Big Brother Australia 13, also known as Big Brother 2021, is the thirteenth season of the Australian reality television series Big Brother. It began airing on 26 April 2021 on Seven Network.[2]Sonia Kruger returned as host of the series. The concept for this season is More Than Meets the Eye.
This season revolved around strangers living in a house together with no communication with the outside world as they competed for $250,000. They were constantly filmed during their time in the house and were not permitted to communicate with those filming them. Over the course of the competition, housemates will compete in challenges for power and safety before voting each other out of the house. When three housemates remain, the Australian public decided which finalist would win the grand prize.
The series was filmed from October to December 2020 and aired from April to late June in the following year on Seven Network. The live finale was aired on 29 June 2021, where Marley Biyendolo was declared the winner and won a prize of $250,000 with Christina Podolyan and Sarah Jane "SJ" Adams being declared as the Runners-up. In addition, Biyendolo also won a prize of $10,000 after winning the challenge on Episode 26.
Production
In June 2020, during the release of the twelfth season, it was announced that Big Brother Australia had been renewed for a thirteenth season set to air in 2021.[3] As in the previous season, the show was pre-recorded and was filmed between October and December 2020. On 11 April Seven announced that the season would premiere on 26 April.[4]
International broadcast
The season was broadcast in New Zealand online-only, via TVNZ OnDemand, starting 4 May 2021 with the first four episodes and each subsequent episodes being released within 48 hours of the Australian broadcast.[5] This marked the return of the show to TVNZ after a 16-year absence following the conclusion of the 2005 season.
The live finale was impacted by the on-going pandemic, as the plan was to broadcast from Hordern Pavilion at Fox Studios in Randwick in front of an audience of 2,000 people with all 26 housemates in attendance. As the result of lockdowns announced on June 24, 2021, it was confirmed the following day that no audience would be in attendance for the finale.[6] In addition, due to inter-state travel restrictions nine housemates opted to appear via video link despite an initial desire from Endemol Shine Australia to still have everyone appear in-person.[7] Lillian Ahenkan, the second evictee of the series, did not participate in the finale as she was given the option to not attend in-person due to the lockdowns - but did not appear via video link like other housemates that were unable to attend in-person.[8]
Housemates
On 14 March 2021, Channel Seven revealed Sarah Jane Adams as the first housemate for the series.[9][10] More housemates were revealed over the following weeks, with the full cast of the 20 original Housemates being introduced on 25 April.[11] Among the Intruders, Brenton was revealed in pre-show material, whilst the other 5 intruders were revealed on 15 May, a few days before their introduction on the show on Episode 12.[12]
Two pre-existing relationships were a part of the game in a minor twist: Max and Katie are ex-boyfriend and girlfriend and intruders Alex and Charlotte M are twin sisters. Other than the personal effects of their relationships, there was no direct effect on the mechanics of the game.
