How Does Big Brother Work? Explained

Big Brother is one of the most widely known reality TV shows out there, and while it began life in the Netherlands, it’s been syndicated across the globe. But just how does Big Brother work? Here’s what you need to know.

How Big Brother Works

Each country’s version of Big Brother may be a little different, but the way it works is this: 12 contestants are put into a specially prepared house, which is wired with cameras, microphones, and so on. Toilets aside, there’s not a place where they can’t be observed. They’re also wired with microphones, which they put on when they wake up.

Big Brother, a name taken from the George Orwell novel 1984, speaks to them through the Diary Room, which is where they share their thoughts about events in the house, other contestants, and so on. Big Brother also gives out tasks, which, if completed successfully, may result in a reward. So, while the contestants are fed, successfully completing a task might result in a mini-bar opening up in the wall of the house.

The show typically takes place over six weeks, and every week, the contestants, or housemates, nominate two of their number to be up for eviction. In some versions, the housemates all nominate; in others, that week’s “Head of the Household” nominates or can swap out some of the nominees.

The Head of the Household is also given more power than the other housemates, which, as the showrunners well know, can lead to bad feelings. Also, the housemates are stripped of all electronic devices so they’re blind to the public’s perception of them.

However, the public vote to determine which of the two nominated housemates actually leaves the house. Housemates are gradually eliminated until the final contestant walks away with a prize, which, in the case of CBS’s version, is $750,000.

Typically, the contestants are just ordinary people, but there’s also Celebrity Big Brother, where celebrities enter the mansion. There’s also Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack, where celebs get involved without being housemates, often by doling out tasks. However, some of the celebs that have cropped up on these shows have been below Z-list.

What Are the Rules of Big Brother?

The contestants who enter the house are given a fairly strict set of rules which, according to Big Blagger, are as follows:

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1. There is no contact with the outside world. This includes the internet, newspapers, phone calls and conversations with anyone outside the House except for Big Brother.
2. You are filmed 24 hours a day and must wear your personal microphones at all times.
3. The Diary Room is the only place in the House where Big Brother will engage in a conversation with you. Visits to the Diary Room are compulsory.
4. When requested you will be required to go to the Diary Room and nominate – you must give frank and honest reasons for your nominations. You are not permitted to discuss your nominations or try to influence anyone else’s nominations.
5. The public will decide who is evicted.
6. You must not threaten or use physical violence towards any other Housemate.
7. Big Brother will intervene and may remove you from the House if you break the rules, threaten or use physical violence, or behave in an unacceptable way that could cause serious offence to any other Housemate or to the viewing public.
8. All tasks are compulsory.
9. You may not move any of the furniture, or tamper with any of the fixtures and fittings.
10. You must get up whenever you hear the alarm.
11. You may not discuss any previous series of Big Brother or Celebrity Big Brother or Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack. You may not discuss any members of the Production.
12. Big Brother reserves the right to change the rules at any time.

How Can Contestants Try to Win Big Brother?

Unlike some shows, there’s no guaranteed strategy to win Big Brother. Even being the MVP in every task doesn’t guarantee success. It might be that the housemates/head of the household thinks that’s showing off, so they end up nominating that person.

Typically, each contestant has their own take. They may try to endear themselves to the public so that if they do get nominated, they don’t get voted out. Or they could, despite the rules, covertly attempt to influence nominations, but there’s no points system in play. Part of the fun of the show is that anyone can win.

You can expect this latest US series to throw in a few curveballs, but that’s how Big Brother works.