Big Brother’s version on CBS is gearing up for another season of live feeds and social-strategy fireworks. So, all in all, how many seasons of Big Brother are there?
Well, that’s a big question to answer considering there are countless international versions of the reality competition show. From its origins in The Netherlands to Germany, Vietnam, South Africa, Turkey, and Brazil, every continent has a country that’s put on a season of the franchise.
So, let’s take a look at the three most popular series in the United States, namely the U.S., Canadian, and U.K. versions.
As mentioned, another summer of eavesdropping on a crop of houseguests is coming to CBS. Big Brother US is set to air its 26th season dating back to its first iteration in 2000. Season 26 is getting a two-night premiere on July 17 and 18.
The American version also has a handful of spin-offs: three seasons of Celebrity Big Brother, as well as one stint apiece for Big Brother: Over the Top and Big Brother: Reindeer Games.
Then, we’ve got Big Brother Canada, which has been around since 2010. There are two versions of Big Brother Canada — English and French. Let’s look at the latter, which came out first. One season of a Quebec-based Big Brother season played out in 2010, and four subsequent Celebrity Big Brother seasons (Big Brother Célébrités) have dropped in the province since. Loft Story, a sort-of adaption of Big Brother, has had five seasons in the French-speaking area of Canada, too.
In the province over, Big Brother Canada’s English side has enjoyed a 12-season run thus far, dating back to its inaugural addition in 2013. Season 12 wrapped in May, and the next one will likely be released in 2025.
Lastly, we have Big Brother UK, one of the franchise’s OGs. Called “series” instead of “seasons” across the pond, Big Brother UK came out the same year as Big Brother US in 2000. But, there have been fewer regular seasons than the American version. All in all, 20 series have come and gone, and series 21 will begin pumping out episodes in the fall. Interestingly, there are more iterations of Celebrity Big Brother UK — 23, to be exact. There was also a bevy of other spin-offs that came out: Teen Big Brother, Big Brother Panto, Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack, and Ultimate Big Brother.
So, even though the U.S. surpassed the U.K. in regular seasons, the latter has gone all out with spin-offs, whereas Big Brother Canada has mostly stuck in the normal season lane.
