Big Brother (franchise)

Big Brother is a reality game show franchise created by John de Mol. In the show a group of people called "housemates" or "house guests" live together in a specially constructed large house isolated and cut off from the outside world. Contestants are continuously monitored by in-house television cameras as well as personal audio microphones during their entire stay. Each season lasts for about three months, with at least ten contestants entering the house. To win the final cash prize, a contestant must survive periodic (usually weekly) evictions and be the last housemate or house guest remaining in the compound by the series' conclusion. In English-speaking countries the program is often referred to as "BB".

Background

History

The idea for Big Brother is said to have come during a brainstorming session at the Dutch-based international Italian television production firm Endemol on 10 March 1997 . The first version of Big Brother was 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.