What even is the point of Big Brother in 2025?

What Even Is the Point of Big Brother in 2025?

Twenty-four years ago, voyeurism alone made Big Brother a unique and compelling show. Can its return in 2025 truly capture that magic again?

Last night, a familiar voice asked, “Are you ready to come home?” This was Mike Goldman, the narrator known from both the original Channel 10 and Channel 9 revival of Big Brother Australia. With this single line, the new season signaled a clear intent: to bring back the series as it once was, a cultural phenomenon of the early 2000s.

Big Brother's Cultural Impact in Early 2000s Australia

Back then, the show introduced viewers to unforgettable moments and characters like Chrissie Swan, Sara-Marie’s bunny dance, the dancing doona, and the notorious turkey slap. Big Brother was a rare opportunity for everyday audiences to engage in permitted voyeurism, watching how people acted when they forgot the cameras were on.

Significance of Big Brother’s Format

The show first aired in Australia in 2001, shortly after its concept originated in the Netherlands. Its name references the oppressive and omnipresent figure in George Orwell’s novel 1984, reminding us of the tension between surveillance and personal freedom.

“Are you ready to come home?” — Mike Goldman, Big Brother Australia narrator

But after all these years, the question remains: Can viewers truly feel at home with Big Brother again?

Author’s summary: Big Brother’s 2025 return aims to revive past cultural moments, but questions if its voyeuristic appeal still resonates in a world accustomed to constant surveillance.

The Nightly — 2025-11-10