Who is Big Brother?
He has the most famous voice in Australian television, one of the most adored and feared personalities, but he is a celebrity you have never seen. And probably never will see.
Big Brother has been a household name in Australia since 2001, but little is known about the man with the deep voice who rules the Housemates.
The faces and names behind the voice are the best-kept secrets in the industry.
“Absolutely
Big Brother is sworn to secrecy,” says the reality show’s executive producer Alex Mavroidakis.
“Absolutely they are publicly protected for this very reason: because there is an absolute fascination (with who he is).”
We can reveal there are three men who voice
Big Brother: two were recruited several series ago and a new deputy starts this year.
Two have had voice training in the past while the third’s vocals just come naturally.
Most of the pre-prepared scripts are drafted by Mavroidakis, but there are still many off-the-cuff remarks that the trio is responsible for.
“Those guys are all very smart, quick witted,” the producer says.
“What you don’t hear is me and
Big Brother talking as quickly as we can, trying to work out what the most hilarious line is or the most pertinent line is to say next.
“Not that we could ever do this because the mystery of
Big Brotherwould be killed forever, but if a show within a show (should ever be made) they should have a camera in the control room. People are just talking on the phones, screaming at each other, paper’s thrown everywhere.
“It’s a mad environment but it’s a terrific place to work.”
None of the three
Big Brothers are psychologists but before the housemates enter the trio is given access to their psychological reports so that they know their “trigger points”.
The Big Brothers go through extensive training so they can deal with any emotional turmoil faced by the housemates.
Their need is to be a “faceless father”, Mavroidakis says: exuding authority when housemates need telling off, provoking laughter when cracking jokes, and making housemates comfortable enough to spill their deepest and darkest secrets in the diary room.
“Their title is Deputy Big Brother and their job is to look after the welfare of the Housemates,” Mavroidakis says.
“In Australia,
Big Brother is a character, and that’s the way we want it.”
http://www.jump-in.com.au/show/bigbrother/2014/latest/day-0/who-is-bb/