Big Brother VIP (Albanian TV series)
Big Brother VIP, also known as "Big Brother Albania VIP" or "Big Brother VIP Albania", is a reality television spin-off series of the Albanian version of "Big Brother Albania", based on the Dutch show "Big Brother" and created by producer John de Mol. The first season premiered on 5 October 2021 on Top Channel, hosted by Arbana Osmani. The show follows a number of celebrity contestants, known as housemates, who are isolated from the outside world for an extended period of time in a custom built house. Each week, one of the housemates  is evicted by a public vote, with the last housemate remaining winning a cash prize of €100,000. Ballet dancer Ilir Shaqiri was announced as the first winner of "Big Brother VIP" in the show's final episode on February 18, 2022. Unlike the original version, the live shows or live eviction shows, of the celebrity version, were seen every Tuesday and Friday on Top Channel. Also in the same channel, from Monday to Saturday on afternoon was seen the daily summary, for one hour. Like the original version, every Sunday was covered in a spin-off series with the  name "Big Brother VIP - Fans' Club". Due to satisfactory ratings of the first season, Top Channel announced a second season of "Big Brother VIP", which will begin airing on December 2022. History. In September 2017, it was rumored that Top Channel had decided to start the celebrity version after the success of the original version. The show was confirmed for its first season in early January 2018 with a trailer along with the renewals of "The Voice Kids Albania". However, plans for production were never officially released until 2021, where on 17 May 2021, Top Channel announced that the season  would air later in the year, after a four-year hiatus from the original version. They also announced that applications were open to all Albanian celebrities. Scheduling. The celebrity version of the show was expected to start during the 2017–2018 television season. In 2019, Top Channel announced that "Big Brother" would come back for the 2019–2020 television season in Albania, but they didn't say if will be an original or a celebrity version. On 12 August 2021, Top Channel confirmed that the season would air in October 2021. On 30 September 2021, Top Channel announced that the show will  begin airing on 5 October 2021. The show was originally scheduled to last 100 days, with the finale on 11 January 2022. However, due to satisfactory ratings, the show was extended by over one month, making it 137 days long and with the finale on 18 February 2022. Promotion. The first trailer of the show premiered on 29 January 2018 and read ""...It's hard, being a VIP! They deserve to relax! And where is the VIP resort?! Big Brother Vip ... coming soon only on Top Channel."" Top Channel released in August 2021, a trailer and read "We have been  told that you miss him." and at the end of the trailer we hear Arbana Osmani telling "Returns soon to Top Channel.". Presenter & Opinionists. Several presenters were rumored to be hosting the show once Top Channel announced the show. Arbana Osmani, who also has hosted the original version, was rumored to be the host of the show. The host of the eighth season of the original version , was also rumored to be the host. Another host from Top Channel was rumored as the host of the show, . On 17 August 2021, Arbana Osmani announced on her Instagram that she will  be the presenter of the show. Like in the original version, also in this show would have two Opinionists. On 4 September 2021, it was announced that Arbër Hajdari and Balina Bodinaku would be the two Opinionists. Spin-offs. Section::::"Big Brother VIP - Fans' Club". In the original version of "Big Brother", was broadcast a spin-off show with the name "Big Brother - Fans' Club" and also in the celebrity version this show was broadcast with the name "Big Brother VIP - Fans' Club". The show premiered on 17 October 2021 and broadcast every Sunday at 12:15 pm, with Dojna Mema as  the presenter and Iva Tiço as the opinionist. The show features debates and conversations about the latest goings inside and outside the house with a studio audience and celebrity panel, and with the first eliminated housemate who are usually invited to the studio after leaving. Section::::"Post Big Brother VIP". Like in the original version, one week after the final of the show, was broadcast a reunion show, with the name "Post Big Brother VIP", where the housemates will gather all together to discuss what happened inside the house. In the original version the show was broadcast only for one episode , but in the celebrity version the show was broadcast for three episodes. The three episodes were broadcast on 22 February, 25 February and 1 March 2022. The show was hosted by Arbana Osmani, and with the two opinionists Arbër Hajdari and Balina Bodinaku. Format. "Big Brother VIP" is a game show in which a group of celebrity contestants, referred to as housemates, live in isolation from the outside world in a custom built "house", constantly under video surveillance. Access to television, the Internet, print media, and time is prohibited. In addition, the housemates live in complete confinement; they have no  access to the outside world. Sometimes the viewers votes for their favorite housemates, and the housemates with the most votes had immunity. Also sometimes the housemates votes for their favorite housemate of house, and the housemate with the most votes had immunity. At least once a week, the housemates secretly nominate two housemates they wish to face a public vote to evict. The two or more housemates with the most votes face the public vote. The viewing public decides which of them gets evicted through text message votes or phone calls. The nominee with the most votes is evicted and  leaves the house. Should their stay inside the house become difficult for them to bear, a housemate is allowed to voluntarily leave at any time during the game. In the event of a withdrawal from the house, a replacement housemate usually enters in their place. In the final week of each season, the viewers vote for which of the remaining people in the house should win the prize money of €100,000 and be crowned the winner of "Big Brother VIP". During their time in the house, housemates are given weekly tasks to perform. The housemates wager a portion of  their weekly shopping budget on the task, and either win double their wagered fund or lose the wagered fund depending on their performance in the task. The housemates are required to work as a group to complete their tasks, with the format of the tasks varying based on the number of remaining housemates. The housemates are forbidden from discussing nominations, and doing so could result in punishment. The format of the series is mainly seen as a social experiment, and requires housemates to interact with others who may have differing ideals, beliefs, and prejudices. Housemates are also required to make  visits to the diary room during their stay in the house, where they are able to share their thoughts and feelings on their fellow housemates and the game. A new twist to change the format of the game was featured, this was the Pandora's Box. The twist sees a housemate being tempted by the box, and can choose to either open the box or leave it. Should a Housemate choose to open Pandora's Box, both good and bad consequences could be unleashed into the house, which impacts every Housemate in-game including the person who opens it. Another  twist was the Power of Veto, like in the American format, a housemate can win the Power of Veto. The winner of the Veto competition wins the right to either revoke the nomination of one of the nominated housemates or leave them as is. House. The house of "Big Brother" is always one of the most discussed topics in Albania before the according season starts. In the original version, the location of the house was always in different locations, like Gërdec and Kashar. For the celebrity version, Top Channel made a new big studio in Tirana with the name "Studio  Nova" for their prime time shows, like "Hell's Kitchen Albania", "Shiko Kush Luan" and other big shows. The house for the "Big Brother VIP" will also be built there. Like in the original version, the housemates live together in the house, where 24 hours a day their every word and every action is recorded by cameras and microphones in all the rooms in the house. The viewers can watch for the whole season live from the house in two live pay-per-view channels, with the name "Big Brother VIP 1" and "Big Brother VIP 2", which are available  on Albanian TV platform DigitAlb. Housemates. On Day 1, fourteen housemates entered the house during launch. As time went on, sixteen new people were introduced, making for a total of thirty housemates in the season.