Is Big Brother rigged? Channel Seven show faces scrutiny

The ‘rules’ of Big Brother have faced scrutiny this week, with viewers questioning the fairness of the Channel Seven show and accusing producers of picking ‘favourites’.

There has been much discussion about the program on social media after top contender Jessica was eliminated in a bizarre turn of events on Tuesday’s episode.

Fellow housemate Danny had been given a special key by the showrunners, which gave him the opportunity to smuggle out a co-star who was up for elimination.

Danny used the key to help fellow contestant Ari escape eviction via a tunnel after he’d been nominated earlier in the show.

As reported by TV Tonight, this twist called into question the rules of the competition.

Many viewers didn’t buy the idea that Ari was removed from the elimination process entirely just because he was hiding somewhere.

Danny’s role in these events and the non-reaction of the other contestants led some fans to suggest he’s getting favourable treatment because he’s ‘good TV’.

One fan tweeted: ‘Just hand Danny the money now and let’s move on to [the] next reality show… It’s clear he’s [the] producers’ favourite.’ 

Another added: ‘How many bonuses can Danny be given?’

Other Twitter users were willing to overlook the show’s perceived bias, and said they instead viewed Big Brother as entertainment, not a competition. 

Big Brother is currently in its thirteenth season, with Sonia Kruger as host.

The latest season was filmed from October to December last year, which has allowed the show’s post-production team to introduce more structured storylines.

Earlier seasons of the program were recorded live with a 24-hour turnaround, meaning the fairness of the game was rarely called into question.