“Big Brother” begins its 16th season at 8 p.m. Wednesday on CBS with two rule changes, a new competition, a switch to high definition broadcasts and three houseguests who live in the Los Angeles area.
In what CBS is billing as the competition series’ “most twisted season,” there will be two heads of household each week, one more than in the past, who will have the responsibility of nominating two houseguests for possible eviction.
However, for the first time on the series, being the head of household will not spare a houseguest from possible eviction for the week.
“Big Brother” has added an interactive element called “Team America,” asking viewers to vote on which of the houseguests they would like to form an alliance with. Votes can be cast at cbs.com/bbteamamerica beginning Wednesday.
Also being introduced this season is “Battle of the Block,” which CBS describes as a “new high-stakes competition” that “will dramatically shift power in the house each week.”
“Big Brother” will air Sundays at 8:01 p.m., Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and Thursdays at 9:01 p.m. with the weekly eviction show, which will air live in the Eastern and Central time zones and on a delayed basis in the Pacific Time Zone.
In addition to the CBS broadcasts, “Big Brother: After Dark,” a live feed from the “Big Brother” house during late-night hours will air seven nights a week on cable’s TVGN (the former TV Guide Network) beginning Thursday and live feeds from the house can be seen on cbs.com on a subscription basis.
“Big Brother” follows a group of people separated from the outside world, living together in a house on the CBS Studio Center lot in Studio City outfitted with 76 HD cameras and more than 100 microphones recording their every move 24 hours a day. One houseguest is voted out each week. The last remaining houseguest will receive the $500,000 grand prize.
The house is described by CBS as “a whimsical urban tree house-themed dwelling,” with a living room featuring a 20-foot-high wood tree sculpture and wood panels giving the illusion of peering out into the world from inside the tree. Above the living room is a tree house shack where houseguests can play chess.
Half of the 16 houseguests will be introduced Wednesday and the other eight on the 9:01 p.m. Thursday episode. They include Amber Borzotra, a 26-year-old esthetician from North Hollywood; Brittany Martinez, a 29-year-old event coordinator from Torrance; and Hayden Voss, a 21-year-old pedicab driver from Long Beach.
Borzotra describes herself as courageous, free spirited and nurturing and anticipates the hardest parts about being in the “Big Brother” house as “not being able to talk to my mom, sister or best friend any time I want and not having all the food I want to eat.”
Martinez is a divorced mother of three who said her motto is “go big or go home.” She said being an event coordinator will definitely help her in “Big Brother” because “there are times I have to deal with not such sweet people and there are times I get great people. Either way, I can use that to my advantage.”
Voss said his “outer personality will be a perfect cover for the secret competitor that I truly am.”
“I am the funny guy,” Voss said. “I’m young and immature, which will play to my advantage, but I’m also a marathoner, a former college hockey player and a very smart and creative thinker.
“I will never throw a competition and I won’t lie about who I am or my life, but I’m willing to backstab people. I will seek an alliance very early on with the guys and I’m not considering a showmance. I know I can win this game with my charm and underlying physical and mental talent.”
