Big Brother and Secret Story

[Kai Anders]

I've just seen that the new series of Secret Story has kicked off in France.. however I was wondering a few things about the similarity of shows.

Last year, more than 10 Big Brother's across the globe copied the Secrets and Lies format, which we actually got from Secret Story, it also turned out to be a success almost everywhere with global ratings increasing (if taking on the theme)

This year however, it seems as though Secret Story, as with our own version, is looking for those with big ego's.. perhaps this is representative of the rest of the Big Brothers to come in the world..

Secret Story is a massive show in France, it regularly hits 2.5 million viewers and a 20-30%.. compared with our own BB, which hits somewhere around 1.3 million viewers and a measly 6-10% in comparison.

Why is it that our year has been poorly rated compared to our previous series.. yet in France, this 'ego' format for HMs continues to be so popular? If anything, Secret Story contains far more twists and is by far more controlling.. a lot of the things we hate in a series. for example, in this series, they made two HMs marry in Las Vegas to give them an advantage over the other HMs..

Is it purely to do with the age of the show.. BB is in it's 15th series, Secret Story is in its 8th (however Loft Story, its predecessor had several runs too) It can't be due to a wash of reality.. if anything France has certainly a lot more reality TV shows based on the BB format than we do.. Or is it just a difference of nationalities.. both countries look for something different?

[Pronshi]

Secret Story launched yesterday with 3.1 million and 17.8%
Quite a drop.
Secret story 6 and 7 launched with over 4 million.

[Samm]

Last year was the near enough Secret Story with the theme etc, so no hopefully there's no Series Twist next year

[MarcusMel]

Show formats get sold accross the world. Saves the company time and money, all they have to do is shape it to suit their culture.

[T*]

Our series was no-where near the Secret Story format, and the morons at C5 decided to name it secrets and lies...

We need one were all housemates have a secret, just like secret story/

[T*]

The characteristic of Secret Story is the fact that each contestant must hide a secret that relates to them to protect their kitty bank initially filled up with 10 000 euros. The secrets of the contestants are usually personal as “I decided to change sex”, “I survived a tsunami” or “I have Einstein’s IQ”, but they can also be changed or imposed by the production as “We are a false couple” or “We are the intruders of the house”. The contestant who thinks he guessed the secret of another one can “buzz” the latter, that is to say setting off a kind of sound alarm located in the confessional. Then there is a “confrontation” between the two contestants in private and in the presence of “the Voice” where the defendant has to justify himself without revealing his secret. The discoverer can confirm its “buzz” by investing a part of its kitty bank (the sum set by “the Voice” is 5000 euros). In this case, the answer is given later in front of the other contestants. If he guessed right, he wins the whole defendant’s kitty bank; otherwise, he lets him having the total of the “buzz” (excepted in case of free “buzz” offered previously by “the Voice” or by the public and/or the Internet users who vote for the election of the best investigator of the week).

At the beginning of each season, the “house of secrets” also contains hidden rooms. It contains for example a “Chamber of truths” in the first season (room accessible by pressing a button hidden in the tapestry), a “Cave of love” in the second season (room accessible by a passage in the pool), or “a house of intruders” in the third season (room accessible by a secret passage on the floor). Some “Secret rooms” are also set up for each season where two contestants announced as eliminated to the other candidates have to remain locked up in order to see all their comings and goings through television screens.

Other rooms are features of Big Brother, as the “confessional” where each contestant goes every day to give his impression or opinion on events that happen in the house, or a double-door entrance, an intermediary passage between the house and outside, where “nominated” (contestants who have been chosen to leave the house by the others) learn their elimination or reintegration in the house where some contestants can come into contact with other candidates who have already been eliminated through a glass pane.





We need this

[Kai Anders]

Secret Story launched yesterday with 3.1 million and 17.8%
Quite a drop.
Secret story 6 and 7 launched with over 4 million.

Wow, that surprises me.. still it does very well! CBB managed a larger launch night rating and got only a 12% share I believe!

Typical launch night ratings for Secret Story always rate lower as they are on far earlier than usual.. so perhaps it'll retain its larger audience in the future?

[Achilles]

I hope one day we get the real Big Brother back, the sociological experiment with 24 hour live feed. Normal people and natural dynamics.