Standing on the podium and waving at the African audience, Pokello outwardly expresses happiness, but internally she knows the game is beyond the cheers on the faces of the fans. Like every other housemate, the Harare-born Pokello, who is the first housemate to enter into the Big Brother 2013 House, is frightened more by the fact that 27 people from different backgrounds, countries, and opposing passions would be forced into a 91-day prison of sorts with her.
For 91 days starting on the Sunday evening the 28 housemates were unveiled to the African audience, these strange fellows will be forced to live with one another like friends – or enemies if they wish – if only that will mean a win for them. There will be compromises, alliances and all manner of games that will for 91 days intrigue the audience.
While the bottom-line is excitement for the viewers on Africa Magic, the $300,000 winner-takes-all prize money is the reason for the 91-day solitary life for the housemates who are shared into two houses – Diamond House marked with yellow and Ruby House marked with red.
Already, the housemates must get familiar with each other because come Sunday, two housemates must be evicted, and have to be nominated from their midst. That is the reason this year’s edition of Big Brother Africa reality TV show is tagged ‘The Chase’. It is truly a chase after African votes, after support from fellow housemates, and ultimately after the life-changing $300,000.
Out of the 28, two housemates are representing Nigeria. The first is Ada Beverly Osu, a model and popular Lagos-based video vixen. She was also briefly engaged to rapper 2shotz in 2011. The other is Melvin Oduah, a model, actor, 1st runner-up in the Gulder Ultimate Search VI, and 1st runner up in Mr Nigeria 2011.
There are high hopes that they, like Uti, Karen and Kelvin, will impress Nigerian viewers and voters by winning the prize money. And viewers are already commenting that they should just be themselves like the past winners, form the right alliances, and use their opportunities in the house well.
“It’s not just the money. Big Brother is now an empowerment platform. Uti Nwachukwu, Kelvin and Karen are all doing well because of the exposure they got from the Big Brother platform,” noted Michael Olumide, a Big Brother fan.
As the show progresses, viewers across Africa get to know the housemates better to decide who wins their vote or not.
“Viewers want to see unscripted television, as it happens, with normal people that they can relate to dealing with completely familiar emotional concepts – happiness, frustration, success, failure, hope, anxiety, friendship, opportunity and, of course, love. Big Brother continues to be a ratings sensation from Australia to India, and in Africa, for exactly this reason. And the format’s flexibility is a producers’ dream because you can do something different every time,” according to Biola Alabi, managing director, M-Net Africa.
And once again, there is a secret twist that producers have worked on to ensure that the new season will capture audience attention once more. So hook on to Africa Magic on DSTV to enjoy the twist of ‘The Chase’!
The first Big Brother Africa was unveiled in 2003 and 10 years later, Big Brother Africa still has the power to hold Africa spellbound. Endemol, the producer of the reality TV show, promises a fantastic show this year.
