Big Brother 5 (Netherlands)

Three years after its initial cancellation Big Brother was brought back. John de Mol decided to air it on his own TV station Talpa. Although he did not own the rights any more (he had left Endemol), he hadn’t forgotten his jewel. Series 5 was shown with moderate success in the early evening from 24 August until 22 December (121 days). The house had moved from Almere to Aalsmeer, and the presenters were Bridget Maasland and Ruud de Wild. The theme for this season was secrecy, housemates entered with a secret that they weren’t allowed to reveal to other housemates. Aside from usual weekly tasks, the housemates received secret missions to spark distrust and conflicts. Some gained cash which they had to hide from the other housemates. The series was dominated by the relationship between Dido and Roel, who shared his bed with Lieske and Linda as well. The series borrowed elements from foreign series, like the introduction of Nathalie’s ex-boyfriend. However, most attention was directed at...