UK Series 1

This was the first ever series of Big Brother in the UK. Channel four were brave enough to take on this new TV format and purpose built a house in Bow, East London close to the Three Mills TV studios.

The UK show was one of few worldwide formats not to use the original Big Brother logo (shown top left of this page). Instead, producers went with a logo which depicted an eye. It was later revieled that the eye used was that of housemate Melanie Hill. UK producers used a track by Paul Oakenfold and Andy Gray as the theme music which was released as a single and reached number four. The theme was later used in the Bulgarian series of the show.

The housemates were filmed continuosly for 64 days with no contact to or from the outside world. The programme was broadcast just three times per week with an hour long psychology show on Sunday and two eviction shows on a Friday, presented by Davina Mccall and narrater by Georide, Marcus Bentley. E4 wasn't around at this point so live streaming wasn't broadcast on TV.

This series focused more of the social experiment side of the Big Brother format and had a real back to basics feel. Housemates had to care for chickens (including one they called Marjorie!), bake their own bread and do their washing in a bucket in the garden. Big Brother controlled every part of their lives for the duration of the show.

The series will always be remembered from the point that housemate, Nick Bateman, was caught cheating and breaking the rules which in turn got him kicked out. The tabloids went crazy and viewing figures soared when Nick was confronted by the other housemates and asked to explain his actions. This was the point at which the social experiment stopped and the Big Brother phenomenon really hit the UK.

Viewers were able to vote through SMS and telephone for who they wanted to evict on a weekly basis until three housemates remained. Of those three, viewers voted Craig Phillips as the winner and he walked away with £70,000 - not bad for just over two months work!