What even is the point of Big Brother in 2025?
Twenty-four years ago, voyeurism alone was a strong and unique appeal. Can Big Brother’s return succeed today?
Last night, a familiar voice asked, “Are you ready to come home?” It belonged to Mike Goldman, the narrator of Big Brother Australia during both its original Channel 10 run and its Channel 9 revival. With this single line, the new Big Brother made its intention clear: to bring back the series as it was when it was a pop culture phenomenon in the early 2000s.
Back then, the show introduced audiences to memorable moments and personalities such as Chrissie Swan, Sara-Marie’s bunny dance, the dancing doona, and the notorious turkey slap.
“Are you ready to come home?”
For a time, Big Brother was a major cultural event, offering viewers a nightly window into permitted voyeurism—observing how people behave when they forget the cameras are always on. But the question remains: can the show truly recapture that magic?
Big Brother debuted in Australia in 2001 shortly after originating in the Netherlands. The show's name was inspired by the oppressive, totalitarian figure in George Orwell’s novel 1984.
Author’s summary: Big Brother Australia returns in 2025 aiming to revive the early 2000s cultural impact by tapping into voyeurism’s evolving appeal and nostalgic moments.