From the wall to the confession room, see the main differences and curiosities of reality shows around the world.
Big Brother is one of the most successful reality show formats in television history, present in dozens of countries. While the central premise of confining a group of people in a house guarded 24 hours a day is universal, the way the game plays out varies significantly. Understanding how Big Brother works in other countries reveals cultural adaptations, distinct rules and game dynamics that transform the viewer’s experience. This article explores the most notable versions and their main features.
The origin and basic format of Big Brother
Created in the Netherlands in 1999 by production company Endemol, the original concept of Big Brother was simple: a group of anonymous people, called “housemates”, are isolated from the outside world in a house built for the program. Cameras and microphones record your every action. Weekly, participants nominate each other for elimination, and the public votes to decide who should leave. The last one to remain in the house wins a cash prize.
This model, focused on coexistence and popular voting, is the basis for many editions, including the Brazilian one. However, several international versions have changed crucial elements of the game.
Main differences in international versions
Nomination rules, voting power and power dynamics within the house are the points that change the most around the world. Discover the most influential formats and their particularities.
- Big Brother United States and Canada: In these versions, the game is much more strategic and less dependent on the popular vote for weekly eliminations.
- Head of Household (HoH): Each week, participants compete in a test to become the “Head of the House”. The HoH gains immunity and the power to nominate two other participants to the wall.
- Power of Veto (PoV): The nominees and other randomly selected participants compete for the “Power of Veto”. The winner can remove one of the nominated people from the wall, forcing the HoH to choose a replacement.
- Participants’ Vote: Elimination is not decided by the public. The participants themselves, with the exception of the HoH and the nominees, vote to eliminate one of the paired.
- Jury: The last eliminated people form a jury that, in the final, votes to choose the winner among the finalists.
- Big Brother Reino Unido (UK): Considered a cultural phenomenon, the original British format focused more on the social experiment aspect than on strategic competition. The decision-making power has always been in the hands of the public, who voted to save or eliminate. The version became famous for its eccentric tasks and for giving great emphasis to the participants’ personalities.
- Big Brother (Italy): One of the longest-lasting versions, the Italian edition stands out for its extremely long seasons and the “VIP” format, with celebrities, which is enormously popular. Voting rules tend to be similar to the Brazilian one, with strong public influence, but with nomination dynamics that can vary each week, including open votes and chain nominations.
- Big Brother Albania: This format is one of the biggest television successes in the country, especially the VIP version. The dynamics are very focused on dramas and relationships, with strong popular appeal. The voting system is centered on the audience, who decides who leaves and, sometimes, who enters the house, making the audience a central part of the game.
Unique curiosities and rules around the world
In addition to the major structural differences, some editions stand out for their unique rules and elements that add layers of complexity or entertainment to the format.
- Have-Nots (USA/Canada): Some weeks, a group of participants are designated as “Have-Nots.” They are punished with restrictive diets (usually a tasteless paste called “slop”), cold showers, and an uncomfortable room to sleep in.
- Secret Missions: In several versions, Big Brother assigns secret tasks to one or more participants. Success in the mission can bring rewards for the individual or group, while failure can bring punishments.
- False Wall: Resource used in several countries, including Brazil, where an elimination is simulated. The “eliminated” participant is taken to a secret room and gains the power to observe their colleagues, returning to the game days later with privileged information.
The Big Brother format proves its resilience by adapting to each country’s cultural and television expectations. While versions such as the Brazilian and Italian ones value the sovereign decision of the public and the charisma of the participants, the North American formats transform the program into an intense game of strategic chess, where alliances and betrayals define the winner. Knowing these variations enriches the perception of reality, showing that, despite the common name, there are many ways to play and watch Big Brother.
