Coronavirus: Big Brother contestants around the world left unaware of pandemic

Participants of ongoing series in Germany, Brazil and Canada have not been informed about the spread of the illness

Big Brother contestants around the world are among the last people on the planet to find out about the coronavirus pandemic, it has emerged.

Participants of the reality show in Germany joined the Big Brother house – and therefore have been unwittingly self-isolating – since 6 February, when news of the illness was only just emerging from Wuhan in China.

Since that point, they have not had any access to news coverage. New housemates joined the show on 6 March, just days before Germany reported its first death from coronavirus and before it had been characterised as a pandemic.

The show’s producer at TV channel Sat.1 initially defended the decision not to inform the contestants of the crisis, saying they would only do so if one of the housemates’ family members fell ill.

Following a backlash on social media, however, Sat.1 announced a live special episode set to air before the show on Tuesday evening (17 March), in which the participants will be told about the pandemic and their questions will be answered.

Contestants on Big Brother Brazil have also been left in the dark about the virus since January, while Big Brother Canada housemates have not had any updates since entering the house on 4 March.

In a viral clip, contestants in the Canada house can be heard discussing why there was no audience to cheer out the first person who has been evicted.

In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for Big Brother said: "The health and wellbeing of Big Brother Housemates is our priority. All current productions were informed last week that the usual format rules regarding outside news do not apply in this instance, and it was requested that they inform their respective housemates of the evolving situation regarding COVID-19.

"The majority of Housemates have already been briefed and this process will be complete today (17th March)."

However, bosses on the Australian version of Big Brother, which commenced filming earlier this month, decided to tell their current housemates about the seriousness of the pandemic.

This is not the first time the information black-out has been lifted on Big Brother, with the American edition telling contestants in 2001 about 9/11 because one housemate had a family member missing after the attacks.