If WE were the Producers of Big Brother next year… what would WE do to make the show better?…

[Mr Stickyfingers]

…AntiGretal posted this great post… and made me think… hence this thread… you can vote as many times you like in the poll…





…I typed… “how was the show ‘Big Brother’ first being promoted as a show when it first ever being aired”… Google opened with…

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Big Brother was promoted as a revolutionary social experiment and a new kind of reality television, emphasizing that ordinary people would be living together under constant surveillance by cameras and microphones. The promotion highlighted the show's unique concept of a "fly on the wall" observational style that was groundbreaking at the time. Early promotion for the show was fairly low-key compared to later seasons, focusing on the unprecedented nature of the concept itself, as noted on Reddit.

Key promotional points

• Social experiment: The show was presented as a unique social experiment to see how a group of strangers would behave when isolated from the outside world.
• Constant surveillance: A key part of the promotion was the idea that housemates were under constant observation by a multitude of cameras and microphones, creating a unique "fly on the wall" viewing experience.
• Unprecedented format: The show's format was promoted as a revolution in television production, particularly for the UK version which was reportedly turned around in 24 hours—a process that was previously unheard of, according to The Guardian.
• Emphasis on the "real": Early promotional materials often stressed that the participants were ordinary people, not actors, and that their interactions and relationships would be genuine.

What was different about the initial promotion

• The initial promotion for the show did not have the same level of fanfare or celebrity involvement as later seasons, and the first housemates were often just shown walking into the house with little fanfare.
• The focus was on the novelty of the show's premise rather than on creating celebrity contestants for the purpose of the show, notes Reddit.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

…I think that Google nailed it… when Big Brother was first ever Produced it was being promoted as being a ‘social experiment to see how a group of strangers would behave when isolated from the outside world.’ with an emphasis on ‘real’… and ‘stressed that the participants were ordinary people, not actors, and that their interactions and relationships would be genuine’…

…well… that’s not how it is now… what with different Producers all wanting to ‘leave their mark’ in order to add to their resumes’ for future employment elsewhere in their future endeavours… and creating tasks rather than letting the housemates create their own entertainment to amuse themselves and relieve their boredom…

…that’s one of the main failings… when left to create their own relief from boredom… the housemates’s natural creativity comes out in abundance… because it’s natural behaviour… it’s genuine…. It’s entertaining… but when Big Brother interferes and ‘spoon feeds’ them things to do… it looks like sheep just following instructions to fill airtime… it’s pathetic!… this is only one example… so… the reason of this post is… what would you suggest needs to be done to get the show back on the proper track again?… what do you miss that made you fall in love with Big Brother in the first place?… what needs to be reintroduced to make it as big as it ever was?…

…well… they’re a few that I can think of… what about you?… I’ll be very interested on what you can think of… I’m posting my suggestions in my next post… cheers.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

…these are some of my thoughts on this

1)… keep Mel Tracina and utilise her talents at every opportunity… she needs to be used to her full potential as the perfect host… she is the best thing on this show… let her be free to host it as a true ‘Reality’ TV lover that she is…

2)… do not produce fake ‘showmances’… that should always be what ‘Love Island… The Bachelor and Farmer wants a fuck etc’ are for… we do not need it they’re only pairing up with fake showmances just to get more air time… ‘natural love’ does not exist in the house…

3)… respect for Big Brother… they used to fear him… it’s how it should ALWAYS be… “Brev / Bruv / Bro / BB / Brah etc… does not cut it… it should ALWAYS be Big Brother only…

4)… absolutely NO communication with the outside World… …

5)… no talking about nominations… EVER!…

6)… all cameras should be hidden behind glass only so that they can’t stare directly at the cameras to send messages etc…

7)… no more creating stupid tasks… let the housemates’s natural creativity come out so they can create their and our entertainment for us all to see…

8)… make the voting legit so the money wasted on your vote means something at least…

9)… housemates must have valid reasons to evict housemates… no more ‘they’re playing the game’ or other flimsy reasons any longer…

10)… and DEFINITELY no more ‘letters from home’…

…well… as I said in my first post… they’re a few that I can think of… what about you?… I’ll be very interested on what you can think of… cheers.

