Big Brother 20 (UK)

## Cast

**Big Brother 20** is the twentieth series of *Big Brother UK*.

## Background

After being axed by Channel 5 in 2018, rumors of a twentieth season began circulating in 2020, especially after Channel 4, the original broadcaster of Big Brother UK, aired a special program celebrating the show's 20th anniversary. On August 1, 2022, it was announced that ITV had purchased the rights to the show and would be broadcasting a new season on ITV2 in 2023. Initially slated for a March 2023 debut, ITV elected to push back the premiere to the fall, citing concerns with competing reality shows, and "wanting to give the Big Brother revival the best chance to succeed."

### Casting

On October 10, 2022, ITV opened applications for the renewed season, with a main goal in mind: to bring 'authenticity' back inside the Big Brother house.

ITV's Peter Tierney said his team relentlessly listened to audience and fans who have constantly expressed wanting "real, authentic reality." The casting process was initially slated to close on January 27, 2023, but was extended thrice until it ultimately closed on July 27, 2023. The 10-month casting process led by ITV and Initial resulted in a pool of 30,000 applications according to Executive Producer Katy Manley, and eventually sifted down to 500 applicants for the interviews.

On October 3, 2023, just less than a week before the season's launch date, presenter AJ Odudu hinted that the housemates will reflect the UK in 2023 and that the show will always be a mirror to today's society.  ITV also revealed that the show will be prioritizing the welfare of the cast through a welfare package that supports all housemates before, during and after their time in the Big Brother House. Apart from the usual medical and psychological procedures done internationally by every contestant, among the welfare package inclusions published by ITV for Big Brother UK contestants are the following:

* Sessions with registered mental health professionals to assess and support the housemates before the show, while inside the house, and after leaving the house.
* A series of background checks including checks of their social media accounts by an independent specialized service.
* A social media blackout where the housemates and their social media account handlers like family and friends are prohibited from posting any content on the housemates' social media accounts while inside the house.
* Respect and Inclusion training to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectations for appropriate behavior and language.
* Bespoke training on dealing with social media and press after leaving the Big Brother house.

### Production Changes

* **Redefined Big Brother:** Creative Director Tamsin Dodgson mentioned that the ITV reboot will introduce a new Big Brother persona, saying that the role of the all-seeing Big Brother in Big Brother UK will have more personality and character. This update on Big Brother's role in the UK version means that people will see Big Brother having more interaction and involvement in the house and the housemates' lives as seen on some international versions than simply issuing commands.

* **New Presenters:** On April 2023, ITV announced TV Hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best as the new main presenters of the British franchise, with the duo replacing Emma Willis who hosted Channel 5's iteration of the show. Odudu is best known for hosting The Voice UK and for being a competitor on Strictly Come Dancing, while Best is known for hosting numerous shows on Channel 4, ITV, and the BBC.

* **Big Brother: Late & Live:** Along with the franchise's main show, ITV also introduced a new companion show spin-off "Big Brother: Late & Live", hosted by AJ Odudu and Will Best. Big Brother: Late & Live will air right after the main show every night from Sunday to Friday in front of a live audience, with a talk-show format similar to its predecessor Big Brother's Bit on the Side. Eviction interviews will take place in the companion show instead of the main show, and exclusive features like access to the camera runs, celebrity guest appearances, and discussions about the house events and weekly nomination results.

### House

With the Big Brother UK house in Elstree Studios being demolished weeks after Big Brother 19 (UK) ended in 2018, the ITV revival had to find a new location to house the franchise. In May 2023, ITV announced Garden Studios, a large, newly-built studio complex in Brent, London, to be the new location for the network's revival of the series.

For the first time in Big Brother UK history, ITV created the house inside a soundstage instead of building a purpose-built house. The network has decided to use Soundstage 1 of Garden Studios' Iris Campus as the main house.

Living AreaDining AreaKitchenLoungeCorridorBedroomBedroom
BathroomBathroomBathroomDiary RoomGardenGardenGardenGarden

## Housemates

 **Winner**

 **Runner-Up**

 **Finalist**

 **Finalist**

 **Finalist**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

## Game History

### Week 1

 **Saved**

 **Nominee**

 **Evicted**

### Week 2

 **Nominee**

 **Evicted**

### Week 3

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Evicted**

### Week 4

#### Round 1

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Evicted**

#### Round 2

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

### Week 5

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

### Week 6

#### Round 1

 **Nominee**

 **Evicted**

 **Evicted**

#### Round 2

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Nominee**

 **Evicted**

#### Final

 **Winner**

 **Runner-Up**

 **Third Place**

 **Fourth Place**

 **Fifth Place**

## Ratings

 Week

## References

1. ↑ Sarrubba, Stefania (October 3, 2023). ‘Big Brother’ UK Is Back: Execs Talk Sifting Through 30,000 Casting Applications, Prioritizing Welfare & “Making Reality ‘Real’ Again”. Digital Spy.
2. ↑ Goldbart, Max (October 3, 2023). Big Brother host AJ Odudu drops first hint about housemates. Deadline.
3. ↑ Darvill, Josh (October 3, 2023). Big Brother housemates undergo 'respect and inclusion training' and face social media ban. TellyMix.
4. ↑ Big Brother confirms welfare package for Housemates in 2023. ITV (October 3, 2023).
5. ↑ ITV tease new series details and house. Big Blagger (October 3, 2023).
6. ↑ Evans, Ethan (October 3, 2023). Big Brother 2023 hosts: who are Will Best and AJ Odudu? Ages, careers and what you may recognise them from. National World.
7. ↑ Jobson, Lily (September 28, 2023). Big Brother 'in huge show shake up' as never before seen feature is spotted outside house as launch night approaches. Daily Mail UK.