The premise of the gameshow is to bring a group of contestants, called Housemates, to live in isolation from the outside world in a house custom built with everyday objects, like fridges and a garden. The house also includes cameras and microphones in most of the rooms to record all of the activity in the house. The only place where Housemates can be away from the other contestants is in the diary room, where they can confess their true feelings. The winner is the last contestant remaining in the house, and receives a large cash prize. Housemates are evicted weekly throughout the show by the viewing public. The show's name comes from George Orwell's 1948 novel 1984, a dystopia in which Big Brother is the all-seeing, omnipotent leader of Oceania.

Although the ethics of the show, and of some of its contestants, have sometimes been questioned, its continued popularity has ensured its survival and the show will now continued until at least 2011.

The main shows (Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother) are hosted by Davina McCall and narrated by Marcus Bentley. The show premiered on Channel 4 on 14 July 2000. It is produced by Brighter Pictures, an Endemol company. With up to 10 million viewers tuning in for the show it became an instant success. Its continued success has been ensured by the 'cult following' from many of its viewers.

For further information, visit Wikipedia, Channel 4's website or the official fansite.