 

[Being Big Brother]

Honestly, one of the most frustrating things about this series is that it wouldn't actually take that much to "fix" it.

I feel like they got pretty close, and a few smallish/easy changes (below) would make a world of difference. It's a blessing and curse that this series has rated so well, because they may just delude themselves that this is what we wanted all along, and double down on it.

• Stage: Rotate the whole thing 180 degrees, add an eviction walkway, and give Mel a roof.
  This way, you still get a cool shot of the Dreamworld rides whenever someone enters or leaves the House, plus you get the drama of the evictee walking through the crowd to get to Mel.
• Live shows: Nail the small details, use the damn chairs, and bring back the VTs.
  There's no excuse for the absurdly long pauses, the eviction envelope not being ready, or music that's so loud you can't hear the host. Mel should never be left "treading water" because production fucked something up. Seating does wonders for faking a more "intimate" vibe (especially for noms). As a minimum, show evictees their "best bits" – them seeing themselves on TV, and us watching them laugh or cringe at their behaviour, is part of the drama of an eviction night.
  • Also, can you squeeze a small jib/crane in there, somehow? We all know the crowds are tiny, but those soaring shots would, again, be a good way of faking the OG BBAU vibes.
• Editing: Focus on coherent storylines (not just the juiciest clips), limit music to establishing shots and the starts of segments, and focus less on showmances.
  Something happened that was "great TV", but it wouldn't add anything to the storyline you're focusing on in that episode? Put the clip on your socials – that's what they're for. As for showmances, they can be interesting if they develop naturally, over time, but don't try to turn the show into MAFS/Love Island. (That much should've been obvious after BB15.)
• Live Stream: No "off days", no "flamingoes", and no half-assed censorship after backdoor evictions.
  There's only a skeleton crew on weekends? Not enough time on the Sunday episode to air any juicy conversations? So what? Don't punish the core fans who watch the Live Stream. Get whoever's operating OBS to jot down time codes for anything particularly interesting, and again, clip it for your socials!
  • Also, no amount of censorship has stopped fans working out who's gone in the backdoor evictions. So air them on the Live Stream! The fans watching the Stream aren't going to skip an episode because the eviction was "spoiled" – and the casual viewers aren't glued to the Live Stream and the socials, so they won't get spoiled. Someone remind Sarah Thornton of what she said in the TV Tonight interview:

Do you think it’s a problem [that journalists will be able to report on what happens on the live stream, in advance of the main show], though? I sort of wonder if, in the era of streaming, and the world being so flat internationally, and social media, whether it matters so much. I don’t know. I feel like maybe it doesn’t. I know it doesn’t matter to me as much. I often like to bank my streaming shows. I wait till they’re all there, and I often get spoilers, but I still want to watch it.

• House: Literally just a bigger budget.
  The design and layout has grown on me a lot, but the cheapness and the sloppy finishes really show on camera. Hopefully now the show has "proved itself", the House can have some more time and money spent on it next year. If the budget doesn't increase, lean into the "OG" vibes and build something more basic, but actually achievable.
• Big Brother: Literally just stricter.
  With remote cameras, no ceilings, and Dreamworld rides within earshot, the Housemates are never going to forget they're on TV. But start punishing them when they perform for the cameras. Colin's mentioned that he's been warned about it, but there obviously weren't any actual consequences. I personally think "mean BB" is boring and played-out, but there's a balance between Big Brother being approachable, and just being a pushover, and this series isn't striking that balance. Bringing back the "Housemates cannot call Big Brother 'mate'" rule would be a start.
• Honourable mentions: Proper opening titles, and no more throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.
  I can understand wanting to cut the opening titles to squeeze out extra runtime, but you've been sandwiching the titles between Dreamworld drone shots – the opening sequence usually ends up being longer than proper opening titles would've been. Especially when you factor in the long, ITV-style intros. And what's with announcing double evictions and twists long after voting has opened? Why did you announce a "Wednesday eviction" in the promos, and then do noms instead? It's either producer meddling, or you're literally making it up as you go along. Either way, it just looks sloppy.

I think that's everything? Maybe I'll think of more stuff later idk.

