03 October 2023 , 22:35
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Big Brother contestants will be required to undergo training on 'appropriate behaviour and language' ahead of the new season, ITV has confirmed.
The reality TV show returns in October after a five-year-long hiatus from our screens, airing nightly on ITVX after being axed by Channel 5 over poor ratings.
Having listened to concerns of past viewers, its commissioning editor Peter Tierney has promised the revamped Big Brother aims to make "'reality' real again" and create and "environment that is conducive to real life" with the new series.
Hosted by AJ Odudu and Will Best, the show will also set standards high for its participants before filming even begins. As part of its ITV's Duty of Care protocols, all Big Brother contestants will have an individualized support plan that includes sessions to the show's mental health professionals prior to, during and after their time in the house.
Hosts AJ and Will will also be given support and training (ITV)Housemates will also be required to undergo medical assessments and to disclose in confidence their medical history. Contestants will receive a detailed explanation on the house rules, the potential good and bad consequences of being on the show and key information about life in the house. Once the televised lock-in begins, the housemates will be monitored '24 hours a day' to ensure their wellbeing. Daily meetings to resolve issues will also be scheduled should any problems arise.
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Strict rules will also apply to their social media activity, with the contestants being required to disable their accounts before entering the house. Training in mental health first aid and respect and inclusion will be given to Big Brother's welfare team and its other members of editorial and production crew, as well as hosts AJ and Will.
Dr Paul Litchfield, an independent medical advisor to ITV, said in a statement: "'The measures applied to safeguard the mental health of contributors to reality TV shows have evolved considerably over the past five years. ITV has worked with the team at Banijay to share expertise and to ensure that current best practice is applied for the 2023 series of Big Brother."
Contestants on the show have famously been required to abide by the Big Brother Rule Book, which is handbook of rules and regulations all housemates must follow during their tenancy. Violation of the rules is taken seriously, with punishment typically being handed down to those who break them.
A number of behaviours are completely forbidden inside the house, including whispering, speaking in another language and making reference to the outside world. Housemates must also wear microphone lapels at all times, except when sleeping or swimming, and they are never allowed to intimate, threaten or behave violently towards another housemate.
Big Brother: The Launch is on ITV1, STV, ITV2 and ITVX on October 8 from 9pm.