Big Brother (Bulgarian TV series)

Big Brother
Presenters
Shows
Seasons

Big Brother is a reality show based on the Big Brother series by Endemol. The show originates from the Netherlands, where in 1999 the very first season was aired.

At present, the format is spread in a number of countries around the world. A group of people (called the Housemates) live together in an isolated house. 24 hours a day their life is recorded by hidden cameras in all the rooms in the House. They don't have TV, Internet, newspapers, even watches on their hands. The Housemates are completely isolated from the outside world. Every week, each one of them must enter the Diary room and nominate 2 of the other people for public eviction. The 2 or more housemates with most negative votes become nominated. For almost a week the TV viewers have to decide which of them to be evicted, voting via SMS or phone calls. Every week the Housemates have a week task. Depending on whether they do their task successfully or unsuccessfully, their week budget is increased or decreased. During the final week, the viewers vote which one of the remaining people in the House to be the winner. He or she wins a big cash prize.

The show's name comes from George Orwell's 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopia in which Big Brother is the all-seeing, omnipotent leader of Oceania.

In Bulgaria, the first season of Big Brother was aired in 2004 on Nova Television, and quickly became one of the most successful TV formats in the country. Niki Kanchev was the main presenter in all editions, except for Big Brother 4, where he was replaced by Milen Tsvetkov. Evelina Pavlova was a co-host in the period 2004-2006. Five main and three celebrity seasons have been produced so far. However, due to the lower ratings in the fifth season, there are no plans for future editions. Between 2004 and 2008 the show was a co-production between Nova Television and SIA Advertising, and with Old School Productions in 2009-2010.

Season details

Big Brother format

Season Launch date Final date Days Housemates Winner
Big Brother 1 18 October 2004 17 January 2005 92 15 Zdravko
Big Brother 2 19 September 2005 19 December 2005 92 19 Miroslav
Big Brother 3 18 September 2006 11 December 2006 85 18 Lyubov
Big Brother 4 22 September 2008 14 December 2008 84 26 Georgi
Big Brother 5 (Big Brother Family) 22 March 2010 10 June 2010 81 15 families Eli and Veselin Kuzmovi

VIP Brother format

Season Launch date Final date Days Housemates Winner
VIP Brother 1 13 March 2006 10 April 2006 29 12 Konstantin
VIP Brother 2 26 March 2007 27 April 2007 33 13 Hristina
VIP Brother 3 16 March 2009 10 May 2009 56 17 Deyan
VIP Brother 4 16 September 2012 17 November 2012 63 16 Orlin
VIP Brother 5 15 September 2013 16 November 2013 63 17 Stanka
VIP Brother 6 15 September 2014 17 November 2014 64 18 Vladislav

Big Brother All Stars format

Season Launch date Final date Days Housemates Winner
Big Brother All Stars 1 19 November 2012 17 December 2012 29 11 Nikola
Big Brother All Stars 2 18 November 2013 16 December 2013 29 12 Zlatka
Big Brother All Stars 3 19 November 2014 15 December 2014 27 10 Todor

Main seasons

Niki Kanchev hosted all main seasons, except for the fourth, and all three celebrity seasons. Evelina Pavlova was a co-host during the first two Big Brother seasons, and the first VIP Brother. The host of Big Brother 4 was Milen Tsvetkov.

Big Brother 1

Big Brother was the first reality show in Bulgaria. Its first season started on 18 October 2004 and ended on 17 January 2005. The winner was Zdravko Vasilev, who won 200 000 leva. Big Brother Bulgaria was aired on Nova Television. The hosts of Big Brother 1 were Niki Kanchev and Evelina Pavlova.

A 24-hour cable channel was created to show live image from the house. Its original name was Big Brother Live, but it was renamed Nova + when it showed Star Academy Bulgaria later in the season. Initially, it was only available from the CableTel operator, but later it appeared on other cable providers.

In the first season, the Housemates were originally 12. Later, 3 new Housemates entered the House. Here are all the participants:

Big Brother 2

Big Brother 2 started on 19 September 2005 and ended on 19 December 2005. The hosts of the show were Niki Kanchev and Evelina Pavlova. The winner was Miroslav Atanasov. He won 200 000 levas (100 000 Euros).

The second season of Big Brother in Bulgaria was full of secret tasks and surprises, which started from the first day. Entering the House, the new participants were very surprised - it was empty. The walls were unpainted, there was no furniture. The same night, each one of the Housemates was asked to enter the Diary room and nominate one of the other people not to receive his luggage during the whole stay in the House. Then, before the end of the LIVE show, it was announced that two of the housemates were married - Elena (evicted later with 86%) and Miroslav (the winner). The Nova + 24-hour channel was available once again, but this time on more cable providers.

