Big Brother 2018, also known as Big Brother 19 was the nineteenth series of Big Brother, and the final series to air on Channel 5. The series launched four days after the final of Celebrity Big Brother 22 on 14 September 2018 and lasted for 53 days with the final episode airing on 5 November 2018. The series is the eighth regular and twenty-third series of Big Brother to air on Channel 5 since 2011; it was also the final series of Big Brother in the three-year contract that was announced on 19 March 2015, which guaranteed that the show would air on Channel 5 until 2018.[1]
On 14 September 2018, it was confirmed that this series would be the final series to air on Channel 5.[2]
On 5 November 2018, Cameron Cole was announced as the winner of the series, beating Akeem Griffiths who finished as runner-up.[3] At 19 years old, Cole is the youngest winner of Big Brother in the UK series' eighteen-year history. Much like Ultimate Big Brother, the final Channel 4 series, the series ended with the words "Big Brother will get back to you".[4]
Production
Creative team
Endemol confirmed that a new creative team had been formed ahead of the series. Paul Osborne, executive producer of Big Brother 7, returns to overlook the new series as Creative Director.[5]Trevor Boris was also later hired as a senior producer after co-producing Big Brother Canada since its inception.[6]
Format
On several occasions in the run-up to Celebrity Big Brother 22, various news reports and Big Brother alumni hinted at the series going back to its roots, with less producer manipulation and a focus on the show as a social experiment.[7]
The shows' producers also met with several fansites to discuss the direction of the show, with it being heavily reported that the show will bring back weekly shopping tasks and a consistent nominations format.[8][9][10]
Eye logo
It was confirmed by creative director Paul Osborne that the series would have a "separate identity" from the Celebrity Big Brother 22.[7]
The eye was revealed on 4 September 2018, with Osborne commenting on its look of "a vast luminous orb of colours".[11]
Cancellation
On 24 August 2018 while speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival Channel 5 controller Ben Frow announced that he was planning for a year without the Big Brother franchise on Channel 5 in 2019, confirming that the current three-year contract expires at Christmas 2018.[12] Frow had previously stated at the 2017 event that he'd be much happier with a channel without Big Brother on it.[13] On 14 September 2018, Channel 5 confirmed that both Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother had been axed and that this series would be "the end of the game".
Housemates
In an interview with fansite "BBSpy", creative director Paul Osborne stated that the team were actively trying to find "totally unknown" housemates for the series. In the past, some housemates had previously appeared on reality shows such as The Valleys, Ibiza Weekender and Ex on the Beach.[7]
On 10 September 2018, during the final of Celebrity Big Brother 22, a trailer was released showing close-ups of each of the fourteen housemates with their occupation, age and home town, and the public were granted the power to give one of them an early advantage in the series by voting in a poll.[14]
For this series, Big Coins were introduced to the housemates as house currency. Throughout the series, housemates were able to earn, steal and collect Big Coins in a number of tasks, which would ultimately give them power and the right to buy privileges.
Place
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Cameron
1
377
352
452
452
852
935
1623
Akeem
2
1167
892
592
592
592
12
112
Zoe
3
780
730
830
830
830
1047
1017
Cian
4
613
553
853
853
703
796
986
Sian
5
315
290
540
540
590
880
1080
Brooke
6
494
469
469
469
619
732
1732
Tomasz
7
589
779
739
690
0
288
Lewis F
8
565
440
455
90
140
765
Isabella
9
250
450
Hussain
10
0
0
Kenaley
11
371
346
546
546
Isaac
12
772
722
501
Kay
13
348
323
173
Lewis G
14
404
379
Anamélia
15
126
Ellis
16
Week 1
Ahead of the launch, the viewers were able to give one housemate an early advantage in the game by voting in a public vote for their favourite housemate based on just their occupation, age and home town. They chose "The Waitress" Sîan, who began the game with 100 Big Coins. On launch night, the housemates were told that they'd be competing against each other to collect Big Coins with the three poorest housemates ultimately facing the first eviction. Zoe, the occupant of Bed 13, was also given the secret power of swapping coin totals with another housemate of her choice, and chose Lewis G.[15] At the end of the week, Anamélia, Kay and Sîan faced eviction.[16] Following Anamélia's eviction, she decided to donate her coins to Tomasz.
Week 2
The second week featured housemates taking part in an auction, where they could bid for luxuries with their coins. With Akeem being the richest housemate at the time of nominations, he was able to take part in the Gamechanger task alongside the nominees and two housemates of his choice. As punishment for discussing nominations, Lewis F was deducted 100 Big Coins. Tomasz was also given the opportunity to secretly earn himself more coins by putting the luxury shopping task at risk. Following Lewis G's eviction, he decided to donate his coins to Isaac.
