Damon Mcknight
Big Brother Australia, the Australian version of the hit reality TV show, has had a tumultuous history since its debut in 2001. The show was first cancelled in 2008 due to declining ratings and controversy, but it returned in 2012 on a different network. Since then, it has bounced between networks, with its most recent cancellation occurring in 2024. The show has faced criticism from politicians and audiences for its sexual content, with some referring to it as toxic television. Despite this, the show has a loyal fan base and there are rumours of a revival in 2025.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of cancellation | 14 July 2008 |
| Reason for cancellation | Audience erosion and controversy |
| Controversies | Sexual content, including an incident of a housemate massaging his penis on another housemate's back and hair |
| Referred to as "Big Brothel" in the press | |
| Criticism from Australian politicians, including then-Prime Minister John Howard | |
| Subsequent developments | Rumours of revival by other networks |
| Return of the show in 2012 on the Nine Network, lasting three seasons | |
| Picked up by the Seven Network in 2019, running for four regular seasons and a celebrity edition | |
| Poor reception to the 15th season, leading to the cancellation of plans for a 16th season | |
| Cancellation of the show for 2024, with possible plans to return to its original live format in 2025 |
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What You'll Learn
Poor ratings and controversy
Big Brother Australia has been cancelled multiple times due to poor ratings and controversy. The show first aired in 2001 and ran for eight civilian seasons and one celebrity edition on Network Ten. However, in July 2008, the show was cancelled following a decline in ratings and controversy. The show returned in 2012 on the Nine Network but was not renewed beyond 2015.
The series received criticism for its sexual content and was referred to as "Big Brothel" by the press. There were also complaints about the show's Uncut episode, which led to it being rebranded as Big Brother: Adults Only for the 2006 season. The Australian Communications & Media Authority launched an investigation into Big Brother: Uncut after complaints that Network Ten had breached the industry code of practice by broadcasting footage that exceeded the maximum MA15+ rating.
The show's producers aimed to feature \"real people\" in the house, but there was criticism that many of the housemates in the later seasons came from modelling backgrounds, which alienated them from the public audience. Then-Australian Prime Minister John Howard called for the show to be cancelled, referring to it as a "stupid program". Despite this, the show was defended by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, who argued that it employed many Australians and should continue despite its diminished size in the industry.
The show returned in 2019 on the Seven Network but was met with poor reception, and a planned sixteenth season for 2024 was cancelled. Fans of the show did not enjoy the "dating show" concept in 2023. However, there are rumours that the show may return to its original live format in 2025.
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Criticism from politicians
Big Brother Australia has faced criticism from politicians for its explicit content. The series was occasionally referred to as "Big Brothel" in the press, referring to the sexual content of the Uncut episode. Australian politicians criticised the show, with one referring to it as "toxic television". After the 2005 series, complaints prompted the Australian Communications & Media Authority to launch an investigation into Big Brother: Uncut. The main complaint was that Network Ten had breached the industry code of practice by broadcasting footage that exceeded the MA15+ rating for Australian commercial television. The investigation found that Network Ten had breached the code on several occasions, including airing footage of housemate Michael massaging his penis on Gianna's back and hair.
Then-Australian Prime Minister John Howard called for Big Brother to be cancelled, saying:
> "Here's a great opportunity for Channel 10 to do a bit of self-regulation and get this stupid program off the air."
Leader of the Opposition Kim Beazley and Senator Steve Fielding supported this view. However, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie argued that the show employed many Australians in production and that, due to the already small size of the Australian television industry, it should continue.
Big Brother Australia was ultimately cancelled by Network Ten in July 2008 due to declining ratings and controversy. The show returned in 2012 on the Nine Network but was not renewed beyond 2015. In 2024, it was announced that Big Brother Australia had been cancelled once again, with no plans for a new season in 2024. However, it was recently announced that the show will be returning to Channel 10 in late 2025, with a new host, Mel Tracina.
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Sexual content
Big Brother Australia, which ran from 2001 to 2008, was a reality show based on the international Big Brother format. Housemates lived together in a specially constructed house, isolated from the outside world, under constant audio and video surveillance.
The series received criticism for its sexual content. It was sometimes referred to as "Big Brothel" in the press, and one politician called it "toxic television". The criticism prompted an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) into Big Brother: Uncut, which found that the network had breached the industry code of practice by airing footage that exceeded the MA15+ rating for Australian commercial television.