Originally, the housemates were 15. Later, the House entered 4 new housemates. Here are all the participants:

Big Brother 3

Started 18 September, 20:00 EET and ended on 11 December 2006. This season, only Niki Kanchev was hosting the show.

There was also a live talk show 4 (previously 3) times a week - Big Brother's Big Mouth (also seen in UK), hosted by Dim Dukov - a participant from VIP Brother 1.

Originally, the housemates were 16. On the first night, it was announced that a secret housemate was living in a secret room. It turned to be Vyara's twin-sister - Nadejda. Every day they had to replace themselves, without any other person's notice. Later, it was announced that there is a second secret housemate living in a second secret room. It was Vyara and Nadejda's third twin-sister Lyubov (their names come from the popular Bulgarian expression "Вяра, надежда и любов" , or "Faith, hope and love"). The prize (200 000 leva in BB1 and BB2) was increased to 500 000 leva. However, if any of the housemates broke one of the house rules (even if he/she forgot to put on his/her microphone) the prize would be decreased by 5000 leva. So, the prize dropped to 200 000 leva, just like in the first two seasons. Plamen, who left the House voluntarily gave back the 5 000 leva, which he took the first time he wanted to leave. The money were added to the big prize. However, during the new week task "Prison Break", the housemates had the chance to increase their money-prize with 100 000 leva and with another 140 000 later. The BBB (Bulgarian Big Brother) revealed the triplets - Vyara, Nadejda and Lyubov оn the eighth day.

On the first nominations, the difference was that the two people with most negative votes were directly evicted. These were Mariola and Panayot. In the Big Brother Live Studio, they were given a secret task - to return in the secret rooms in the house and stay there for a week. They had to take clothes and food from the House without anyone's notice. If the task was successful, they would go back to the house. In the beginning both of them agreed to return, but later Mariola decided to leave the show, so now only Panayot is a secret housemate.

The house had much more rooms, but its square surface was the same. There were several bathrooms. Four days before the official start of the show the 16 reserves entered to test the house. They lived there till 17 September, 20:00 h when they left it. Their stay has not been aired. However, none of them entered the House later. The real Housemates entered the House on 18 September, 20:00 EET when the show officially started. They weren't told that the House had been inhabited four days ago.

The Nova + live channel was officially available from the following providers:

Originally, the housemates were 16. Later, the House entered two new housemates - Vyara's sisters. Here are all the participants:

Big Brother 4

Big Brother Family

The fifth season of Big Brother in Bulgaria is expected to air in March 2010. It will be a special family edition.

VIP seasons

See also: VIP Brother

VIP Brother 1

VIP Brother is the name of the Bulgarian version of the Big Brother's spin-off Big Brother VIP. In it, the Housemates are only famous people. The show follows the main Big Brother rules, but with some changes. For example, in VIP Brother the show's duration is shorter - a month (29 days - like in most of the countries it is aired in). The nominations and evictions are twice a week. VIP Brother Bulgaria started its first season on 13 March 2006 and ended on 10 April 2006. The hosts were Niki Kanchev and Evelina Pavlova.

The winner of VIP Brother 1 was the pop-folk singer Konstantin, who was chosen by 78% of the audience. He won 50 000 leva. Here are all the VIP Housemates from the first season:

VIP Brother 2

The second season of the show started on 26 March, 20.00 h. This year the show lasted for 33 days because of the high ratings and its final was on 27 April, 20.00 h. The rules were not followed so strictly as in Big Brother 3. Niki Kanchev was hosting the show again. The big prize was 100 000 leva.

Surprisingly, the winner was Hristina - the only non-VIP Housemate in the House. Her husband - Zdravko won the first Big Brother season two years ago.

The Housemates

12 Housemates entered the House on Day 1. Before entering, BB1's winner Zdravko proposed to his girlfriend Hristina. On Day 5, she accepted and entered the House with their daughter Yanitsa. Yanitsa was the third child to live in the House after Danaya from VIPB1 and the baby Amber from BB3.

Here are all the Housemates:

Big Brother: The Housemates Strike Back

On 7 June, Big Brother brought together Housemates from all Big Brother and VIP Brother seasons and gave them their last task - to destroy the House. Here are the Housemates, who participated in the special edition of the show:

From Big Brother 1:

From Big Brother 2:

Bat Sali and Leonardo made a performance as a part of the concert in the House by some of the singer stars from VIP Brother.

From VIP Brother 1:

Raina and Konstantin also made a performance. Dim Dukov also sang with Konstantin.

From Big Brother 3:

Penyo participated in the concert.

From VIP Brother 2:

DesiSlava and Petya Pavlova participated in the concert. Kalin Velyov sang with his friend Nina Nikolina.

Trivia

Notes

  1. ↑ Big Brother was on a hiatus in 2007 and 2009.
  2. ↑ VIP Brother was on a hiatus in 2008, 2010, 2011. The show returned in September 2012.

External links