With the premiere of season 23 right around the corner, Big Brother has been around for just over two decades. The first season premiered in April 2001 and ran for 12 weeks until the live finale. The competition series was an immediate success and has aired at least one season every year since then.
Throughout the years, houseguests from all over have come in and out of the infamous house, with just a handful leaving half a million dollars richer. While longtime viewers think they know almost everything there is to know about both the show and the competition itself, only super fans will know these behind-the-scenes facts.
The Show Airs In Different Countries
According to Insider, Big Brother is actually based on a Dutch show that was doing well in both Germany and Spain. Now, countries such as Canada, Italy, Brazil, and Australia have readapted the show as well.
Houseguests' Paycheck
Although only one winner gets the hefty paycheck of $500,000, every player gets a paycheck of some sort. At the end of the season, players get paid an alleged stipend of $1,000 for each week they competed inside the house.
There Have Only Been 2 Unanimous Jury Votes
Throughout all the years of Big Brother, there have only ever been two unanimous jury votes on finale night. The first one was when Dan Gheesling won season 10. Then, just last year, Cody Calafiore won Big Brother: All-Stars with a unanimous vote as well.
More Successful Marriages Than The Bachelor
While this may be hard to believe for Bachelor fans, Big Brother has actually produced more successful relationships than The Bachelor has. In fact, there have been numerous successful showmances that later went on to get married.
The Longest Competition Ever
Live feed watchers know Big Brother competitions can sometimes last an extremely long time. The longest competition that ever took place on the show lasted for over 14 hours, bleeding into the following day. It was a Head of Household competition from season six in which houseguests had to be the last one holding down a button in order to win.
Their Wake Up Call Is Music, But No Singing
Many fans know houseguests are not allowed to sing inside the house due to copyright laws. They do receive music during their HOH reign, which they can only listen to with headphones. However, every morning, the houseguests are awoken by loud music playing throughout the house.
Cameras Are Everywhere, Even the Bathroom
There are over 100 cameras inside the Big Brother house, capturing every moment all summer long. While many would assume the houseguests can only find privacy while in the bathroom, that is actually not entirely true. The bathrooms do have cameras inside them as well. However, they are rarely ever used. This is to prevent houseguests from gathering in the small room to have secret conversations.
Getting Expelled Is Possible
There are a lot of rules houseguests must follow after arriving inside the Big Brother house. If a contestant chooses to disregard these rules, they can possibly be expelled from the show. A few of the show's most controversial players have been expelled.
It's Not A 'Real' House
Although the Big Brother home looks like an actual house, houseguests are really living inside a sound stage created to look like a house. Past contestants have explained it does not feel like they are living inside of a house due to the high ceilings and bright lights. This is why many contestants are oftentimes seen wearing sunglasses inside the house.
'Wall Yellers'
Almost every summer, production must deal with the issue of "wall yellers." These are fans that go to the studio lot where the Big Brother house is located and yell things to the players from the other side of the wall. By doing this, fans are attempting to give the players information regarding the game or the outside world, which could interfere with the competition.
Source: Insider