In 2006, two housemates, Michael Cox (using the alias Ashley) and Michael Bric (using the alias John), were removed from the house for allegedly sexually assaulting female housemate Camilla Halliwell. The incident, which became known as the "turkey slapping" incident, involved one of the men holding Camilla down while the other slapped his genitals on her face. Queensland Police declined to conduct a criminal investigation, and Camilla herself stated that the incident was done in jest and that she bore no ill will towards the men. However, the incident sparked widespread discussion and criticism, with many calling for the show to be cancelled.
The show's producers were criticised for not advising housemates on how to deal with sexual tension, and the audition processes were revealed to include parading nude. The show's ratings temporarily increased following the controversy, but overall, the show's ratings did not show a significant boost, and the daily show continued to rate lower than its competitors.
In addition to the 2006 incident, there were other instances of sexual harassment and assault on the show. Former housemate Rita Lazzarotto reported a similar incident during her time in the Big Brother house in the 2005 series. There were also rumours of sexual assault involving Roxanne and Ryan.
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Unsuccessful reboot attempts
Big Brother Australia was first cancelled in 2008 due to audience erosion and controversy. The show was revived in 2012 on the Nine Network, but it only lasted for three seasons and was not renewed beyond 2015. In 2019, the Seven Network picked up the series, which ran for four regular seasons and a celebrity edition. However, due to poor reception to the 15th season, the planned 16th season was cancelled.
The show has faced criticism from commentators, audiences, and politicians for its sexual content and has been referred to as "Big Brothel" in the press. The Australian Communications & Media Authority launched an investigation into the series in 2005 after complaints about footage that exceeded the maximum MA15+ rating for Australian commercial television. Despite the controversies, the show has also faced opposition from politicians and critics who argue that it promotes negative stereotypes and contributes to the decline of traditional family values.
The house used for the show fell into disrepair after the 2014 season and was eventually burned down by vandals in 2019. The show's producers had planned to rebuild the house and revive the series, but these plans were scrapped after the house was destroyed. In 2023, the show attempted a 'dating show' concept that was poorly received by fans.
While there have been attempts to revive the series, they have been met with challenges and poor reception. The show's producers are reportedly working on a reboot for 2025, which will return to its original live format. It remains to be seen whether this attempt will be successful in reviving the series.
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Cancellation and revival
Big Brother Australia first aired in 2001 and ran for eight civilian seasons and one celebrity edition on Network Ten. In July 2008, the show was cancelled following audience erosion and controversy. The show's controversial content led to criticism from commentators, audiences, and politicians. After its cancellation, there were rumours of a revival by various networks, but none came to fruition until 2012 when the Nine Network picked up the show.
The Nine Network aired three seasons of Big Brother Australia from 2012 to 2014, but it was not renewed beyond that. In 2019, the Seven Network revived the series, which ran for four regular seasons and a celebrity edition. However, due to the poor reception of the 15th season, the planned 16th season was cancelled, and the show did not air in 2024.
Despite the cancellation of the 16th season, there were speculations that the show might return to its original live format in 2025. Indeed, it was confirmed that Big Brother Australia would be returning to Channel 10 in late 2025, with Mel Tracina as the host. The show is expected to feature live nominations, live evictions, and a new Big Brother house.
While the show has faced controversies and cancellations in the past, it has also introduced several notable media personalities to Australian audiences and has a loyal fan base. The show's producers have consistently aimed to feature \"real people\" from diverse backgrounds as housemates, although there has been criticism that more recent seasons have featured a higher number of models, alienating the show from its audience.
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Frequently asked questions
Big Brother Australia was cancelled due to a decline in ratings and audience erosion.
The show was first cancelled in 2008 by Network Ten, but it was revived by the Nine Network in 2012.
Yes, the show received criticism for its sexual content and was referred to as "Big Brothel" by the press. There was also criticism from politicians, with one referring to it as "toxic television".
Yes, the show is set to return in 2025 on Channel 10, with a new host, Mel Tracina, and a return to its original live format.
The original format of the show featured live nominations and live evictions, and a group of housemates living together and isolated from the outside world, with their every move captured by television cameras.
