After years of reinvention, and a brief identity crisis, Big Brother Australia has finally found its way home. The long-running reality juggernaut has returned to Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, and to Channel 10, the network where it all began.
On Sunday, November 9, twelve contestants stepped into the house to take on the infamous experiment and vie for the $100,000 prize, with a 13th housemate, Jane, joining a few days later.
For a generation raised on mid-2000s nostalgia, this reboot feels like a cultural reset. Gone are the dystopian, game-show trappings of its Channel Seven years, when contestants sometimes felt more like test subjects than housemates.
Instead, it has returned to the simple formula that made it prime television: a group of strangers under one roof, live nominations, live evictions, and a 24-hour live stream. The return of long-time narrator Mike Goldman adds another nostalgic touch, reviving the familiar voice that once defined Australian reality TV.
Melissa Tracina is hosting this years Big Brother. Mel is best known as the cultural correspondent on Network 10’s The Cheap Seats, where her quick wit and sharp observations have made her a standout presence. Off-screen, she can be heard hosting weekdays on Nova from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., bringing the same warmth and humour to the airwaves.
Yes! Big Brother Australia will return to a live format in 2025.
10’s Executive Producer Sarah Thornton told TV Tonight,
“The livestream will commence following the linear premiere….. It is on a delay for moderation, we’ve got to watch it for defamation and classification. The live stream is an offering for super fans, but also for people who like to watch things that aren’t over-produced. To get to know the cast in a more intimate way and watch some really riveting content overnight.”
The 2025 Big Brother Australia live stream is available on 10Play for free.
Meet The Big Brother Australia 2025 Cast
Abiola
Singer/Musician, 24, VIC
Musician Abiola is here to shake things up. A self-described neat freak, she hopes to be “the first openly fat, Black lesbian on TV” and has no intention of being quiet about it. With a name that means “born to be famous,” she’s one to watch.
Allana
Social Worker, 45, QLD
Allana is fiery, funny and gloriously no-nonsense. A devoted social worker and mum of three, she’s raised her kids with grit and grace, while still finding time to belt out tunes on the piano, sip gin by the beach and keep her brows immaculate.
Armed with dry wit, wild stories and razor-sharp honesty, she has zero time for arrogance or betrayal and will always call out bad behaviour. Big Brother, she’s coming in hot.
Bruce
Tradesman, 25, QLD
Bruce is a loud, drama-loving wildcard whose traditional ‘trad wife’ beliefs and small-town escape dreams promise chaos and conflict inside.
Coco
Early Education, 30, NSW
Coco is a sharp, straight-talking single mum of three who’s survived tumours, chest surgery and the loss of her dad. She’s left an 11-year childcare career and a broken marriage behind, and now enters Big Brother to rebuild and show her kids what strength looks like.
Colin
Aspiring MMA Fighter, 21, NSW
Colin, 21, is a cheeky, chaotic Wollongong livewire and proud mama’s boy whose next-level energy guarantees unforgettable and unfiltered, limelight-stealing moments.
Conor
Disability Advocate, 31, QLD
Conor is a disability advocate with Tourette’s who turns stigma into strength, educating Australia with humour, heart and unapologetic authenticity.
Edward
Sales Manager, 30, SA
Edward is a big-hearted, beer-loving larrikin whose easy charm, loyalty and vulnerability prove that nice guys really can, actually, win.
Emily
Primary School Teacher, 30, WA
Emily, a big-hearted WA primary teacher, is quirky, emotional and hilariously germ-phobic, bringing warmth, humour and resilience into the house.
Holly
Model, 31, WA
Holly is a model who can read a room in seconds and intends to be the sharpest mind in it. Devoted to her cats, she’s happily single and very self-aware.
Mia
Bunnings Shop Assistant, 23, VIC
Mia is a high-energy Bunnings retail assistant of Sri Lankan heritage whose humour, fierce loyalty and ruthless grudges make her a hilariously engaging, representation-driven agent of chaos.
Michael
Publisher, 49, NSW
Michael is a single dad whose blunt honesty, opinions and no-nonsense maturity could spark clashes (and alliances) inside the house.
Vincent
Barber, 21, VIC
Vincent is a charismatic Melbourne barber from regional Italian roots. He’s a confident flirt whose swagger and sharp tongue are guaranteed to command attention.
Jane
Retired, 67, VIC
At 67, straight-shooting Jane is Big Brother’s oldest Aussie housemate. She loves golf, is fiercely loyal and secretly devoted to Donald Trump.
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