Big Brother Canada

***Big Brother Canada*** is a Canadian television reality game show and part of the global *Big Brother* franchise. The show premiered on February 27, 2013 and is aired on Global. The series is produced by Endemol and Insight Productions. Traci Melchor was brought on as the show's host.

The series follows a group of contestants, referred to as "HouseGuests", living in a custom built home under constant video surveillance. The HouseGuests have no communication with the outside world while in the house, with no access to luxuries such as internet and phones. Each week the HouseGuest compete in competitions for power and safety before voting each other out of the house. The last HouseGuest remaining wins a grand prize of $100,000 and other prizes.

A live feed into the house is available for viewers to watch for free through the show's website. *Big Brother Canada* is the first incarnation of the series to adopt the format used in the United States, which greatly differs from others. The rules of the series have also been altered throughout each season through "twists" added to the game.

## Rules and format

There are a number of rules imposed on the HouseGuests competing in the series. The participants are under constant audio and video surveillance, and are required to wear personal microphones at all time. Contestants have no access to phones, television, internet, magazines, newspaper, and are prohibited from contact with those not in the house. The Bible and other religious literature are the only books allowed in the house. Described as a "social experiment", the concept of the show forces people to live in a home with people who may share differing ideals, beliefs, or prejudices. The doors to the house remained locked at all times, though a HouseGuest is free to quit the game whenever they choose; however, once leaving the house, they are not permitted to re-enter. Should a contestant break the rules of the game, they could be expelled and immediately removed from the house. Unlike other versions of *Big Brother*, the HouseGuests may discuss the nomination and eviction process openly and freely.

Each week the HouseGuests compete in several competitions in order to win power and safety inside the house, before voting off one of the HouseGuests on during the eviction. The main elements of the format are as follows:

* **Head of Household (HoH):** At the start of each week in the house, the HouseGuests compete for the title of Head of Household, often shortened to simply HoH. The Head of Household for each week is given luxuries such as their own personal bedroom and the use of an MP3 player, but is responsible for nominating two of their fellow HouseGuests for eviction. The Head of Household would not be able to compete in the following week's Head of Household competition; this excludes the final Head of Household competition of the season.
* **Power of Veto (PoV):** After the nominees are determined, the Power of Veto competition is played, with the winner receiving the Power of Veto. If a HouseGuest chooses to exercise the Power of Veto, the Head of Household is responsible for naming a replacement nominee. The holder of the Power of Veto is safe from being nominated as the replacement nominee.
	+ **Veto Players:** Only six HouseGuests competed for the Power of Veto each week; the Head of Household and both nominees would be guaranteed to play, along side three others selected by a random draw.
* **Eviction:** On eviction night, all HouseGuests must vote to evict one of the nominees, with the exception of the nominees and the Head of Household. The eviction vote is by secret ballot, with HouseGuests casting their votes orally in the Diary Room. In the event of a tied vote, the Head of Household will cast a tie-breaking vote publicly. The nominee with the majority of the votes is evicted from the house.

Upon reaching the middle point in the game, the evicted HouseGuests go on to become members of the "jury"; the jury is responsible for choosing who wins the series. The members of the jury are not shown any Diary Room interviews or any footage that may include strategy or details regarding nominations. The amount of HouseGuest involved in the Jury has varied slightly throughout the series but will typically involve the last 9 evicted HouseGuests. The final Head of Household competition is split into three parts; the winners of the first two rounds compete in the third and final round. Once only two HouseGuests remain, the members of the jury cast their votes for who should win the series.