‘Big Brother’ Returns to Dutch Screens After 14 Year Absence with Original Broadcaster RTL

Reality format “Big Brother” is returning to screens in the Netherlands, the country where it all started, with original broadcaster RTL after 14 years off air. It is being produced by Endemol Shine Netherlands.

The first ever episode of “Big Brother” aired in the Netherlands in September 1999.

The long-running hit went on to become a global phenomenon, and has remained on air in Italy, Spain and the US since launching there in 2000.

The deal marks the seventh comeback for “Big Brother” in the last 12 months with returns for the original format in Portugal, Finland, Poland, Greece, Germany and Australia, where the new series launches tonight.

This year series in Portugal, Sweden, Germany, Italy and Australia were all produced with minimal Covid-19 disruption, with housemates informed and kept up to date with happenings in the outside world.

In a statement Endemol Shine Netherlands and RTL said: “We have never made it a secret that we want to bring Big Brother back to the Netherlands, the country where it all started.  Big Brother is still the most successful format worldwide and in the current context more relevant than ever: we now live in a Big Brother society.”