Week 3
The third week featured housemates going into the task room one by one where each housemate's stack of coins were shown. Each housemate had 90-seconds to decide where to distribute the coins by taking some from coins from a housemate's stack and placing them somewhere else. Another auction then took place where housemates could spend their coins. With Cian the richest housemate at the time, he was able to play the Gamechanger alongside the nominees. Following Isaac's eviction, he decided to donate his coins to Tomasz.
Week 4
The fourth week featured another auction where immunity from the next set of nominations was on offer. As punishment for discussing nominations, Lewis F was deducted 100 coins from his total. The housemates were told that they could give a 250 Big Coin advantage to one of the new housemates; Hussain or Isabella, who were currently bankrupt. They chose Isabella. However, Isabella was then asked which housemate she'd like to take the coins from, choosing Tomasz, the richest housemate at the time. With Cian being the richest housemate at the time of nominations, he was able to play the Gamechanger alongside the nominees. Following Kenaley's eviction, she decided to donate her coins to Hussain.
Weekly summary
The main events in the Big Brother 19 house are summarised in the table below. A typical week begins with nominations, followed by the shopping task, and then the eviction of a Housemate during the live Friday episode. Evictions, tasks, and other events for a particular week are noted in order of sequence.
Week 1
Entrances
On Day 1, Cian, Anamélia, Lewis F, Kenaley, Tomasz, Cameron, Sîan, Ellis, Isaac, Brooke, Akeem, Kay, Zoe and Lewis G entered the house.
Twists
On Day 1, it was revealed that nominations will not take place for the first week. Instead, housemates would collect "Big Coins", and the three housemates with the least coins would face the public vote. Sîan received 100 coins from a Big Brother poll in the week leading-up to the launch. The same night, 900 coins were dropped from the ceiling for the housemates to collect.
It was also revealed during the launch that the housemate who sleeps in "Bed 13" would receive a special advantage; the chance to switch BigCoin totals with another housemate of her choice at the end of the task. Zoe won this power, and swapped coin totals with Lewis G.
Exits
On Day 2, Ellis was removed from the house after social media posts came to light which producers of the show deemed to be "offensive unacceptable and 9/11 terror attacks".[17]
On Day 8, Anamélia became the first housemate to be evicted.
Week 2
Nominations
On Day 10, housemates nominated for the first time. Lewis F and Lewis G received the most nominations this week. Unaware to the housemates, the public were voting to save. Issac being the one with fewest votes to save was nominated as well.
Tasks
On Day 12, Kenaley won this week's Game Changer competition and saved Isaac from eviction.
This week's shopping task involved the housemates counting chickens - both real and fake - released in the house over two days. If housemates came within a margin of error of 35 from the actual total they would win a luxury shopping budget. Housemates failed this task.
Punishments
On Day 9, Lewis G received a verbal warning for "cross-contaminating" food despite alarm being raised by Cameron and Akeem,[18] and a formal warning for invading the personal space of Lewis F.
On Day 10, Isaac received a verbal warning for saying that he would "smack" Lewis G on the outside world.
On Day 13, as punishment for discussing nominations, Big Brother deducted 100 Big Coins from Lewis F's total.
Exits
On Day 15, Lewis G became the second housemate to be evicted.
Week 3
Nominations
On Day 17, housemates nominated for the second time. Akeem, Issac, and Kay received the most nominations. Brooke and Kenaley received the fewest votes from the public.
Tasks
On Day 19, the nominated housemates, and Cian and Cameron took part in the Game changer task, which was a game of true or false based on their party from the previous night. Kenaley won this task and chose to save herself from eviction.
On Day 20, this week's shopping task began involving the housemates going on a 'trip' to China and completing a variety of tasks throughout the trip without surpassing the undisclosed number of fails allowed. Tasks involved understanding Mandarin, performing Chinese dances and surviving the flight to and from China. Housemates were successful in this task.
Exits
In the early hours of Day 19, Kay decided to voluntarily leave the house.
On Day 22, Isaac became the third housemate to be evicted
Entrances
On Day 22, Isabella and Hussain entered the house.
Week 4
Punishments
On Day 23, as punishment for discussing nominations, Big Brother deducted 100 Big Coins from Lewis F's total.
Nominations
On Day 24, housemates nominated for the third time. New housemates Hussain and Isabella could not nominate or be nominated. Tomasz was also immune, having bought it at this week's auction. Akeem, and Lewis F received the most nominations, meaning they faced eviction alongside Kenaley who received the fewest votes in the viewer nomination poll.
Tasks
On Day 26, the third Gamechanger took place, where housemates had to stack a line of dominos. Nominees, Akeem, Kenaley, and Lewis F took part alongside richest housemate Cian, and Zoe and Sîan. Lewis F won this task and saved himself from eviction.
