Channel Seven is slowly revealing the identity of the housemates set to star on the brand new reboot season of Big Brother Australia.
While many of Australia’s favourite reality shows, including The Voice and The Bachelor, were forced to put production on hold in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the unique nature of Big Brother means that filming has still been able to continue over the past couple of months.
The new Big Brother house, which is located in the secluded cliff-tops of Sydney’s idyllic North Head near Manly, is cut off from the outside world, with contestants entering the compound well before the COVID-19 outbreak.
They have remained inside in lockdown ever since, but in a departure from the show’s traditional strict rules, contestants have been allowed some contact with family and friends, due to the extenuating circumstances.
“We have a wellness manager, who is in contact with their friends and family on a daily basis,” the show’s host Sonia Kruger revealed back in March.
“And they’ll be reporting back and we’ll be letting the housemates know because the last thing we want is for them to be concerned about their friends and family. The last thing we want is for them to be concerned.”
She added: “Production continues on a daily basis. I know a lot of other television production that has had to be postponed, we’re in a unique position.”
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A look at the luxe new Big Brother mansion in Sydney.
(Image: Channel Seven)
The interiors have a unique futuristic feel.
(Image: Channel Seven)
Some of the rooms inside the house have clearly been designed specifically for certain challenges.
(Image: Channel Seven)Sonia also explained how the contestants were first informed of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our Executive Producer went into the house and spoke to them through the diary room. It wasn’t filmed, we felt it was better to do it this way and to preserve the integrity of the show. She didn’t go into the house,” Sonia said.
After being in lockdown for weeks inside the mansion, the housemates had no idea the world had been turned upside down, and were understandably rattled by the news.
“They were shocked, as most people would be learning the news about a worldwide pandemic,” Sonia explained.
“They were quite concerned about the football codes maybe not going ahead,” she laughed.
But luckily, they’re actually in one of the safest places in the world.
“They’re in a very safe place, ironically [in the] quarantined station just over there,” said Sonia, who previously hosted the show between 2012 and 2014.
WATCH BELOW: Sonia Kruger explains how the contestants are handling the coronavirus pandemic. Story continues after video.
And now Channel Seven has officially introduced us to the show’s newest contestants.
Keep on scrolling to meet the brand new housemates for 2020.
Garth
Garth
Fabulous, fun and a little bit naughty are the words to sum up Garth. The 50-year-old is going into the house to prove anything is possible if you’ve got enough nerve (and a hefty dose of gossip never goes amiss, apparently…).
SooBong
SooBong
The list of jobs goes on for SooBong – he’s been a singer, ski-instructor, casino dealer, PT, golf coach, vocal coach and a sound engineer. To add to the list, he reckons he’s “fit as hell” and is willing to do whatever it takes to win the game.
Talia
Talia
Talia is coming on the show with a mission: To “smash gender stereotypes”. The smart, strong and confident woman currently works on a job site of 50 men, which has only spurred her strong-willed and has a rebellious streak along.
Sarah
Sarah
The youngest of the lot, don’t be fooled by Sarah’s ability to make a big impression. She’s had a tough up-bringing and says this has given her the ability to turn a negative into a positive. We can’t wait to see more!
Danni
Danni
Down-to-earth and grounded, Danni hopes to bring the “real” to reality TV. A mum-of-two, this lass describes herself as a typical Aussie, and Danni “doesn’t get” rude people. Look out!
Xavier
Xavier
A chilled-out “surfer boy”, Xavier is here to bring the banter with his laid-back attitude, plus some good manners to manipulate his fellow housemates.
Shane
Shane
39-year-old Shane has quite the colourful job history – he has worked as a DJ, MC and cabin crew and is now a wedding celebrant, having officiated at the first female same sex wedding in Australia. He also hopes age will give him an advantage in the game!
Laura
Laura
Laura brings all the good vibes to the house… at least, that’s her intention. A professional dancer, the confident housemates isn’t worried about living with lots of people, as she has a big close-knit family.
Ian
Ian
We might have ourselves the Ross Gellar of the group in Ian – he describes himself as “an ecology and biology geek with a passion for fossils”, and he’s keen to see how he goes stepping out of his comfort zone in the new house.
Hannah
Hannah
Hannah is “confident, cut-throat and super competitive,” according to her official bio. She plays AFL. She says she’s “not afraid of anyone and is going to be the bulldozer in the house”.
Casey
Casey
Casey is your down-to-earth middle grounded gal. Described as a creative, clumsy and self-deprecating country girl, she “can’t stand fake people” and is a “self-proclaimed bogan”. Great content awaits!
