Since the announcement of the Big Brother resurrection, rumours and confirmed facts about how ITV will recapture the reality TV show’s original enchantment have emerged.
We know that AJ Odudu and Will Best will direct the relaunch, and that famous narrator Marcus Bentley will return to the series.
Another piece of the original recipe is being restored, which will excite die-hard fans… Can you figure it out?
To spare you the trouble, the live broadcast will resume every night after the main programme, which will air 9-10pm Sundays through Fridays and will be followed by the spinoff.
The new-look live broadcast, on the other hand, has been considerably reduced, since it formerly lasted for 24 hours when initially debuted in 2000 before being discontinued in 2009.
It was renewed the following year, but viewers had to pay to watch it, and it didn’t make the cut when Channel 5 took over the show.
However, in 2013, the broadcaster reversed its decision and resumed carrying the live feed weekly for two hours.
It comes after another indication about what the new Big Brother may look like, with accusations that the producers are fussy about the housemates.
According to a source, producers are rejecting ‘Love Island-style competitors or fame-hungry influencers.’
They continued to The Sun: ‘The casting team and producers are now in the final selection stages and have shortlisted their favourite applicants.
‘So far the potential housemates selected are diverse and reflective of the population.
‘They’re hoping long-time fans of the show and new viewers are represented on screen.’
It was also stated that ITV will conduct ‘rigorous’ background checks on the candidates, and that housemates will go through a ‘watertight training curriculum’ before appearing on our screens.
According to the newspaper, ITV2 has prepared a “super-sized” welfare package to educate the housemates, including training in diversity and inclusion, racism and gender diversity, sexual consent, and dispute resolution.
In other news, co-host Will, 38, suggested a format change, saying, ‘It’s going back to being real people.’
‘The focus of this is it’s going to be an entertainment show, but it’s going to be fun and funny with all of that emotion and realness that you get with Big Brother,’ he added.
Changes are apparently being made in the hopes that the show’s ‘golden period’ will be captured when it returns.
Paul Mortimer, director of reality commissioning and acquisitions and controller, ITV2, ITVBe and CITV said: ‘This refreshed, contemporary new series of Big Brother will contain all the familiar format points that kept viewers engaged and entertained the first time round, but with a brand new look and some additional twists that speak to today’s audience.’
The popular reality show debuted on Channel 4 in 2000 with Davina McCall as host and ended in 2018 with Emma Willis.
Big Brother had a peak audience of 5.89 million viewers during the third series, which was won by Kate Lawler.
Former roommates included Alison Hammond and Josie Gibson, while celebs included Rylan Clark and Gemma Collins.
Big Brother launches on ITV2 later this year.