Exits
On Day 29, Kenaley became the fourth housemate to be evicted
Week 5
Nominations
On Day 31, housemates nominated for the fourth time. Lewis F received the absolute nomination meaning he would automatically face the public vote and could not participate in this week's Gamechanger nor be saved. Hussain and Tomasz received the most nominations, meaning they'd face eviction alongside Isabella who received the fewest votes in the viewer nomination poll.
On Day 36, following Hussain's eviction, housemates instantly nominated once more in a "Week in a Day" twist. Akeem, Isabella and Lewis F received the most nominations and therefore faced eviction.
Punishments
On Day 32, because of several housemates breaking fundamental rules of Big Brother, such as discussing nominations, ignoring Big Brother's instructions, and ignoring alarms, housemates were given basic rations and were without hot water or electrical appliances.
On Day 33, for discussing information from the outside world, Isabella was deducted 150 Big Coin from her total.
Tasks
On Day 33, the fourth Gamechanger took place, where housemates had to hang on to a giant yoga ball. Nominees, Hussain, Isabella, and Lewis F took part alongside richest housemate Cameron, and Zoe and Tomasz. Isabella won this task and saved herself from eviction.
Twists
On Day 36, immediately after Hussain's eviction, housemates were told they were going to take part in the "Week in a Day" twist. Housemates all nominated, and the fifth Gamechanger then took place where housemates had to unlock a series of three locks with keys to push a buzzer. Nominees, Akeem, Isabella, and Lewis F took part alongside richest housemate Cameron, and Zoe and Tomasz. Lewis F won this task and saved himself from eviction. As the housemate with the highest number of Big Coins, it was up to Cameron to decide who was to be evicted between Akeem and Isabella. He chose to evict Isabella.
Exits
On Day 36, Hussain became the fifth housemate to be evicted.
Following the "Week in a Day" twist, on Day 36, Isabella became the sixth housemate to be evicted.
Week 6
Nominations
On Day 38, housemates nominated for the sixth time. However, this week was positive nominations; meaning, that each housemate nominated who they would like to stay in the house rather than who they would like to see leave. Akeem and Cian received the fewest nominations therefore faced eviction, alongside Brooke, Sîan, and Tomasz who received the fewest votes in the viewer nomination poll.
Punishments
On Day 39, as punishment for discussing nominations, Cian, Lewis F, and Zoe were chained together.
Exits
On Day 43, Lewis F was removed from the house for unacceptable language that contravenes the rules. Whilst the incident did not air, Lewis himself later revealed the reason for his departure was because he accidentally said "Auschwitz" instead of "outfits" and he made an impression of Adolf Hitler.
On Day 43, Tomasz became the seventh housemate to be evicted.
On Day 50, Brooke and Sîan became the eighth and ninth housemates to be evicted respectively.
Exits
On Day 53, Cian and Zoe finished in fourth and third place respectively. The lines then opened one last time and Cameron was announced as the winner of the series, leaving Akeem as the runner-up.
^Note 1 : In the first week, there were no nominations. Instead, housemates were tasked with collecting "Big Coins". The three housemates with the fewest faced the public vote.
^Note 2 : This housemate was nominated by the public, as they received the fewest votes in an app poll.
^Note 3 : Week 2 introduced the Gamechanger. Each week, six Housemates participated in the Gamechanger Competition for the Gamechanger Power - the ability to save a nominee from eviction. The nominees and the richest housemate would be guaranteed to play, with the remaining slots being allocated by the richest housemate to the housemates of their choice.
^Note 4 : As new housemates, Hussain and Isabella were exempt from the nomination process. Tomasz bought immunity at the weekly auction but could still nominate.
^Note 5 : Hussain won the "Absolute Power Nomination" in a secret auction, and was, therefore, able to anonymously choose a housemate to face eviction. He nominated Lewis F, who was also ineligible to play in the Gamechanger and could not be saved by the gamechanger.
^Note 6 : This week was a double eviction. Following the first eviction on Day 36, the remaining Housemates played a week's worth of Big Brother — including nominations (though housemates were not required to give a reason), the Gamechanger competition and ceremony during the remainder of the live eviction show, culminating in a second eviction for the night. Cameron, as the richest housemate, had immunity for this second eviction, as well as the power to evict either of the Final nominees (Akeem or Isabella) from the house.
^Note 7 : This week was positive nominations. As such, housemates were nominating who they wanted to stay rather than leave. The housemates with the fewest nominations would be nominated.
^Note 8 : Week 6 was the final week in which the Gamechanger Power was in play. Additionally, the Final Gamechanger had the power to save two nominees, as opposed to one.
^Note 9 : There were no nominations in Week 7. Instead, the phone lines opened for the public to vote for the winner. The phone lines froze on Day 50, and the two housemates with the fewest votes were evicted.