythmic noise.[3]

Though Oceania’s Ministry of TruthMinistry of Plenty, and Ministry of Peace each have names with meanings deliberately opposite to their real purpose, the Ministry of Love is perhaps the most straightforward: “rehabilitated thought criminals” leave the Ministry as loyal subjects who have been brainwashed into genuinely loving Big Brother.

Legacy[edit source | editbeta]

Since the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four the phrase “Big Brother” has come into common use to describe any prying or overly-controlling authority figure, and attempts by government to increase surveillance.

Ukrainian-American comedian Yakov Smirnoff makes frequent reference to both Big Brother and other Orwellian traits in his Russian Reversal jokes.

The magazine Book ranked Big Brother No. 59 on its 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900[4] list. Wizard magazine rated him the 75th greatest villain of all time.[5]

The worldwide reality television show Big Brother is based on the novel’s concept of people being under constant surveillance. In 2000, after the U.S. version of the CBS program “Big Brother” premiered, the Estate of George Orwell sued CBS and its production company “Orwell Productions, Inc.” in federal court in Chicago for copyright and trademark infringement. The case was Estate of Orwell v. CBS, 00-c-5034 (ND Ill). On the eve of trial, the case settled worldwide to the parties’ “mutual satisfaction”; the amount that CBS paid to the Orwell Estate was not disclosed. CBS had not asked the Estate for permission. Under current laws the novel will remain under copyright protection until 2020 in the European Union and until 2044 in the United States.

The iconic image of Big Brother (played by David Graham) played a key role in Apple‘s 1984 television commercial introducing the Macintosh.[6][7] The Orwell Estate viewed the Apple commercial as a copyright infringement, and sent a cease-and-desist letter to Apple and its advertising agency. The commercial was never televised again.[8] Subsequent (now posthumous) ads featuring Steve Jobs (for a variety of products including audio books) have mimicked the format and appearance of that original ad campaign, with the appearance of Steve Jobs nearly identical to that of Big Brother.[9][10] In 2008, the Simpsons animated television series spoofed the Apple Big Brother commercial in an episode entitled “Mypods and Boomsticks.”[11]

The December 2002 issue of Gear magazine featured a story about technologies and trends that could violate personal privacy moving society closer to a “Big Brother” state and utilised a recreation of the movie poster[12] from the film version of 1984 created by Dallmeierart.com.[13]

In 2011, media analyst and political activist Mark Dice published a non-fiction book titled Big Brother: The Orwellian Nightmare Come True which analyses the parallels between elements of the storyline in Nineteen Eighty-Four, and current government programs, technology, and cultural trends.[14]

Computer company Microsoft patented in 2011 a product distribution system with a camera or capture device that monitors the viewers that consume the product, allowing the provider to take “remedial action” if the actual viewers do not match the distribution license.[15] The system has been compared with 1984′s telescreen surveillance system.[16]

See also[edit source | editbeta]

References[edit source | editbeta]

  1. ^ Douglas Kellner
  2. ^ From 1984 to One-Dimensional Man: Critical Reflections on Orwell and Marcuse
  3. ^ Orwell, George (1949). Nineteen Eighty-Four.
  4. ^http://www.npr.org/programs/totn/features/2002/mar/020319.characters.html
  5. ^ Wizard #177
  6. ^ Remembering the ‘1984’ Super Bowl Mac ad ZDNet, 23 January 2009
  7. ^ Apple’s ‘Big Brother’ sequel BBC News, 30 September 2009
  8. ^ William R. Coulson ‘Big Brother’ is watching Apple: The truth about the Super Bowl’s most famous ad The Dartmouth Law Journal, 25 June 2009
  9. ^ Farrell, Nick (9 October 2009). “Steven Jobs is the new Big Brother”. the Inquirer.
  10. ^ Gianatasio, David (16 December 2010). “Steve Jobs (once again) cast as Big Brother”. AdWeek.
  11. ^ Siegler, MG (1 December 2008). “The Simpsons Apple spoof likely has many wondering what a “myCube” is”. VentureBeat.
  12. ^ http://www.dallmeierart.com/user/cimage/244493fb0.jpg
  13. ^ Big Brother is Watching You – George Orwell 1984 Movie Prop Print DallmeierArt.com
  14. ^ Big Brother: The Orwellian Nightmare Come True Amazon.com
  15. ^ “Content distribution regulation by viewing use”. Appft.uspto.gov. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
  16. ^ Evans, Robert (12 November 2012). “Kinect Makes 1984 Reality: Well, one part anyway”. I4u.com. archived 8 November 2012.
[hide]