Alex Brenton Charlotte M 0 of 10 votes to enter each
Charlotte M 0 of 12 votes to enter
Alex Lost Final Intruder Challenge
Christina 7 of 11 votes to be a Walking Dead
Mitch 6 of 11 votes to be a Walking Dead
Brenton Tilly's choice to be a Walking Dead
Brenton 8 of 12 votes to evict
Jess 4 of 7 votes to evict
Sarah Jane 5 of 8 votes to fake evict
Mary 5 of 9 votes to evict
Charlotte M 5 of 8 votes to evict
Marley 3 of 5 votes to receive The Eye
Tilly 3 of 7 votes to fake evict
Ari 4 of 6 votes to fake evict
Tilly Lost Challenge
Adriana 4 of 4 votes to evict
Sid 2 of 3 votes to evict
Daniel 2 of 3 votes to evict
Ari Marley's choice to evict
Sarah Jane Fewest votes to win
Christina Fewest votes to win
Gabe 3 of 10 votes to enter
Alex 4 of 12 votes to enter
Charlotte H 6 of 11 votes to evict
Mitch 8 of 12 votes to evict
Saved
Christina 0 of 2 votes to evict
Katie 2 of 10 votes to evict
Sid 2 of 17 votes to evict
Tilly 8 of 17 votes to evict
Charlotte H 6 of 14 votes to evict
Mary 3 of 13 votes to fake evict
Sid 5 of 11 votes to fake evict
Jess 4 of 12 votes to evict
Sarah Jane 4 of 13 votes to evict
Ari 1 of 11 votes to evict
Daniel 2 of 11 votes to evict
Ari 2 of 9 votes to evict
Mitch Won Intruder Challenge
Brenton Won Intruder Challenge
Charlotte M Won Intruder Challenge
Adriana 2 of 11 votes to be a Walking Dead
Brenton 5 of 11 votes to be a Walking Dead
Brenton 4 of 12 votes to evict
Sarah Jane 3 of 12 votes to evict
Sarah Jane 3 of 7 votes to evict
Marley 3 of 8 votes to fake evict
Christina 4 of 9 votes to evict
Christina 3 of 8 votes to evict
Sarah Jane 2 of 5 votes to receive The Eye
Daniel 2 of 7 votes to fake evict
Sarah Jane 2 of 6 votes to fake evict
Ari Won Challenge
Christina 0 of 4 votes to evict
Ari 1 of 3 votes to evict
Sarah Jane 1 of 3 votes to evict
Christina Marley's choice to save
Marley Most votes to win
Melissa 0 of 2 votes to evict
Sarah Jane 1 of 10 votes to evict
Melissa 1 of 17 votes to evict
Mary 0 of 17 votes to evict
Sarah Jane 0 of 14 votes to evict
Sid 2 of 13 votes to fake evict
Charlotte H 1 of 12 votes to evict
Sid 0 of 13 votes to evict
Melissa 1 of 11 votes to evict
Marley 0 of 11 votes to evict
Charlotte H 1 of 9 votes to evict
Adriana 7 of 10 votes to enter
Gabe 8 of 12 votes to enter
Gabe 5 of 11 votes to evict
Ari 2 of 11 votes to be a Walking Dead
Ari 0 of 11 votes to be a Walking Dead
Christina 0 of 12 votes to evict
Christina 1 of 12 votes to evict
Mary 0 of 8 votes to fake evict
Ari 0 of 9 votes to evict
Adriana 0 of 8 votes to evict
Daniel 0 of 5 votes to receive The Eye
Marley 2 of 7 votes Nullified
Marley 0 of 6 votes to fake evict
Sarah Jane Marley's choice to save
Notes
^Daniel entered the Diary Room first and was tasked to win immunity for himself and another Housemate. The mission was to hide in the Boiler Room until the first Eviction. He chose Nick, and the pair completed the mission. Daniel & Nick returned to the house at the Eviction Ceremony, where they were given the only two votes for the eviction, with an option to abstain from voting. Had both abstained, no one would be evicted. Daniel cast the only vote to evict Max.
^8 New Housemates spent 24 Hours completing the BBAir Task and entered the main house after Lillian's Eviction.
^ abThis was a Team Challenge. The Winning Team collectively held the power to nominate. All housemates cast votes in the Eviction.
^ abcdefThis was a Pairs Challenge. The winning pair had to agree on nominations.
^ abcDue to the odd number of Housemates for a Pairs Challenge, the Housemate indicated by was randomly drawn to not participate and receive Immunity.
^ abcThis was a Fake Double Eviction. Following Sarah Jane's eviction, a second vote between surviving nominees Sid & Mary was held. As their votes would cancel the others out, Sid & Mary did not vote in this vote. After being voted out, Sarah Jane & Mary secretly moved to the Attic & returned following Carlos's eviction.
^As the vote was tied, the nominating housemate cast a tie-break vote.
