Big Brother Australia: 20 years since Gold Coast picked as home of 2001 series

It was 20 years ago that the Gold Coast was named as the home of a reality TV series. It changed the face of TV forever. INSIDE THE SHOW'S SECRETS

AUSTRALIA’S love affair with reality television was in its infancy in January 2001 when it was picked to become ground zero for the local industry.

It had been less than a year since the popular genre had exploded onto screens with surprise smash hits led by US import Survivor.

Big Brother contestants before entering the house. Back row: (l-r) Gordon, Peter, Todd, Blair, Johnnie and Ben; front: Andy, Christina, Sara-Marie Fedele, Jemma, Lisa and Sharna.

Australia had already made its first forays into the field with the 2000 series Popstars, which led to the creation of pop group Bardot, featuring the Gold Coast’s own Sophie Monk.

With reality TV dominating the industry in the first year of the 21st century, it was only natural that 2001 would see production companies doubling down on the success.

Inside the house Pic Steve Morenos.

Survivor was already prepping its second series which was to be set in Australia while Popstars began the year hosting auditions for its own follow-up, which would eventually deliver the short-lived band Scandal’us.

But right around the corner was another series which was in the works – Big Brother.

Andy kisses her husband Damo Keen goodbye as she enters the Big Brother house. picture: Michael Batterham

Based on a Dutch series, it was to feature contestants staying in a house for three months and being observed 24 hours a day by viewers.

It was announced in January 2001 that the Gold Coast had been picked as the home of the house, with producers and Network Ten bosses selecting a site next to Dreamworld.

At the time it was declared that housemates would be living “within earshot of the giant drop”.

WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE BIG BROTHER

The compound just before the show began. Picture: David Sproule

The announcement came the same day as Nine announced its own Cash Bonanza game show would be filmed at Warner Bros Movie World.

Construction of the new attraction and the adjoining amphitheatre began just weeks later.

It was the same month auditions began for the series.

The first images of the under-construction compound were revealed a month later.

Looking through one way mirror at purpose-built house Pic Steve Morenos.

The housemates entered the complex on April 23, 2001 in what was described as “the biggest television event since the papal tour of Australia in 1986”.

The purpose-built house had some interesting features:

* 26 cameras and 32 microphones were placed in every room of the house, including the toilet and showers to capture every moment. The housemates were forced to wear microphones at all times except when sleeping and showering.

* Hidden under the white roof of the warehouse-sized structure were two bedrooms — each containing six beds — bathroom, toilet and an open plan living area consisting of a lounge, dining area and kitchen.

Inside the Big Brother House

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* There was the famed confessional “diary room’’ where the contestants had to talk to Big Brother at least once a day and disclose their personal feelings and observations about housemates.

* Double doors lead from the house into an outdoor enclosure complete with swimming pool, vegie garden and chook house.

* The house was full of two-way mirrors which allowed the camera crews to film the cast.

Australians became intimately familiar with every corner of the complex during the three months the first season was airing.

The bathroom. Pic Steve Morenos.

Once a housemate was evicted they left through a door and were taken by golf buggy down a path to reach the auditorium near the Dreamworld carpark where they met host Gretel Killeen.

Upon the completion of Season one the house became a tourist attraction open to the public through late 2001 and early 2002 before it was closed and refurbished ahead of that year’s season.

Inside the famous bedroom Pic Steve Morenos.

The original house was remodelled several times before Big Brother went off the air in 2008.

It was revamped once more when the show was revived in 2012 but finally left abandoned after being cancelled again in 2014.

The original Big Brother house burned to the ground in 2019.

Inside the control room. Pic Steve Morenos.

Originally published as Big Brother Australia: 20 years since Gold Coast picked as home of 2001 series