When Big Brother, originally billed as a social experiment, first aired across the UK in July 2000, it changed the course of television forever. Eleven housemates were isolated from the outside world in a specially built house full of cameras and were evicted one by one as the weeks went by. The series’ winner was shy builder Craig Philips and it starred “Nasty” Nick. The series was an instant hit.
Never before had the audience been exposed to a constant stream of details of everyday life; observing other people was, for him, merely a form of voyeurism.
Today, however, the virtual people-watching that Big Brother’s first season offered is commonplace, thanks largely to social media. On TikTok, now the most downloaded app in the world, #GRWM has been viewed more than 140 billion times on TikTok, while #SpendTheDayWithMe has been viewed more than 1.5 million times. In these videos, people film themselves washing their faces, going for a walk, or cooking food. Thanks to the internet, in today’s world, everyone has the potential to become a “somebody,” so why would anyone tune in to see what they can follow on social media?
LEARN MORE ABOUT ELLE COLLECTIVE
It can hardly be a coincidence that the same year that Channel 4 cancelled the original Big Brother broadcast, Instagram launched. Two years after TikTok launched in 2016, Big Brother was cancelled again from its new home at Channel 5. Now it’s back with a new home at ITV. The first episode of the revival show premiered last night. Presented by AJ Odudu and Will Best, a pre-recorded first introductory episode that aired in October was watched by 2.5 million people.
When Big Brother first aired, it was the novelty of seeing real people interacting that made it so exciting. Today, real life is broadcast on social media and there’s a reality TV show for everything: cooking, buying a house, adopting a dog, falling in love. There’s Selling Sunset, Masterchef, The Dog Academy and Love Is Blind. During the advert breaks of the first recorded episode of the most recent reboot, there are trailers for another new reality TV show – My Mum, Your Dad, presented by original Big Brother host Davina McCall. The appetite for reality is clear; the appetite for the specific genre that Big Brother once defined is less so.
“Social media has changed the face of reality TV,” Anna Jenkins, creative strategist and Gen Z specialist, tells ELLE. “What made Big Brother so special in the early ’00s was the unprecedented insight it gave into people’s behavior behind closed doors. In 2023, social media gives us insight into strangers’ lives at the touch of a finger.”
The response to the show was lukewarm. Although Google Trends recorded a 900% increase in searches for Big Brother within 24 hours of the latest reboot’s first episode, The Guardian gave it just two stars, calling it “run-of-the-mill” and “exhaustingly boring.” Of the reboot’s cast, the review said: “Everyone is different, but they’re all textbook reality show eccentrics. It feels like we’ve known them for too long.” The Telegraph gave it four stars, calling it “entertaining.”
The internet seems divided, but one thing is clear. Unlike when it launched in the UK, the reality TV market today is crowded, chaotic and noisy. How Big Brother will cut through the noise remains to be seen, as Jenkins admits: “Reality TV today needs to offer new news to keep audiences coming back.”
ELLE Collective is a new community for fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our editors and industry experts, and the chance to meet designers, thought leaders and stylists, join HERE today.
You might also like