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Wikipedia book Book:Nineteen Eighty-Four

 

 

 

Mentioned in ?  References in classic literature ?  Dictionary browser ?  Full browser ?
I’ll tell my big brother on you, and he can thrash you with his little finger, and I’ll make him do it, too.

The big brother counted upon a pious, docile, learned, and honorable pupil.

There was Pa Tuxton, an old feller with a beard and glasses; a fat uncle; abig brother, who worked in a bank and was dressed like Moses in all his glory; and a little brother with a snub nose, that cheeky you’d have been surprised.

I’
big brother

n.

1. An older brother.
2. A man who assumes the role of an older brother, as by providing guidance or protection.
3.

a. also Big Brother An omnipresent, seemingly benevolent figure representing the oppressive control over individual lives exerted by an authoritarian government.
b. A state, organization, or leader regarded in this manner.

[Sense 3, after Big Brother, a character in the novel 1984 by George Orwell.]

big-brother·ly (bgbrr-l) adj. & adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


Big Brother

n

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a person, organization, etc., that exercises total dictatorial control
2. (Communication Arts / Broadcasting) a television gameshow format in which a small number of people living in accomodation sealed off from the outside world are constantly monitored by TV cameras. Viewers vote each week to expel a person from the group until there is only one person left, who wins a cash prize

[after a character in the novel 1984 (1949) by English writer George Orwell (1903-1950)]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003


big′ broth′er
n.

1. an elder brother.
2. (sometimes caps.) a man who undertakes to sponsor or assist a boy in need of help or guidance.
3. (caps.)

a. the head of a totalitarian regime that keeps its citizens under close surveillance.
b. the aggregate of powerful officials and policymakers of a totalitarian state.
[1860–65; (definition 3) the epithet of a dictator in George Orwell’s novel 1984 (1949)]
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus Legend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun 1. big brother - an authoritarian leader and invader of privacyBig Brother – an authoritarian leader and invader of privacy

authoritariandictator – a person who behaves in a tyrannical manner; “my boss is a dictator who makes everyone work overtime”
2. big brother - an older brotherbig brother – an older brother

blood brotherbrother – a male with the same parents as someone else; “my brother still lives with our parents”
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

 Translations
Select a language:  ———————–



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Big Brother (TV series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Big Brother
International Logo of Big Brother.png

International logo for Big Brother
Production
Location(s) Various
Running time Various
Productioncompany(s) Endemol
Broadcast
Original channel Veronica
Original run 16 September 1999 – present
Chronology
Related shows Celebrity Big Brother / Big Brother VIP
External links
Production website

Big Brother is a reality game show franchise created by John de Mol. The premise of the show is that there is a group of people that are housemates or houseguests living together in a large, usually specially constructed house. During their time in the house they are isolated from the outside world and are not commonly aware of outside events. Contestants are continuously monitored by in-house television cameras as well as personal audio microphones during their stay. Each series lasts for about three months, with 12–16 contestants entering the house. To win the final cash prize, a contestant must survive periodic (usually weekly) evictions and be the last housemate or houseguest remaining in the compound by the series’ conclusion.

