Big Brother 2025 (Dutch and Belgian TV series)

Big Brother 2025 is the fifth cooperation season of the Dutch and Belgian version of Big Brother. It is the eleventh regular version of Big Brother in both Belgium and the Netherlands. The show is broadcast on RTL5 in the Netherlands and Play4 in Belgium beginning on 6 January 2025. Live streams are available 24/7 on Videoland for Dutch viewers and on GoPlay.be and Telenet for Belgian viewers.
In the summer of 2024, when calling for candidates, the program makers announced that the new season would be completely different from previous seasons. At the unveiling of the house in early January 2025, this was confirmed. The house received a complete makeover and was barely furnished. There was also only 1 bed in the only large bedroom. There were several new rooms such as the Decision Room, the Panic Room and the Vault.
In addition to changed spaces in the house, the concept was also greatly altered. For example, the season started back-to-basics and residents had to compete for furniture, their own clothes and food. There were several new game elements. Critics again called the program fun.
The Live show was changed by a short Live Exit Broadcast. Starting in Week 2, a podcast was also recorded in the house.
The budding relationship of Jeffrey Leijzen and Jolien Pede received much attention in the broadcasts. One of the most talked about residents, Lennie Blockmans, left the house after a few weeks for health reasons. When three housemates voluntarily left the house on three days midway through the season, the question was raised whether this season was too harsh. Programmers assured that the three candidates left the house for three different private matters related and that it was always planned that from midway through the season the residents would have more luxuries. Because of the harsh conditions during the first half, tensions and discussions often arose between residents. Halfway through the game, tactical player Jordy de Maar formed a nomination union "the cartel" with some fellow residents, this created a tough game and backlash from the other residents.
Viewers spoke of manipulation by favoritism for members of "the cartel" by Big Brother through exemptions, tailored assignments and chosen images in the television broadcasts. A plane with message for the cartel, collected by fans, for "the cartel" was shown in a broadcast, while the first plane of that season for Jane Karto a week earlier was not featured in the broadcasts. Karto had to leave the house as the last contestant before finals week, while the last three members of "the cartel" did advance to finals week.
Big Brother 2025 followed the same format as the previous seasons. Housemates lived isolated from the outside world in a custom-built house for a period of 100 days, hoping to be the last one to leave the house as the winner, and walk away with its cash prize.
Programmers announced in advance that this season everything would be different. At launch, it was announced that basic comforts would no longer be a certainty. The first photos of the house showed a stripped house with a barely furnished house, an enclosed kitchen, locked closets and an outdoor shower. There were also new rooms such as the Decision Room and the Panic Room. In "The Vault," housemates could buy gamechangers to bend the game to their will. In the 'Panic Room,' housemates were challenged in different ways. There was a Big Brother suite - a luxurious room to which only the housemates who had access were allowed to go. A boudoir was added.
Not only did the house look different, the game play was also different.
Changes in the concept:
On January 3, the first ten housemates were announced. Lennie Blockmans was the first transgender candidate in this Dutch and Flemish co-produced Big Brother series. Sharice Van Steelant and Vikaash Lalbiharie entered the house under fake identities, respectively, as Nele and Remi.
The main events in the Big Brother house are summarised in the table below.