Big Brother 2 (UK)

Big Brother 2, also referred to as Big Brother 2001, was the second series of the British reality television series Big Brother. It is based upon the Netherlands series of the same name, which gained notoriety in 1999 and 2000. The series premiered on 25 May 2001, lasting for a total of 64 days. It concluded on 27 July 2001, when Brian Dowling was crowned the winner. The series revolved around a group of strangers living in a custom built house with no contact with the outside world. Each week, the housemates are required to nominate two people for eviction. The two or more people with the most votes were nominated to leave the House. The viewers then decided which of the nominees should leave, with the selected person leaving during a live show. This process continued until only three housemates remained, at which time the public voted for which of them should win the £70,000 prize.

Big Brother first began airing in the Netherlands, while editions in countries such as Germany proving to be hits with the public. Following the success of the show, it was confirmed that editions for the United States and the United Kingdom were in the works.Big Brother 1 (2000) proved to be a ratings success for Channel 4, leading to the announcement of a second series. Prior to Big Brother 2, a celebrity edition of the show aired on Channel 4. Rumors of a second series began in September 2000, when it was confirmed that Channel 5 and ITV were both interested in acquiring the series. Casting for Big Brother 2 began in late 2000. Candidates for the new series were able to apply at open casting calls, sending in a video audition, or a telephone hotline. In December 2000, it was reported that more than 250,000 applications had been sent in; the first season received an estimated 40,000 applications. The live feed returned for this series, with a total of four feeds available on the Channel 4 site. The feed was cut for an estimated two hours nightly, and featured a delay for privacy reasons.

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