Allan
Allan
This bloke is “deadset keen on becoming the first Asian housemate to win Big Brother.” He says he’s a self-proclaimed master manipulator and isn’t afraid to poke the bear. Looks like we’ll need to watch out for this one!
Kieran
Kieran
21-year-old Kieran (centre) is a videographer from Adelaide, South Australia but he says you may know him better as “Adelaide’s worst driver.”
Kieran has a YouTube channel dedicated to hilarious videos of his terrible driving often putting his family in the passenger seats.
“I’m like the grim reaper, they’re [the housemates] going to go down like a sack of potatoes,” Kieran says.
Zoe
Zoe
Less of a surprise announcement to some, 39-year-old Zoe was tipped to be entering the Big Brother house early on.
The married mother-of-two lists her occupation as a woodwork teacher, but Zoe also has a popular parenting blog on the side.
On the site, The Subtle Mummy, Zoe describes herself as: “a mother of two who loves talking about all the taboo subjects that come with motherhood and being a wife.”
“The Subtle Mummy is anything but, she tells it like it is with #nofilter.”
Sophie
Sophie
Champion gymnast Sophie had two dreams in life; to go to the Olympics and to go on Big Brother.
While training for the London Olympics Sophie fractured her back, ending her dream and gymnastics career.
The 25-year-old from Darwin says she’s not letting this dream slip through her fingers, she’s entering the house to win.
According to TV Blackbox Sophie catches the eye of fellow housemate Chad and the couple is rumoured to become romantically linked while on the show.
Chad
Chad
Twenty-seven-year-old Chad from Sydney calls himself a ‘model by career, tradie by heart.”
He may be an international model but Chad also has a day-job as a tradesman.
Having appeared in GQ, Vogue and Superdry Chad’s hoping to use his model looks to win over friends in the Big Brother house.
Angela
Angela
Yesterday we were introduced to our latest housemate, 61-year-old Marissa. But, in what appeared to be an accident the same night another advertisement was aired during House Rules, which showed a fourth contestant for 2020, Angela.
Unlike previous reveals no other footage or information has been revealed on Big Brother‘s social media. And it left fans, and us, questioning if this was a major slip up.
It turns out, however, the sneaky reveal was completely intentional.
According to TV Blackbox, who reached out to the network, “you will still start seeing Housemates seeded into promos and on BB social in a range of ways over coming weeks.”
The advertisement listed Angela, a mother from Queensland, as a go-getter, but she went on to say: “”At home I’m a mum, at work I’m a boss.”
Looks like the new Big Brother is keeping us on our toes!
Marissa
Marissa
To mix things up,Big Brother has brought in the well-versed and well-lived Marissa, a 61-year-old makeup artist and fitness expert.
And yes, you might recognise her – she single-handedly brought an aerobics frenzy to Australia, known for making various television appearances with her Let’s get Physical-esque moves alongside her twin sisters in the ’80s, under the name The Rancan Sisters.
Daniel 1
Daniel
You may recognise Big Brother‘s second housemate for 2020 as former professional AFL player, Daniel Gorringe.
The 27-year-old played for the Gold Coast Suns before being “sacked” and picked up by Carlton FC, only to be “sacked again”.
“You’ve got to be able to get the ball, and I just couldn’t get the ball. So I got sacked,” he says.
Daniel 2
Daniel may have been better known for his social media presence, constantly sharing funny videos of himself and his teammates, which he continued to do after his football career ended.
It was accurately predicted Daniel would be one of the 2020 BB housemates, after he mysteriously disappeared from social media around the time of filming.
Daniel Gorringe Big Brother 2020
1
Mat
Australia, meet Broken Hill electrician Mat. The down-to-earth tradie was the first new contestant revealed by Channel Seven.
“I’ve lived in Broken Hill my whole life. Born and bred and grown up in the country. I’m a sparky in one of the local mines,” Mat said in a new promo video.
3
While many people go on Big Brother in the hope of meeting someone new, that’s certainly not the case for Mat, who is engaged to the love of his life.
“This is my beautiful fiancee Jess, definitely the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Mat explained.
“It’s a bit of a running joke that I’m Don Bradman and bat above my average with Jess.”
2
While Mat says he is a “pretty likeable guy”, he knows he will have to stay on his toes if he wants to win.
“It’s a game, you gotta remember that. Gotta keep my wits about myself,” he said.
“Some people, conniving, backstabbing. Others will genuinely been your side.”