History[edit source | editbeta]

The idea for Big Brother is said to have come during a brainstorming session at the Dutch-based international television production firm Endemol on March 10, 1997. The first version of Big Brotherwas broadcast in 1999 on Veronica in the Netherlands. Since then the format has become a worldwide TV franchise, airing in many countries in a number of versions.

Although each country has made its own adaptations of the format, the contestants are confined to a specially-designed house where their every action is recorded by cameras and microphones and they are not permitted contact with the outside world. In most countries that have produced Big Brother, the contestants have been known as “housemates”; however in the American and Canadian version they are referred to as “houseguests”. The term Big Brother originates from George Orwell‘s novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four. Besides living together under continuous observation (which is the chief attraction of the contest), the program relies on four basic props: the stripped-bare back-to-basics environment in which they live, the evictions, the weekly tasks and competitions set by Big Brother and the “Diary/Confession Room” (in which the housemates convey their thoughts, feelings, and frustrations, and reveal their nominees for eviction). Contestants are required to evict one of their own on a regular basis; in the earlier series of Big Brother, contestants were evicted every two weeks. However, the UK version introduced weekly evictions; all versions of Big Brother now follow this format.

At regular intervals, the housemates privately nominate a number of fellow housemates whom they wish evicted from the house. The housemates with the most nominations are then announced, and viewers are given the opportunity to vote via telephone for whom they wish to see evicted. The exceptions to this process are in the American and Canadian versions, in which the housemates vote to evict each other. After the votes are tallied, the “evictee” leaves the house and is interviewed by the host of the show (usually before a studio audience). In some cases, two housemates may be evicted simultaneously (a “double eviction”); rarely, no housemates will be removed that week. At the end of the game, the last remaining housemate is declared the winner for the particular series and receives prizes (often including a large amount of money, a car, a vacation and—in some editions—a house).

In the first season of most series of Big Brother, the house was very basic. Although essential amenities such as running water, furniture and a limited ration of food were provided, luxury items were often forbidden. This added a survivalist element to the show, increasing the potential for social tension. Nearly all later series provide a modern house for the contest with a jacuzzi, sauna, VIP suite, loft and other luxuries.

The contestants are required to do housework, and are assigned tasks by the producers of the show (who communicate with the housemates via the omnipresent authority figure known to them only as “Big Brother”). The tasks are designed to test their teamwork abilities and community spirit; in some countries, the housemates’ shopping budget or weekly allowance depends on the outcome of assigned tasks. The housemates have a weekly allowance, with which they can buy food and other essentials.

Most international versions of the show remain quite similar to each other; their main format remains true to the original fly on the wall observational style with the emphasis on human relationships, to the extent that contestants are forbidden from discussing nominations or voting strategy. Since 2001 the US version adopted a different format from the others during its second season, with an emphasis on strategy, competition and voting (the public does not choose who to evict). In 2011, the UK version controversially adapted the discussion of nominations before reverting this rule back after a poll by Big Brother broadcaster Channel 5, which showed that 90 percent of voters believed that housemates should not discuss nominations.[citation needed]

Overview[edit source | editbeta]

From a sociological and demographic perspective, Big Brother allows an analysis of how people react when forced into close confinement with people outside their comfort zone (with different opinions or ideals, or from a different socioeconomic group). The viewer has the opportunity to see how a person reacts from the outside (through the constant recording of their actions) and the inside (in the Diary or Confession Room). The Diary Room (known as the DR) is where contestants can privately express their feelings about the game, strategy and the other contestants. The results range from violent or angry confrontations to genuine and tender connections (often including romantic interludes).

The show is notable for involving the Internet.[according to whom?] Although the show typically broadcasts daily updates during the evening (sometimes criticized for their heavy editing), viewers can also watch a continuous feed from multiple cameras on the Web. These websites were successful, even after some national series began charging for access to the video stream. In some countries, Internet broadcasting was supplemented by updates via email, WAP and SMS. The house is shown live on satellite television, although in some countries there is a 10–15 minute delay to allow libelous or unacceptable content (such as references to people not participating in the program who have not consented to have personal information broadcast) to be removed.

