The show followed eleven contestants, known as housemates, who were isolated from the outside world for an extended period of time in a custom built House.

The last remaining housemate, Craig Phillips, was declared the winner, winning a cash prize of £70,000.

It became the subject of intense press attention throughout its broadcast, and gained particular notoriety after one housemate, Nick Bateman, was ejected from the House for breaking the rules.

The series first launched in Netherlands, with editions in countries such as Germany proving to be hits with the public.

[6] It was reported that the show received over 40,000 applications, and the housemates selected to compete in the series were kept secret until they entered the House.

[15] Among the group was Anna Nolan, a lesbian who had previously been a nun prior to entering the House.

During the first episode, viewers were shown the highlights from the previous day and McCall revealed the housemate who had been evicted from the House.

[21] Two hours following this, the second episode of the night aired which saw the evicted housemate exit the House and participate in an interview with McCall.

The Diary Room was where housemates were required to share their thoughts on the events in the house, and were often given tasks.

Big Brother was a game show in which a group of contestants, referred to as housemates, lived in isolation from the outside world in a custom built "house", constantly under video surveillance.

[44][45] The format of the series was mainly seen as a social experiment, and required housemates to interact with others who may have differing ideals, beliefs, and prejudices.

[55] The series quickly became a source of controversy following its launch, with the show's format being noted as physically and mentally straining.

It was later reported that Nick had smuggled a mobile phone into the House, and was using it to receive information from the outside world.

[62] During the eighth week in the House, housemates Craig, Darren, and Melanie were nominated for eviction.

Housemate Sada criticized the show following her eviction, and claimed that she had been portrayed as a "dippy hippy" rather than her true self.

[65] Melanie expressed similar displeasure with the way she was depicted on the show, and later criticized the series for "making storylines that weren't happening.

"[66] She elaborated by stating "When I watched the tapes I understood that stories and storylines were made to fit any piece of footage into the storyboard and or the caricature that we were portrayed or playing.

"[66] Housemate Nick Bateman later criticized Endemol for "leaving them high and dry", and later stated that they were unprepared for the way that the series affected their personal lives.