^ After falling ill, Dan was isolated from the other Housemates & tested for Covid-19. As he missed the Nomination Challenge & the Eviction Ceremony, he was ineligible to be evicted and to vote.
^On Episode 12, 6 Intruders entered the game. During Episodes 12 & 13, the Intruders competed in Two Intruder Challenges & Two House Votes (where the Original Housemates would vote for an Intruder to stay) to determine which 4 would stay in the game.[12]
^After the 2nd Intruder Vote, Big Brother gave Alex & Charlotte M a final chance to enter the game with a Challenge.
^Ari was originally nominated. However, as his challenge build was faulty, Big Brother voided his Nomination (as he was unable to win). In exchange for his safety, Ari did not vote. The eviction continued with Charlotte H & Gabe nominated, with the nominees not voting as their votes would cancel the others out.
^ abThis was a Walking Dead Vote. Housemates voted to be the Walking Dead Housemates were exiled in the Halfway House until the end of the week, where Three Walking Dead Housemates are facing an Eviction Vote.
^The winner of this Challenge won the power to directly name the Final Walking Dead Housemate, Nominating them for that night's Walking Dead Eviction. This Nomination is indicated in Bold.
^As the Housemate who did not enter the Panic Room Task, Big Brother gave Dan the key to a secret Bunker. He could give the key to a nominee, allowing them to hide for the Eviction, vetoing their Nomination. Dan gave the key to Ari. As he was hidden, Ari did not vote. The eviction continued with Jess & Sarah Jane nominated, with the nominees not voting as their votes would cancel the others out.
^ abc This was a Fake Eviction. The Housemate with the most votes would instead, become Head of House, along with another Housemate of their choice. Sarah Jane selected Daniel. The HoH position included Immunity for the duration of their reign as well as other perks & privileges revealed during their reign.
^Heads of House Sarah Jane & Daniel had the power to nominate the 3rd Nomination. This Nomination is indicated in Bold
^ abEpisode 23 was not an Eviction Episode. Instead, the Challenge Winner & Two Nominees of their choice were Nominated for a special vote to receive a Game Advantage called The Eye - The Eye allowed the holder to cancel the votes against a nominee at one of the Next Two Evictions. Marley was voted to receive The Eye and used it on himself on Episode 24's Vote.
^ abcEpisodes 24 and 25 were both fake eviction episodes with both evictees (Tilly and Ari) being secretly sent to the Mirror Room upon being voted off. In Episode 26, Tilly & Ari participated in a Russian Roulette game to determine which of the two would officially be evicted.
^Sarah Jane won a Replay Advantage in Episode 25's Task - allowing her to nullify the results of a Nomination Challenge and force everyone to replay the Challenge. Christina won the first run of the challenge, before Sarah Jane used the replay. Adriana won the second run of the challenge and won the Nomination Power.
^In this episode's challenge, the housemates were competing to win a $10,000 prize instead of the power to nominate.
^For the Final Week of the Game, the Three Nominated Housemates were given a chance to save themselves in a Veto Showdown Challenge. The winner of this challenge (represented by strikethrough) would veto their nomination and would not face the House's Vote. This would leave two nominees for the House's Vote, with the nominees not voting as their votes would cancel the others out.
^The winner of Final Challenge won their place in the Final as well as the sole vote at the Final Eviction. The other three housemates were nominated for the Final Eviction.
^For the finale, Australia voted for the winner of Big Brother Australia 2021 and the $250,000 grand prize.
Reception
Ratings
Ratings data is from OzTAM and represents the viewership from the 5 largest Australian metropolitan centres (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide).
This season of Big Brother has several alleged instances of the production team favouring game events for particular Housemates, including Daniel. One alleged incident is that of the Panic Room task in Episode 19. The alleged incident reported that Daniel wanted to enter the room early in the task, before being asked to go to the Diary Room. After the Diary Room visit, Daniel requested to go last (the position that would be awarded a secret game power).[106]