Contestants occasionally develop sexual relationships; the level of sexual explicitness allowed to be shown in broadcast and Internet-feed versions varies by country.

Isolation[edit source | editbeta]

Big Brother contestants are isolated in the house, without access to television, radio or the Internet; they are not permitted routine communication with the outside world. This was an important issue for most earlier series of the show. In more-recent series, contestants are occasionally allowed to view televised events (usually as a reward for winning at a task). In most versions of the program books and writing materials are also forbidden, although exceptions are sometimes made for religious materials such as the BibleTorah or the Qur’an. Some versions ban all writing implements, even items that can be used to write (such as lipstick or eyeliner). Despite the housemates’ isolation, some contestants are occasionally allowed to leave the house as part of tasks. Contestants are permitted to leave the house in an emergency.

Contestants have regularly-scheduled interactions with the show’s host on eviction nights. Throughout each day the program’s producer, in the “Big Brother” voice, issues directives and commands to contestants. Some versions of the show allow private counseling sessions with a psychologist. These are allowed at any time, and are often conducted by telephone from the Diary Room.

Regional versions[edit source | editbeta]

Due to the intelligibility of certain languages across several nations, it has been possible to make regional versions of Big Brother. All these follow the normal Big Brother rules, except that contestants must come from each of the countries in the region where it airs:

Format changes[edit source | editbeta]

World map, with different shading for "Big Brother" versions

Locations of Big Brother versions

In the third UK series, Big Brother set live tasks for the housemates on a Saturday night to win treats; this was used until series 5 of the program. The format was used in Australia as Friday Night Live from series 5 to series 8. The fifth UK edition introduced an “evil” touch; Big Brother became villainous with punishments, difficult tasks and secret tricks. This was also seen in AustraliaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaFinlandGermanyGreeceItaly,NetherlandsPacificScandinaviaSerbiaSpainThailandPhilippines and Mexico. The sixth UK series introduced secret missions, where housemates could win luxuries if they completed a secret task set by Big Brother. The eighth UK series saw an all-female house. However, two days later one male housemate arrived. The same twist was used in Big Brother 4 BulgariaBig Brother Africa 4 used a similar twist, with an all-male premiere.

Since Big Brother 2, the UK series opens with a twist. This has included the public choosing the final housemate from three possibilities (Big Brother 2); public voting for a housemate to leave during the first week and the housemates choosing between two housemates with the least number of votes (Big Brother 3); first-night nominations (Big Brother 4); suitcase nominations (Big Brother 5); Unlucky Housemate 13 (Big Brother 6); Big Brother Hood (Big Brother 7); an all-female house and a set of twins as contestants (Big Brother 8); a couple entering as housemates, who must hide their relationship (Big Brother 9); housemates having to earn housemate status (Big Brother 10); a moleentering the house with an impossible task (Big Brother 11); Jackie Stallone entering a house containing her son’s ex-wife (Celebrity Big Brother 3); a non-celebrity in a celebrity edition (Celebrity Big Brother 4) and a visit from Jade Goody‘s family (Celebrity Big Brother 5). During Celebrity Big Brother 6 LaToya Jackson entered first, walked straight into a private bedroom (the bedrooms are usually locked until everyone has arrived) and put her bag on the bed to claim it as her own.[1] Terry Christian became head of the house which was used at the end of the previous non-celebrity series and had to nominate three housemates for the first eviction; the others voted to save one of the nominees, Ben Adams, leaving Lucy Pinder and eventual winner Ulrika Jonsson to face the first eviction. In the summer series of 2009 the house was empty at first, with only crates to sit on. The new arrivals had to earn housemate status by completing tasks; Noirin Kelly was required to shave off her hair and draw a mustache and glasses on her face. Freddie Fisher and eventual winner Sophie Reade had to change their names by deed poll to Halfwit and Dogface. On day four, the six people who had not received housemate status were nominated for a public vote. The person with the fewest votes (Beinazir Lasharie) left, and the house was transformed into a “Big Brother” house. Other countries, such as Bulgaria, the United States and (previously) Australia, have also begun using opening-night twists.

