Big Brother Brasil is the Brazilian version of the Big Brother reality franchised television show based on the original Dutch television series of the same name, that was created in 1997 by John de Mol Jr.. It is the second one with more finished seasons (only after the American version) and the only one with more than 20 years of uninterrupted annual transmission in the same channel.
The show is based on a group of strangers, known as housemates, living together twenty-four hours a day in the Big Brother house, isolated from the outside world (primarily from mass media, such as newspapers, telephones, television and the internet) while having all their steps followed by cameras around-the-clock, with no privacy for three months.
The housemates compete for the chance to win the grand prize by avoiding weekly eviction, until the last housemate remains at the end of the season that can claim the grand prize. The show's current host is journalist Tadeu Schmidt.
TV Globo's website and a Globo-owned pay-per-view channel offer round-the-clock coverage. Sabrina Sato (season 3) used to be one of the hosts of Panico na TV and now hosts her own TV program, Juliana Alves (season 3) and Grazi Massafera (season 5) are soap opera actresses at TV Globo, Íris Stefanelli and Flávia Viana (season 7) were reporters for many years in a show called TV Fama. The five can be considered the most successful contestants of the show, although none of them have won the show. The only three winners who enjoyed success after the show are Jean Wyllys, who had been following a political career as a federal deputy since winning the fifth season until leaving Brazil in 2019. Thelma Assis, who became a TV presenter for the station, in addition to having contracts with several brands. And Juliette Freire who became an internet phenomenon by reaching 24 million Instagram followers during the show's 21st season. After the show, she devoted herself to building a successful music career.
The twentieth season of the show had the biggest participation in the world of votings in an eviction, reaching over 1.5 billion votes. The previous record, also achieved by Big Brother Brasil in the same season, was 416 million votes. Advertising quotas reached R$78 million, with a total collection of R$530 million.
The House
The Big Brother Brasil house is located inside Estúdios Globo, the Globo's production center in Rio de Janeiro. The house is considered by most Big Brother specialists as the biggest and most extravagant house of all Big Brothers.
The external area of the house is approximately 700 square meters (m2) while the internal areas is about 200 m2. The house has three bedrooms (two for the regular contestants and one for week's Head of Household), a living room, two bathrooms (one inside a bedroom), a big garden, two kitchens (one for the Haves and another for the Have-nots), a gym, a Jacuzzi, a pool, a laundry room, a Diary Room and a separate area, called "another dimension", which was once the white bedroom (ninth and tenth seasons) and the surprise bedroom (eleventh season).
Launch night
On the night of the Live Launch several members of the public, who have passed through several audition processes, enter the House to become Housemates of the Big Brother House. Once inside the house the Housemates will live together and have no contact with the outside world.
Head of Household (Líder)
Except in the first week, after each eviction (Portuguese: paredão, a term which literally means "big wall"), housemates compete to become the "Head of Household" (líder), by winning a weekly physical endurance challenge, based on a specific skill, a general knowledge quiz or, even sometimes through a luck event.
The Líder receives perks such as their own private bedroom, photos or gifts from home, and maid service. The Líder is awarded immunity from the week's nomination (except in the fifteenth and sixteenth seasons where instead the Líder won a cash prize) and also has the power to directly nominate one housemate for eviction, in addition, the Líder is the tiebreaker for the house's nomination vote. Although one housemate normally retains the Leader rewards and responsibilities for the week, exceptions have occurred.
In a "double eviction" week, the first Líder only reigns for a short period (between an hour and three days) while the second Líder reigns for the rest of the week. When this occurs, the first Líder is normally not provided the perks awarded in a normal eviction week. Another exception is when two housemates share the Líder position, such as in the third week of the sixth season and in the first week of the seventh season.
Power of Immunity
In the third season, a weekly "Power of Immunity" (anjo, a term which literally means "angel") is introduced and determined. This housemate may choose any other housemate to protect from facing the eviction. However, in the seventh season, another selected house mate was given the "Power of Veto" to nullify the saving power.
Since the eighth season, Power of Immunity winner was also given a bad side (called monstro, a term which literally means "monster"), where that housemate, besides protecting someone from elimination, must "punish" one or more contestants, obliging them to do an unpleasing task or forbidding them to go to the party.
Estaleca or food competition
On Sundays, a competition allow the housemates to win food (until the fourth season) or estalecas (from the fifth season onwards) for the week. Most competitions are games of skill, although the housemates may work individually, in teams, or as one group.
Introduced in the fifth season, the "Estaleca" (Z$) is the official currency of the house. Each contestant has their own credit card with a set amount of Estalecas. Contestants may use their currency to purchase food for the house.
The winners of the week's Estaleca competition earn the right to do all the shopping, choosing what the entire house will eat for the upcoming week. As in the real stock market, the Estalecas can suffer some speculative attacks and thus the value of the groceries may inflate or deflate.
Sunday live nominations
First the PoI winner and HoH nominate their choices for their respective abilities. Then, each one of the remaining contestants go into the Diary Room, and vote on the contestant they wish to face an elimination match. The highest voted contestant is sent to the elimination match to face the person nominated by the HoH and an audience poll starts (either by telephone, SMS or Internet) to pick which of the nominated contestants shall be eliminated.
Since the twenty season, the nominated housemates compete against each other for one last chance to save themselves from eviction. The housemates nominated by the HoH are not eligible to compete and are guaranteed to face Brazil's vote.
Tuesday live eviction
On Eviction Night, the poll result is shown and the highest voted housemate is eliminated and evicted from the house. The evicted housemate must to get ready to leave immediately. Once they leave the House they are greeted by the live crowd and the show host.
Live Final and the winner
In the Live Final, only two to three housemates remain in the house, after surviving numerous evictions. The public are then asked to vote for their favourite surviving Housemate to win the prize. The winner is announced and the final three surviving housemates leaving the house together, treated to a cheering crowd.
Spin-offs
During each edition, Multishow broadcasts A Eliminação, an aftershow featuring a recap of the previous week, and an interview with the latest housemate to be evicted. Gshow Multishow, and Globoplay air Mesacast BBB (lit. BBB Tablecast, formerly Fora de Casa), a daily show hosted by former contestant Ana Clara Lima.
During the 22nd season, Globo introduced the spin-off programming block Cinema do Lider (lit. Leader's Cinema, now Cine BBB) following Big Brother Brasil on…