Summary

• The Big Brother house is actually a studio located in Los Angeles, not a real house.
• There are over 100 cameras and personal microphones in the house to capture every moment.
• Houseguests are paid a weekly fee, possibly up to $1,000, for their time on the show.

Big Brother is a fun reality series and a great escape, but not many fans know much about the long-running game. Viewers find it easy to get immersed in the drama, strategy, scheming, backstabbing, and showmances week to week. Like any reality show, there are rules and aspects of the show that aren't entirely real.

There are many things die-hard fans know about being in the Big Brother house, such as the fact that house guests are not allowed to talk about production, bring their personal devices inside, nor engage in any violent behavior. While many know how the game of Big Brother works, most don't know the ins and outs of the house. With the seasons always changing things up, several Big Brother house secrets haven't changed through the years.

10 The House Isn't Actually A House

It's Located In A Studio In LA

Many fans don't realize that the Big Brother house isn't a house. It's actually a studio located in the CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles, California. The sound stage studio loft has a backyard attached to it, so the house guests aren't confined to an enclosed space. The front of the house seen during evictions, when host Julie Chen Moonves does her exit interviews, is actually a large theater stage where a live audience can sit. Just outside the "house" are production staff members who review footage, keep the pantry stocked, conduct diary room interviews, and build the competition sets in the "backyard" each week.

9 There Are Over 100 Cameras

Each Houseguest Also Has A Personal Mic Pack

It takes more than viewers might realize to keep tabs on the moves of the BB house guests and multiple rooms at all hours of the day. The set has over 100 cameras, according to Insider, which are spread throughout the house. Along with the cameras are also as many microphones designed to pick up the audio, along with the personal mic packs each player is mandated to wear at all times. It's no surprise, then, that many Big Brother players have had falls from grace since their every word and action is captured, 24/7.

8 Players Are Paid A Weekly Fee

They Allegedly Get Paid Up To $1,000 A Week

While fans know that every house guest can win up to the $750,000 prize for the winner and the $50,000 runner-up prize, what fans don't realize is that, just like in a job, house guests get paid for every week they're in the house. According to Insider, houseguests are allegedly paid $1,000 per week, while some sources claim the payment is closer to $750 per week. The bottom line is that it explains why house guests might try to stay for as long as they can, even if it's obvious to fans and other plays that they don't have a chance at winning.

7 House Guests Are Woken Up By Loud Music

Producers Play The Music

It might seem like some house guests are lazy, sleeping away the days. What fans don't realize, at least those who don't subscribe to the 24/7 live feeds, is that production often wakes house guests up by blaring music through the speakers in the house, according to TheThings.com. Knowing this makes it easier to understand why a house guest might want to take a long afternoon siesta. Chances are they might have been up until the wee hours of the morning strategizing with others, only to be awoken at the crack of dawn to loud pop music.

6 Yes, There's A Camera In The Bathroom

Bathroom Footage Was Only Used Once

Fans might think that the one place house guests can enjoy actual solitude is in the bathroom, but the show does have cameras in there as well, according to SF Gate. While the footage is rarely used, the only time it was ever shown was when Shannon Dragoo was secretly cleaning the toilet with Hardy Ames-Hill's toothbrush. It was one of the times a houseguest went too far on Big Brother which led to Shannon having to confess and buy him a new toothbrush.

5 Producers Control Utilities

Houseguests Can't Control The Heat

Living in the house doesn't necessarily mean that house guests have full control over their comfort, including the heating, cooling, or even the water. According to Reality Blurred, part of the contract stipulates that production might ration water usage and has full control over power and utilities. Thus, there are no 30-minute showers or cranking up the air conditioning on a hot day. The house guests need to live in whatever conditions production sets. This might be for the best, considering the houseguests could end up fighting over things like the temperature in the home if they were able to control it themselves.

4 House Guests Are Really Messy

Beds Are Always Unmade

Fans have probably heard houseguests talk about things like ant infestations or chastising their roommates for being messy and dirty. It's not uncommon to see conversations going on in a room with clothing all over the floor, beds unmade, and the area generally unkempt. According to TheThings.com, the house has, in various seasons, reached especially disgusting levels, from food left around in bedrooms to dirty dishes sitting for days. It makes fans realize why there's always a person each season who believes they should be kept in the house because they are the one who keeps it clean.

3 There Are A Lot Of Required Tests

Houseguests Had To Be Tested For COVID-19

While fans of the show know that for seasons 22 and 23, houseguests had to be tested for COVID-19 before entering the house, after which they had to quarantine for the required two-week period and continue testing throughout the season, but testing is a pretty normal part of the Big Brother process. According to Men's Health, in every season, before being cast, house guests must undergo a psychological evaluation, pass an in-person interview, and get tested for STDs. The latter is particularly important considering how many showmances there have been on Big Brother.

2 Some Players Have Had Reactions To Being On Slop

Amanda Hansen Had A Seizure Due To Low Blood Sugar

One of the punishments in the later seasons of Big Brother includes having to sleep in a room with uncomfortable furniture, taking cold showers, and eating Big Brother slop, an oatmeal-like concoction. What fans might not realize is that several players have gotten sick from not eating anything but slop, including Big Brother season 9's Amanda Hansen, according to Reality TV World. Amanda was hypoglycemic and did not get the amount of sugar she needed. She passed out and had a seizure because of her low blood sugar, and the event was captured on camera. She promptly received medical assistance and was back in the game in no time.

1 Clothing Is Regulated

Logos Are Not Allowed

What houseguests wear in the Big Brother house comes from their wardrobes, though there are reportedly a few restrictions. Players allegedly can't wear clothing with logos to avoid branding issues, according to Big Brother Wiki. They also can't wear certain materials, like silk, or patterns, like polka dots or thin stripes, simply because they aren’t picked up well on camera; however, this hasn't been confirmed by CBS. Nonetheless, fans will note that players have been able to find ways to express messaging through clothing while still following the rules. One recent example is Derek F.'s "Black Lives Matter" shirts, which supported the BLM movement.

Sources: SF Gate, Insider, Reality Blurred, TheThings.com, Men's Health, Reality TV World, Big Brother Wiki

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  Big Brother

  Cast:

  Julie Chen Moonves

  Release Date:

  2000-07-05

  Seasons:

  25

  Genres:

  Reality, Competition

  Network:

  CBS

  Directors:

  Mark W. Roden, Quinn Saunders

  Showrunner:

  Allison Grodner

  Writers:

  John de Mol

  Season List:

  Big Brother - Season 1, Big Brother - Season 2, Big Brother - Season 3, Big Brother - Season 4, Big Brother - Season 5, Big Brother - Season 6, Big Brother - Season 7, Big Brother - Season 8, Big Brother - Season 9, Big Brother - Season 10, Big Brother - Season 11, Big Brother - Season 12, Big Brother - Season 13, Big Brother - Season 14, Big Brother - Season 15, Big Brother - Season 16, Big Brother - Season 17, Big Brother - Season 18, Big Brother - Season 19, Big Brother - Season 20, Big Brother - Season 21, Big Brother - Season 22, Big Brother - Season 23, Big Brother - Season 24, Big Brother - Season 25