CBS Big Brother

From LoveToKnow Reality-TV

On the television network CBS, Big Brother has been ruling the airwaves for the past nine years. This popular reality show, which has been featured in various countries before finding its niche with an American audience, continues to draw in loyal viewers and stay on top of the reality programming game, which has gotten much more crowded and competitive over the years. Read on to learn the history of the Big Brother series' heritage, as well as information on current seasons.

[edit]

The History of the Show

Long before its current incarnation on CBS, Big Brother began as a hit reality series in the Netherlands. The series was developed by a Dutch production company, and premiered in 1999. The title of the show is named after the omnipotent character from 1984 by George Orwell.

Big Brother has been broadcast with different versions in the following countries:

African continent
Albania
Argentina
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Columbia
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
India
Israel
Mexico
Middle East region
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Pacific Region
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Scandinavia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States
Western Balkans

With all of these nations showing versions of Big Brother, it’s no wonder that CBS developed an American version that is still thriving nine seasons later.

[edit]

How Does the CBS Big Brother Work?

Like earlier versions of the show, CBS Big Brother focuses on a group of strangers who become housemates. These newfound roomies experience a “lock in” style living experience, unable to leave the house or have any contact with the outside world. On average, the show’s filming lasts around three months, giving the cast ample time to get antsy in their close quarters and start to bring on the drama for the 24 hour cameras.

The houseguests (as they are known on the show), are eventually evicted one by one, until the last remaining inhabitant wins the prize. The houseguests vote each other off the show, and producers assign them various tasks and challenges to complete.

[edit]

Behind the Scenes

On CBS, Big Brother is hosted by Julie Chen, who is also a news anchor. She works on The Early Show, and also served as a CBS Morning News anchor prior to her current gigs. Between her two television programs, she was a student at the University of Southern California where she received a degree in journalism. She is a New York native, and now lives bicoastal with her husband.

The producer of the American Big Brother is Allison Grodner, who is a noted contributer to cable television shows such as TLC’s A Wedding Story and MTV’s Flipped. She is a true reality TV guru when it comes to successful production, and the fact that Big Brother has been going strong for nine years is a testament to her skills and expertise.

The current Big Brother cast (as of September 2008) are as follows:

Angie, who is 29 years old and lives in Orlando. She’s a Pharmaceutical Rep divorcee.
April is 30 years old and resides in Higley, Arizona. She is a single financial manager.
Brian, age 27, lives in San Francisco and works as an account manager.
Dan, one of the youngsters of the house, is 24 and is a teacher from Michigan.
Jerry, on the other hand, is a 75 year old from Texas and is a retired marketing executive.
Jessie is a 22 year old professional body builder from southern California.
Keesha is an animal loving waitress from Burbank, California, age 29.
Libra is 31 years old, hails from Texas, and is a married professional working in human resources.
Memphis is a 25 year old L.A. boy who works in a field called Mixology, which is similar to bartending.
Michelle, age 28, is a real estate agent in Rhode Island.
Ollie is 27, and works as a marketing rep in Iowa.
Renny is 53 years old and owns a beauty salon in New Orleans.
Steven, age 35, is a competitive rodeo rider from Texas.

With such a fun and unique mix of contestants, Big Brother 10 is sure to be an exciting season! Visit CBS.com for listings in your area.

Retrieved from "http://reality-tv.lovetoknow.com/CBS_Big_Brother"