Oh, one personal note:

• Start working with fansites.
  I've had hi-res House and Housemate photos, daily press releases, and a press contact during all three BBUK eras. People are promoting and covering your show for free – stop making it so hard for them, I'm begging you.

 

[dasnico]

Agree with everything here. I posted an extremely extensive post last week directed at the production staff and producers about my thoughts on most of this, so I’m not going to dig deep again on here.

The house is crap. It’s haphazardly assembled and is reminiscent of a Disney or Nickelodeon set. Personally I feel that if they’re staying in their current spot that the exhibition centre serves a better purpose as the live stage/set and an area like the adjacent dirt car park would better fit the construction of a semi-temporary building to house the house. It’s far enough away and isolated from the rides but close enough to the established production area this year.

The cameras need to be put behind mirrors again. The acting and attention towards them is extremely noticeable this year. Peter Abbott ran so these guys could walk. Perhaps he was onto something when he established the placement of cameras and some of the general format rules. Also, if you’re going to be casting these types of people, playing up to the cameras is going to keep happening.

Big Brother needs to be stricter and play the part of the authoritarian. While he doesn’t need to necessarily be mean again, there’s many qualities of mean big brother that need to return. Big Brother this year is an absolute pushover.

 

[Brekkie]

Agree with pretty much everything Being Big Brother said, and will at least give them credit for not completely blacking out the feeds after snap evictions as Canada used to do for their Instant Evictions. Indeed if you must do them these snap evictions should just be a one-off instant thing - put all HMs up for the vote on Sunday night then evict one before noms are filmed on Monday, interviewing them on the noms show, but I think every one, plus Mia's live eviction, would have been better done as a straight forward double eviction.

Also in terms of live shows just give them time - the show is rating well so it makes no sense not to give them 90 minutes - especially the finale which was originally scheduled for 70 minutes. I've no doubt it will run over but it should be blocked out as a 2 hour event from the off - they used to go closer to three with just two finalists so 2 hours with 5 finalists shouldn't be an issue. We'll probably get a 20 minute Colin and Holly reunion on Monday then 2 minutes with the winner.


Everything is very fixable and there have been some improvements during the series, but then they fix one thing and break another. I think some things you've just got to suck up and accept as budget related like the house and stage, but that doesn't mean they can't be improved.

The main things don't cost a penny - it's the edit and the production decisions. I've only watched a couple of shows in the last couple of weeks and the least interesting thing about them all were the showmances being shoved down our faes - focus less on them and more on the cast as a whole and you instantly improve the show. And then just scale back the snap evictions in favour of live double evictions.


I will commend the production team on the tasks - I think they've done a much better job of recapturing the OG feeling of the tasks than BBUK did, and as much as I hate overnight evictions the carol task was great cover for doing one.

They lose points though for the Head Housemate implementation - it got of to a bad start feeling like a producer fix and didn't get much better. I've no problem with HMs having immunity and one having extra control over noms but that power needs to be clearly won within the house or awarded by the public. I thought one of the best things about the Nine era was the "Superpower" which gave them a consistent nominatinos twist but with the power to change it up and perhaps doing something similar here but with viewers awarding a power each week (as happens in some US seasons) could have been a fresh take on, especially in trying to re-establish the format being live.


Jury is still out on casting as I don't think most have been given a fair share of airtime and some would benefit from a longer run to really come out of their shells, but it's probably a bit flat.

 

[Thing]

All great points here and I agree with most of them.

I think BB should engage some team to scrutinise the fan sites and work out specifically what viewers hate and/or detest about BB -- then don't do it. AND take on board things viewers want to return THEN implement them.

If its all about ratings, then engage with the audience and give them what they want.. Stop this rubbish where one, two or more 'producers' tell us what we want to watch...

 

[Melore]

Do better with your casting process. Would it kill you to cast a witty, intelligent, and handsome man? We got 6 variations of the same man, with different hair. And not one of them was overflowing with natural wit or intelligence. At the very least send in a intruder with some qualities to shake the place up.

It seems the producers' idea of a witty man is in fact a constantly farting, mugging, camera chasing, catchphrase producing, heel clicking, attention seeking toddler - with a history of alleged offences against women that really should have given you pause at some stage, and yet still you keep promoting and pushing him and protecting him in the edit to the bitter end.