The fifth UK edition introduced fake evictions, where one or two housemates are “evicted”. In the eighth UK Series one housemate was evicted, interviewed and sent back into the house. In Franceand Canada, the format uses couples; twelve single people stay in the house, until only the winning couple is left. Big Brother U.S. uses a different set of rules which began for the second season. Nominations are made by one houseguest, the Head of Household (HoH), and the houseguests vote for which nominee to evict (not the viewers). The third season introduced the Power of Veto, where a houseguest can veto an eviction. This has been adapted in Brazil and Africa, and other countries have modified their nomination rules. The eighth American season introduced “America’s Player”, a houseguest given assignments by votes from viewers. Included in the public voting is which houseguest that America’s Player should vote off and campaign to be evicted.

The third Dutch edition introduced “the battle”, in which the house is separated into a luxurious half and a poor half and two teams of housemates fight for time in the luxurious half. Separated houses have also been used in:

In Germany, a new sixth-season version of the show was Big Brother – Das Dorf (Big Brother – The Village). The season ended after 363 days in February 2006 because of low ratings. For season seven, RTL II switched back to a traditional version. The fourth Greek season introduced a mother. During the tenth week of the seventh UK season, the housemates were paired with their “best friend” in the house and had to nominate and face eviction as couples. The ninth American season added a romantic aspect by pairing up the housemates up and having them compete as couples.

The ninth Brazilian season featured the “Bubble”: a glass house in a shopping mall in Rio de Janeiro where four potential housemates lived for a week. Later in the season a bubble was built inside the Big Brother house, with another two housemates living in it for a week until they were voted in and the glass house dismantled.

Introduced in the fifth season of the American series, several countries have included twins (or triplets) in their shows:

A variation of the above twist occurred in the second celebrity edition of the Philippine version, where two housemates related by profession or family played as onee. In Celebrity Hijack UKevicted housemates were given the opportunity to choose if a “ninja” delivered good or bad gifts to the house. Later that year Big Brother Australia 2008 introduced the Housemate Hand Grenade, where an evicted housemate decided which housemate received a penalty. Big Brother 5 Bulgaria, which began in early 2010, introduced a new family format (Big Brother Family). Whole families entered the house with their spouses, children and relatives. They received a salary for their stay and the winning family received a cash prize, a car and an apartment. The eleventh American season featured Pandora’s Box, in which the winning head of household was tempted (with money, a celebrity visit or time alone with a loved one) to open a box. If an HoH chooses to open Pandora’s Box, however, there may be unintended consequences.

The twelfth American season featured a saboteur, who entered the house to wreak havoc with tasks suggested by viewers. Big Brother Africa 6 in 2011 was the first season of Big Brother to have two winners, each getting $200,000. The thirteenth American season introduced Dynamic Duos, where eight new houseguests would enter the house with three duos from past seasons. Thefourth Philippine season features Unli-Day and Unli-Night, where two separate groups of housemates were covered in two separate programs. It also introduced reserved housemates, shortlisted auditioners who were given a chance to be a housemate by completing tasks assigned by Big Brother (this was also done in Argentina’s seventh season). The Philippine version introduced the 100-second session, in which housemates are given a chance to be with their loved ones for only 100 seconds in the Confession Room.[2] The fourteenth American season had four houseguests from past seasons returning to the house to coach twelve new houseguests. The four returning houseguests played their own game for a separate prize of $100,000 until they joined the normal game later after a reset twist. The fifteenth American season Introduced the Big Brother M.V.P twist where every week, the viewers would vote one of the houseguests who the viewers thought was playing the best game, also introduced three nominations in the US version where the HOH would nominate the first two houseguests for eviction (like in previous seasons) while the 3rd nomination is made by the M.V.P of that week.

