Twenty-four years after Gretel Killeen first ushered viewers through the Dreamworld doors, Big Brother is going back to where it all began.
Channel 10 is reviving the original format – live evictions, nightly episodes, the works – in what Paramount’s head of unscripted, Sarah Thornton, calls “a return to the DNA that made the show magic.”
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a soft spot in my heart for Big Brother – and I think many Australians feel the same way,” Thornton told Mediaweek.
“It’s a brand that already carries a lot of affection. We felt the only way to bring it back was to really lean into its origins on 10. There’s an opportunity for innovation here, not just nostalgia.”
Nostalgia with a modern twist
Thornton said the team wanted to “revert to the original format: six days a week, with live evictions and nominations – really interactive with the viewer, but in new and exciting ways.”
The revival will again hand power back to the audience. “We’re letting the audience decide which housemate should win. That’s part of the DNA – giving the viewer a voice within the show,” she said.
Early fan involvement is already shaping the production, with viewers voting on design elements via TikTok and Instagram.
“Some of the casting went up on YouTube, and we’ve used polls to ask fans about house colours and features. So even before the show has begun, the audience has already influenced decisions we’re making,” Thornton said. “Because it’s a live show with a fast turnaround, even post-produced episodes can adapt to what we’re hearing online.”
Letting the experiment play out
At its core, Thornton said, Big Brother remains a social experiment. “If you don’t let it play out as an experiment, how can you claim that it is?” she said. “For us, that’s really important – letting things happen, even if it means we’re a bit rough around the edges from time to time.”
Behind the scenes, she described the delicate balancing act required to maintain authenticity while keeping the show entertaining and legally safe.
“It sounds simple, but there’s a lot involved in making sure it’s real, engaging and that we don’t defame anyone,” she said with a laugh. “That’s the trick – having a production team with the experience to know when to step in and when to step back.”
Thornton hinted at surprises to come.
“Big Brother has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Ideally, we won’t need to use all of them – because so much will be happening naturally. But there will be fun and games, some happy surprises, some not-so-happy ones,” she teased.
“And don’t be surprised,” she added, “if Big Sister turns up this season.”