 

[Thing]

To ensure the producers are giving the audience what they want - then they should be bold and add one extra voting selection.
If the public think the HM's are crap then give us a finale voting box for NIL. If this selection gets the majority votes then the audience has voted that NONE of the HM's in this season is worthy of winning.

That would also send a message to the producers that you chose poorly and we, the viewers, do not approve of your choices - do better next time.

 

[dasnico]

To ensure the producers are giving the audience what they want - then they should be bold and add one extra voting selection.
If the public think the HM's are crap then give us a finale voting box for NIL. If this selection gets the majority votes then the audience has voted that NONE of the HM's in this season is worthy of winning.

That would also send a message to the producers that you chose poorly and we, the viewers, do not approve of your choices - do better next time.

I mean this would certainly be a choice, but is even more far fetched than them actually sticking to the shows roots that they promised and ultimately failed to deliver.

 

[AngelStorm]

Honestly, one of the most frustrating things about this series is that it wouldn't actually take that much to "fix" it.

I feel like they got pretty close, and a few smallish/easy changes (below) would make a world of difference. It's a blessing and curse that this series has rated so well, because they may just delude themselves that this is what we wanted all along, and double down on it.

• Stage: Rotate the whole thing 180 degrees, add an eviction walkway, and give Mel a roof.
  This way, you still get a cool shot of the Dreamworld rides whenever someone enters or leaves the House, plus you get the drama of the evictee walking through the crowd to get to Mel.
• Live shows: Nail the small details, use the damn chairs, and bring back the VTs.
  There's no excuse for the absurdly long pauses, the eviction envelope not being ready, or music that's so loud you can't hear the host. Mel should never be left "treading water" because production fucked something up. Seating does wonders for faking a more "intimate" vibe (especially for noms). As a minimum, show evictees their "best bits" – them seeing themselves on TV, and us watching them laugh or cringe at their behaviour, is part of the drama of an eviction night.
  • Also, can you squeeze a small jib/crane in there, somehow? We all know the crowds are tiny, but those soaring shots would, again, be a good way of faking the OG BBAU vibes.
• Editing: Focus on coherent storylines (not just the juiciest clips), limit music to establishing shots and the starts of segments, and focus less on showmances.
  Something happened that was "great TV", but it wouldn't add anything to the storyline you're focusing on in that episode? Put the clip on your socials – that's what they're for. As for showmances, they can be interesting if they develop naturally, over time, but don't try to turn the show into MAFS/Love Island. (That much should've been obvious after BB15.)
• Live Stream: No "off days", no "flamingoes", and no half-assed censorship after backdoor evictions.
  There's only a skeleton crew on weekends? Not enough time on the Sunday episode to air any juicy conversations? So what? Don't punish the core fans who watch the Live Stream. Get whoever's operating OBS to jot down time codes for anything particularly interesting, and again, clip it for your socials!
  • Also, no amount of censorship has stopped fans working out who's gone in the backdoor evictions. So air them on the Live Stream! The fans watching the Stream aren't going to skip an episode because the eviction was "spoiled" – and the casual viewers aren't glued to the Live Stream and the socials, so they won't get spoiled. Someone remind Sarah Thornton of what she said in the TV Tonight interview:

• House: Literally just a bigger budget.
  The design and layout has grown on me a lot, but the cheapness and the sloppy finishes really show on camera. Hopefully now the show has "proved itself", the House can have some more time and money spent on it next year. If the budget doesn't increase, lean into the "OG" vibes and build something more basic, but actually achievable.
• Big Brother: Literally just stricter.
  With remote cameras, no ceilings, and Dreamworld rides within earshot, the Housemates are never going to forget they're on TV. But start punishing them when they perform for the cameras. Colin's mentioned that he's been warned about it, but there obviously weren't any actual consequences. I personally think "mean BB" is boring and played-out, but there's a balance between Big Brother being approachable, and just being a pushover, and this series isn't striking that balance. Bringing back the "Housemates cannot call Big Brother 'mate'" rule would be a start.
• Honourable mentions: Proper opening titles, and no more throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.
  I can understand wanting to cut the opening titles to squeeze out extra runtime, but you've been sandwiching the titles between Dreamworld drone shots – the opening sequence usually ends up being longer than proper opening titles would've been. Especially when you factor in the long, ITV-style intros. And what's with announcing double evictions and twists long after voting has opened? Why did you announce a "Wednesday eviction" in the promos, and then do noms instead? It's either producer meddling, or you're literally making it up as you go along. Either way, it just looks sloppy.

