What Even Is the Point of Big Brother in 2025?
Two decades ago, simple voyeurism was enough to captivate audiences. The question now is whether Big Brother’s return in 2025 can recapture that magic. Last night, a familiar voice asked, “Are you ready to come home?” The voice belonged to Mike Goldman, long recognized as the narrator for Big Brother Australia during its Channel 10 and Channel 9 runs.
That single line marked the new version’s clear mission: to revive the series as viewers remember it, echoing the early 2000s when it became a cultural phenomenon. The show once introduced Australia to personalities like Chrissie Swan and iconic moments such as Sara-Marie’s bunny dance, the dancing doona, and the notorious turkey slap.
“Are you ready to come home?”
For a brief but powerful period, Big Brother dominated the entertainment landscape. It offered audiences a nightly window into unscripted human behavior, where people forgot the cameras and let their true selves emerge. The show first launched in Australia in 2001, soon after its Dutch debut, borrowing its name and concept from Orwell’s dystopian figure in 1984.
Still, one question endures: Can a show that once thrived on novelty and voyeurism truly return to what it was?
Author’s Summary
The revival of Big Brother in 2025 attempts to relive its cultural influence from the early 2000s but faces the challenge of rekindling the original fascination of voyeuristic television.