Grande Fratello

Last updated

Grande Fratello
Grande Fratello - Logo.jpg
Created by John de Mol Jr.
Directed by Fosco Gasperi (2000–2001)
Fabio Calvi (2003–2004, 2006–2009)
Sergio Colabona (2009–2012, 2014–2015)
Alessio Pollacci (2018–2019, 2023–present)
Marco Fuortes (2018–2019, 2023–present)
Presented by Daria Bignardi (2000–2001)
Barbara D'Urso (2003–2004, 2018–2019)
Alessia Marcuzzi (2006–2012, 2014–2015)
Alfonso Signorini (2023–present)
Country of origin Italy
Original languageItalian
No. of series18
No. of episodes333 (lives shows)
Production
Running time190–220 min (approx.)
Production company Endemol Shine Italy
Original release
Network Canale 5 (main show and daily recaps, 2000–present)
Italia 1 (daily recaps; 2014–present)
Stream TV (live; 2000–2003)
Sky (live; 2004, 2008–2009)
Mediaset Premium (live; 2006–2015)
Mediaset Extra (live; 2018–present)
La5 (live; 2010–present)
Rete 4 (daily recaps; 2023–2024)
Release14 September 2000 (2000-09-14) 
present
Related
Grande Fratello VIP

Grande Fratello (also known by the acronym GF) is the Italian version of the reality television franchise Big Brother . Begun in September 2000, it has gone on to become a cultural phenomenon in Italy. There have been twenty-two completed seasons as of 2023, sixteen regular seasons and seven celebrity seasons. [1]

Contents

Format

The old logo for the Italian version of Big Brother - Grande Fratello. Grande Fratello.jpg
The old logo for the Italian version of Big Brother - Grande Fratello.

Based on the original Dutch version created by Endemol, the show sees a number of "housemates", divided by gender, social backgrounds and geographical locations, locked up together in a house, where the viewing public can watch them twenty-four hours a day, and vote them out of the house as they choose. [2] [3]

The housemates can visit the "confessional" at any time during the day, either to talk to psychologists if they need to, talk to "Big Brother", or to nominate.

The title is inspired by the George Orwell novel 1984 . The novel tells of a Big Brother, head of the totalitarian state of Oceania that constantly monitors its inhabitants by the camera in an attempt to suppress their free will. The tag line of the novel is "Big Brother is watching you", which inspired the show, as it is Big Brother who now has total control over the situation in the house.

The housemates live in a house 24 hours a day, bugged by numerous cameras and microphones which capture their every move. Every week the housemates participate in tasks that determine their food budget for that week, or could even affect that week's nominations. The overall goal is to be the final surviving housemate and claim the prize fund. A PlayStation game based on this version was released in 2003.

Series details

SeasonsLaunch dateFinale dateDaysHousematesWinnerPresenterReporterOpinionistDirectionLocationGrand prizeAverage viewers
(in millions)
Average share
ExternalSocialHomeStudyHomeStudy
1 14 September 200021 December 20009910Cristina Plevani Daria Bignardi Marco Liorni nonenoneAlessio Pollacci Fosco Gasperi Study of Cinecittà, Rome Theater 1 of Cinecittà, Rome 250,000,000 [N 1] 9.8237.00%
2 20 September 200120 December 20019216 Flavio Montrucchio 8.0032.74%
3 30 January 20038 May 200399Floriana Secondi Barbara D'Urso Fabio CalviTheater 5 of Cinecittà, Rome €241,000 [N 2] 33.15%
4 22 January 20046 May 200410615Serena Garitta€300,0008.4433.89%
5 23 September 20042 December 20047117 Jonathan Kashanian €250,0006.8630.70%
6 19 January 200627 April 200699 [N 3] 18Augusto De Megni Alessia Marcuzzi Palastudio of Cinecittà, Rome €900,000 [N 4] 6.5131.68%
7 18 January 200719 April 20079219Milo Coretti€500,0005.5725.80%
8 21 January 200821 April 200821Mario Ferretti Alfonso Signorini 5.4625.19%
9 12 January 200920 April 20099923Ferdi Berisanone€300,0006.6329.17%
10 26 October 20098 March 201013426Mauro MarinSergio Colabona€250,0006.1627.83%
11 18 October 201018 April 2011183 [N 5] 35Andrea Cocco€300,000 [N 2] 5.4323.55%
12 24 October 20111 April 2012161 [N 6] 36Sabrina Mbarek€240,000 [N 2] 3.8517.40%
13 3 March 201426 May 20148517 [N 7] Mirco Petrilli Manuela Arcuri [N 8] Cesare Cunaccia [N 8] €250,0004.1219.15%
Vladimir Luxuria [N 9]
14 24 September 201510 December 20157819Federica Lepanto Chiara Tortorella Cristiano Malgioglio Claudio Amendola €200,000 [N 2] 3.5218.74%
15 17 April 20184 June 20184917Alberto Mezzetti Barbara D'Urso none Simona Izzo Marco FuortesAlessio Pollacci€100,0003.8823.25%
16 8 April 201910 June 20196419Martina Nasoni Iva Zanicchi 3.2519.94%
17 11 September 202325 March 202419735Perla Vatiero Alfonso Signorini Rebecca Staffelli Cesara Buonamici noneVoxson studies, Rome 2.4418.59%
18 16 September 202431 March 202534 Jessica Morlacchi Beatrice Luzzi Lumina Studios, Rome

Popularity

The program has broken several records, including exceeding a 50% share of the ratings (with peaks of 60% during season one). The fifth season recorded a decline in ratings which was put down to both the competition from rival reality television shows and the season's poor and hasty production. By the ninth season, the show recorded increasing ratings which took the program back to its original popularity.

Despite a decline in viewing figures over the years (especially in the twelfth season), Grande Fratello is still one of the most successful reality shows in Italy.

References

Annotations
  1. Equivalent to €129,114.22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Reduced or extended from €250,000.
  3. Extended from 92 days.
  4. Reduced from €1,000,000.
  5. Extended from 168 days.
  6. Reduced from 203 days.
  7. Armando & Giuseppe are compete as a single housemate.
  8. 1 2 Until the fourth live show.
  9. From the fifth live show.
Sources
  1. "Grande Fratello VIP: trash, esperimento sociologico e politicamente (s)corretto". ilgiornaleditalia.it.
  2. "La scienza del Grande Fratello (e degli altri reality show)". Focus.it.
  3. "Se la realtà è peggiore del Grande Fratello". corriere.it.