The latest COVID-19 lockdown concerns within inner-Sydney have thrown a huge spanner in the works for Seven and the production company responsible for Big Brother Australia.
TV Blackbox can report exclusively that a note is about to go out to all ticket holders for the upcoming live finale (Tuesday 29 June), advising that Endemol Shine Australia and the Seven Network have had to cancel the audience due to COVID lockdown concerns.
The finale will still be broadcast from the Hordern Pavillion at Fox Studios in Randwick, due in no small part to the fact the Big Brother house at North Head has already been demolished. The venue for the finale, in one of the four local government areas locked down by the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, means it has become impossible for the general public to move in and out of this area freely without quarantining afterwards.
Additionally, TV Blackbox has learned that Endemol Shine Australia want all cast from the series IN PERSON at the finale (unlike the 2020 finale where some were connected via video link). There is no advice regarding if ESA or Seven will cover the cost for each participant’s mandatory post-event quarantine which will be necessary after attending the event.
This post updates.
It is a pity the show was dragged out for so long and now there will be no audience and other contestants may have to isolate.
Why demolish the B.B. House. What a waste.
The western states will probaly not get a chance to vote because of the time difference.
Why does it not give us a chance as in a previous year.. I really hope Marley wins. He is the most deserving of them all
BB wasn’t worth watching after Tilly left. But then to hear Danny left … ho hum what a drag, glad I stopped watching. None of the remaining have character, only Ari has a bit of spunk.
I hope the end of next year’s is better.
Not having a live audience has nothing to do with quarantining. The lockdown prohibits residents leaving their homes for non essential purposes, and attending a TV show audience is not essential. It’s as simple as that.
Same goes for the taping of the AGT Auditions at The Star in Sydney. They will either go audience free, or reschedule to a later date.
Hi Poida – when this news broke there was no lockdown order in place, and anyone entering the greater Sydney area would have to quarantine to leave it. The information was correct when published. Yes, subsequently the lockdown has altered everything again!
As for AGT that’s a whole other box of dice. As we’ve reported AGT has been postponed indefinitely.