In 2000, Endemol offered SBT owner Grupo Silvio Santos the rights to produce a local version of the Dutch reality series Big Brother, but the network declined due to its cost.
[1][2] Upon declining the offer, SBT signed an agreement with Endemol agreeing not to use proprietary information surrounding the Big Brother format that had been provided to them during the negotiation process.
The series was developed in secret, with only network owner and president Silvio Santos and several other SBT executives aware of its existence, and the cast of celebrity contestants required to sign non-disclosure agreements during filming.
Globo attempted to counterprogram the finale by scheduling major segments on Fantástico (including a feature on Roberto Carlos' new acoustic album) and an episode of its own reality series No Limite, but only managed 18 ratings points.
[7] The fourth and final season ran from 15 August 2004 to 17 October 2004; the series was retooled as a talent search, with the house becoming a drama school, and the contestants being aspiring actors competing to win a role in an upcoming SBT telenovela.