All housemates to the diary room: Big Brother returns to our TV screens on Monday, June 8.

After six years, Big Brother Australia is returning to our screens and we finally have a date.

Monday, June 8, at 7:30pm, we’ll be meeting 20 new housemates, in a brand new house with a completely revamped show.

As of 2020, Channel Seven and production company Endemol Shine Australia are the new owners of the franchise and over the past few months they’ve been drip feeding what’s in store for us.

Here’s the new trailer. Post continues after video.

Here’s what we know so far about the upcoming season.

The host

Sonia Kruger is hosting Big Brother 2020.

It’s like we’ve gone back in time to 2012, and dammit we’re feeling nostalgic.

Sonia Kruger hosted the show when it defected to Nine in 2012 until 2014. Before that it was over at Ten, first hosted by Gretel Killeen for seven years and then Kyle and Jackie O for a year.

Sonia only defected to Seven in November last year, shortly after it was announced Big Brother was being revamped by the network. Daily Mail reported at the time she was offered a $4 million package over three years.

She was originally named as the host for Mega Mini Golf and as a judge on Australia’s Got Talent, so it appeared there was no room for her to also take up Big Brother. But the network says she’s no longer going to be working on Mega Mini Golf.

We meet again @bigbrother_au ????#BBAU pic.twitter.com/2BKBpoLoEp

— Sonia Kruger (@SoniaKruger) February 5, 2020

In a statement released by Seven, Kruger said: “I knew 2020 was going to be a fantastic year but to be asked to host the big daddy of reality shows is icing on the cake.

“I’ve always loved Big Brother and this brand new series of the show will take it to an exciting, contemporary level that will make for addictive viewing.”

She went on to give us a few more clues, the main one being that the whole show has now been cast.

“The housemates have been selected, the new home is mind blowing and Big Brother is as mischievous as ever. The game has changed and I can’t wait to give fans their all access pass to the greatest reality show on earth.”

The housemates

Endemol Shine confirmed to news.com.au they are opting for “a broad mix of characters and a great cross section of society”. Apparently they received more than 50,000 applications, which is unlike anything they’ve ever seen.

This year, 20 contestants will enter the Big Brother house.

Speaking to The Morning Show in April 2020, Kruger shared that the youngest contestant this season is 19, while the oldest contestant is 62.

She also shut down the rumour that a former Big Brother contestant could appear on the series: “I did hear that rumour, and thought it was interesting, but it’s an all-new cast.”

So far, Seven have officially introduced us to eight of the Big Brother housemates joining the show this season vying to win the $250,000 prize money.

Kieran from Adelaide claims to be the city’s “worst driver,” because he’s been on his Ls for three and a half years. He also thinks he’s a 40-year-old in a 21-year-old’s body and compares himself to Justin Bieber.

Zoe is a woodwork teacher, Instagram influencer and mum-of-two and says she’s as “subtle as a brick in the face”.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Meet your next housemate, Zoe. This teacher and mum is used to taking charge, but she’s going to be playing by Big Brother’s rules in the House. #BBAU, this June on @Channel7.

A post shared by Big Brother AU (@bigbrotherau) on May 20, 2020 at 12:24am PDT

Sophie is an ex-elite gymnast who fractured her back before the London Olympics forcing her out of the game overnight.

27-year-old Chad is a model by career and tradie by heart, and apparently falls in love pretty easily.

Angela came from Africa with nothing but a suitcase. She’s a mum, and a boss and “doesn’t back down”.

 

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Welcome Angela! Has Big Brother met his match with our feisty housemate? ???? #bbau, this June on @channel7. #bigbrother #bigbrotheraustralia #bigbrotherau

A post shared by Big Brother AU (@bigbrotherau) on May 11, 2020 at 4:00pm PDT

Marissa, 61, is a makeup artist and fitness expert and plans to “lay low” in the house.

Former AFL player Daniel was fired by two different clubs and considers himself “the new Fitzy”.

30-year-old mining electrician Mat is a down-to-earth country man who was born and raised in Broken Hill and works at the local mine.

Mat, who is currently engaged, says he’s bringing his humour, energy and a “beautiful big head” into the house.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

From Broken Hill to Big Brother, meet your first housemate. This Outback tradie is playing to win. #bbau this June on @channel7.

A post shared by Big Brother AU (@bigbrotherau) on May 2, 2020 at 2:04pm PDT

The evictions

One of the most controversial changes we’re apparently in for is the fact the show won’t be live. The entire season will instead finish shooting before the first episode airs, which is the format for shows like The Bachelor, Masterchef and The Masked Singer.

Unlike previous seasons, the contestants will nominate and evict each other from the house and Australia will decide the winner in a live finale.

We’re also not likely to get a seven-day-a-week program like in previous years – apparently a Sunday to Wednesday schedule is more likely, and according to the most recent trailer there’s going to be an eviction every night.

The house

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford told 6PR, there are plans in place to keep costs of the production down when it comes to the Big Brother house.

The original mansion on the Gold Coast, next to Dreamworld, was left abandoned after the final season in 2014. But the country rediscovered it last year in a YouTube video by MuiTube which explored the dilapidated premises – a week later it was damaged by a deliberately lit fire.

Four children aged between 11 and 15 were charged with arson. In August, the house was demolished.

"What they will do is build a house inside an established studio instead of building a house somewhere like Dreamworld which they then have to turn into a functioning TV production facility. That's an enormous cost involved in doing that," Peter told the radio station.

"The viewer won't notice the difference... they'll have a fake outdoor area," he added.

Viewers were given a small sneak peak of the new house, based in North Head, Manly, in the new trailer for the upcoming series.

The new diary room looks very different from previous seasons, featuring a pod-style chair with glowing purple and blue lights.

It also appears the housemates will have less privacy this season, with the new trailer showing shared bathrooms with no curtains in between the showers. The house is fitted with cameras and microphones in every room, which will document the housemates movements, 24 hours a day.

The house also features a very futuristic looking lounge room,  large dining room and an outdoor area with a custom-built swimming pool and gym.

There also appears to be some sort of game room for potential upcoming challenges.

Earlier this year, production on the show was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Big Brother was shut down for 48 hours because a crew member lived with someone who contracted the virus and that forced the complete shutdown," McKnight told Mamamia's daily news podcast, The Quicky.

"That crew member was found to be negative and so production was able to resume. So Big Brother is on track."

Feature Image: Channel Seven/Instagram @thesubtlemummy

Big Brother Australia is coming to Channel Seven in five weeks.

This article was originally published on October 24, 2019, and was updated on May 3, 2020. 

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