Special editions[edit source | editbeta]

Celebrity Big Brother and Big Brother VIP[edit source | editbeta]

The Big Brother format has been adapted in some countries; the housemates are local celebrities, and the shows are called Celebrity Big Brother or Big Brother VIP. In some countries, the prize money normally awarded to the winning housemate is donated to a charity, and all celebrities are paid to appear in the show as long as they do not voluntarily leave before their eviction or the end of the series. The rest of the rules are nearly the same as those of the original version. The celebrity version has become particularly popular in the UK, with two series broadcast in 2012 (the first in January and the second after the main series in summer 2012).

Variations[edit source | editbeta]

The 2006 Netherlands series was entitled Hotel Big Brother. This variation introduced a group of celebrity hoteliers and a Big Boss, who run a hotel and collect money for charity without nominations, evictions or a winner.

Another variation appeared in the UK in early 2008, entitled Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack. This temporarily replaced the 2007 Celebrity Big Brother in the wake of a racial-abuse incident. Instead of celebrities playing housemates the celebrities became Big Brother himself, creating tasks and holding nominations with the help of Big Brother. The housemates were considered by the producers “Britain’s most exceptional and extraordinary” 18- to 21-year-olds. The prize for the winner of the series was £50,000.[3]

In 2009 VIP Brother 3 Bulgaria introduced the concept of celebrities competing for charitable causes, sometimes allowed to leave the house to raise money for the charity (which changed each week).

Other editions[edit source | editbeta]

The Big Brother format has been otherwise modified in some countries:

  • Big Brother: Ty wybierasz (Big Brother: You Decide – Poland, season 1: 13 days; season 2: 7 days): A group of people—ten in season one and six in season two—living together and competing for a pair of spots in the next regular season, without nominations or evictions.
  • Big Brother, Tilbake/Huset (Big Brother, Back In The House – Norway, 9 days): The BB1 Norway housemates welcome four new housemates, who compete for a spot in the next regular season without nominations or evictions.
  • Big Brother Stjärnveckan (Big Brother, Week Of Stars – Sweden, 6 days); Big Brother, Reality All Star (Denmark, 32 days); Gran Hermano: el Gran Reencuentro (Spain, 56 days): Contestants from several reality shows, including Big Brother.
  • Big Brother Panto (United Kingdom, 11 days): Housemates from previous series spent time in the Big Brother House to perform a pantomime at the series’ end.
  • Teen Big Brother (United Kingdom, 10 days; Philippines, 42 days (Season 1), 77 days (Season 2), 78 days (Season 3), 91 days (Season 4)): Teenage housemates (13 years old and older) compete.
  • Big Brother: All-Stars (Belgium, 21 days; United States, 72 days; United Kingdom, 18 days; Canada, 64 days; Africa, 91 days;Spain, 56 days)
  • Veliki Brat: Generalna Proba (Big Brother Try Out – Serbia, 7 days): 12 Serbian contestants compete for a spot in the first Veliki Brat season, without nominations or evictions.
  • Gran Hermano: El Reencuentro (Spain, 56 Days): An all-star special edition celebrating ten years of the show
  • Secret Story (FranceLithuaniaPortugalNetherlands and Peru): Each contestant has a secret.
  • Secret Story: Desafio Final (Portugal) (Portugal, 22 days): An all-star edition with the housemates of season 2 and 3 of Secret Story (Portugal)

There are also “test runs”, with a group of celebrities (or journalists) living in the house for several days to test it. There are occasions where people who have auditioned for the show are also put in the house, most notably in the British edition, where many housemates claim to have met before. These series have been televised in Argentina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico, the Pacific, the Philippines and Spain. In some cases, it is not broadcast, but in others, such as the U.S. edition, it is used as a promotional tool.

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