I think that's everything? Maybe I'll think of more stuff later idk.

Oh, one personal note:

• Start working with fansites.
  I've had hi-res House and Housemate photos, daily press releases, and a press contact during all three BBUK eras. People are promoting and covering your show for free – stop making it so hard for them, I'm begging you.

Every. Word. Of. This.

 

[BB12]

• Also, can you squeeze a small jib/crane in there, somehow? We all know the crowds are tiny, but those soaring shots would, again, be a good way of faking the OG BBAU vibes.

There's already a camera crane but they just need a larger area for the audience to make it look more dramatic. I really hope they learn from this season regarding the weather.

Let's hope a bigger budget will allow for a bigger and better set.

 

[bradnak]

They lose points though for the Head Housemate implementation - it got of to a bad start feeling like a producer fix and didn't get much better. I've no problem with HMs having immunity and one having extra control over noms but that power needs to be clearly won within the house or awarded by the public. I thought one of the best things about the Nine era was the "Superpower" which gave them a consistent nominatinos twist but with the power to change it up and perhaps doing something similar here but with viewers awarding a power each week (as happens in some US seasons) could have been a fresh take on, especially in trying to re-establish the format being live.

Perhaps one way to restore a little bit of goodwill towards evictee-chosen HOHs is to ask them to choose someone on-stage with Mel. That way, it at least looks like they're making the decision live. It still doesn't stop them from getting into the evictee's ear before they step on stage, but at least we would hear who they choose.

 

[dasnico]

Head of House or Head Housemate doesn’t work in this format and should be left to the North American format. Any privileges should be won or earned outright. A season where nominations aren’t manipulated in any way would be fresh.

 

[brc74]

and give Mel a roof.

I had to look twice. I thought that said ROOT at first.

 

[Matty492]

I had to look twice. I thought that said ROOT at first.

I'm willing to take one for the team

 

[bradnak]

I wonder if they're planning to extend the 2026 season? If so, they could take inspiration from the OG and actually have in-house games and competitions for a HoH-like position. Cause, let's face it, the FNL winner, though not named as any head of house position, did get HoH-like powers such as chore delegation and the power to change nominations. It would make it a hell of a lot fairer than just having the HoH announced after the evictee has been out of the house for a few hours.

 

[hisensewashingmachine]

1. Have actual stakes to infractions (e.g. if your caught not wearing a mic $50 is deducted from the prize fund)

2. Have live stream on only 10. TikTok is stricter with their community guidelines so they’ve had to mute more.

3. Shut the Tailspin, the fourth wall is non existent

4. No evictions on Fridays (makes for awkward weekends trying to conceal the HM evicted)

 

[The_Grandson]

In summary…

Bring back vote to evict. If you want to keep vote to save, do both. It’s been done before.

Show voting percentages. We love to see the numbers.

More diversity in the casting rather than just 6 men of various shades of white! I understand they were going for the “everyday man” or “every man” whatever you call it… but fuck me, they can find much better than that. Ryan (2014) was a more interesting housemate than some of these guys… and he was a fucking houseplant.

 

[Brekkie]

One thing they probably should have kept from the Seven era (well, first three series at least) is the more diverse casting. It is an OG element they absolutely needed to improve upon.

 

[SoftKitty]

Perhaps one way to restore a little bit of goodwill towards evictee-chosen HOHs is to ask them to choose someone on-stage with Mel. That way, it at least looks like they're making the decision live. It still doesn't stop them from getting into the evictee's ear before they step on stage, but at least we would hear who they choose.

That wouldn't achieve that though. The example of why is how when even after a video was posted of Michael actually selecting Holly to be the first HOH, some here kept trotting out the conspiracy theory narrative that he didn't actually pick her but he was merely the producers' puppet.