No filters, no fame-hungry pigs: Inside the original Big Brother
It has been 24 years since Gretel Killeen welcomed Australia to Big Brother, guiding viewers through the iconic Dreamworld house that became a national phenomenon. This was where 22-year-old strip club manager Sara-Marie taught the "bum dance," where we first met Chrissie Swan, and where a grown man was nicknamed Hotdogs.
At the time, the world had just survived Y2K, the iPhone was still years away, and viewers enjoyed seemingly unrestricted access to live footage of young Australians in intimate and unfiltered moments. Big Brother marked the dawn of a new television era, creating the nation’s first reality stars and producing some of live TV's most unforgettable moments.
Impact on TV and Culture
Big Brother pushed the limits of what reality TV could show. The infamous "turkey slap" incident in 2006, captured on the live stream and condemned by then-Prime Minister John Howard, led to stricter regulation by TV watchdogs and made producers rethink their duty of care toward participants.
Show’s Decline and Fan Reaction
The program quietly left screens just two years ago after airing on various commercial networks, concluding on Seven with its lowest ratings ever. Fans expressed disappointment, feeling the show had strayed from its original concept, overly relying on Love Island-style dating drama and Survivor-like social gameplay.
"No filters, no fame-hungry pigs."
Big Brother remains a landmark in Australian television history, remembered both for its groundbreaking impact and the controversies that shaped reality TV’s evolution.
Author’s summary: Big Brother revolutionized Australian TV by creating reality stars and pushing boundaries, though its later years saw a decline driven by format changes and shifting viewer expectations.