ITV has confirmed that it has commissioned a brand new series of Big Brother to air on ITV2 and ITVX in 2023.
ITV2 has commissioned a brand new series of Big Brother.
A new cast of carefully selected housemates, from all walks of life, will take up residence in the world’s most famous reality TV home for up to six weeks, with cameras capturing their every move, and the nation following every twist and turn.
Clever tasks, nail-biting nominations and live evictions will all be back, with the viewing public once again playing a crucial role, voting throughout the series and ultimately determining the winner, who will walk away with a life changing cash prize.
The show will be produced by Initial (part of Banijay UK).
Paul Mortimer, Director of Reality Commissioning & 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. We’re beyond excited to bring this iconic series to ITV2 and ITVX where it should especially engage with our younger viewers.”
The brainchild of John de Mol, Big Brother originated in the Netherlands in 1999. The show was brought to a UK audience a year later by Channel 4 with Davina McCall hosting from 2000-2011. Davina was replaced by Brian Dowling when the show moved to Channel 5 in 2011, while he was replaced by Emma Willis in 2013.
The show was a ‘social experiment’ in which members of the public were filmed around-the-clock as they co-habited a custom-built house for several weeks. They had to nominate each other for eviction; those who received the most nominations became eligible for the chop via a public vote.
Viewers could follow the housemates’ antics in the nightly highlights shows or via a live feed. Channel 5 was criticised after it reduced the amount of live streaming available.
The broadcaster cancelled Big Brother in 2018 after its ratings slumped to less than 1m.
The show was originally filmed in Bow, North London before relocating to Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire in 2002. The house at Elstree was demolished shortly after the final Channel 5 series aired. ITV note that the Big Brother house for the ITV2 series – the location of which has yet to be confirmed – will be given a “contemporary new look“.
ITV is also yet to confirm a host for the new series. Speaking on ITV’s This Morning, in May, Emma Willis seemingly ruled herself out of a reprisal of the role when she opined that the show should be presented by “an unknown” in the event of it ever coming back.
Natalka Znak, CEO of Initial, Remarkable Entertainment and Znak TV said:
“Big Brother is the original and best reality format and one that I have never made before so it’s a huge privilege to be making an all new version with ITV2 and ITVX. Working with Claire O’Donohoe and the talented team at Initial, Katy Manley and Cat Lynch. This is going to be epic!”
