2019 Big Brother Naija to record largest auditions ever?

Since the producers of Africa’s popular reality TV show, Big Brother Naija, announced the return of the fourth season of the show, while also revealing that the Big Brother House will be in Nigeria, many have expressed excitement at the cheering news. With auditions for the show slated for first and second of February 2019 across eight locations in Nigeria including Lagos, Calabar, Enugu, Benin, Ibadan, Warri, Abuja and Port Harcourt, it marks the second time the Nigerian version of the reality television show will be shot outside South Africa since it began in 2006.

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Already, millions of Nigeria’s youthful population have flooded the internet with intentions to watch and participate. The eight states, therefore, will be expected to host thousands of hopefuls, in a reality show that may become the most contested, in its series.

Friday Treat’s investigations revealed much. Hundreds of hopefuls had sent requests for more information regarding the competition to its anchor after he reported the announcement last week. In Ibadan, excitement is at fever pitch, as many have signified their intention to audition this year, owing to the increased awareness about how the show changes lives.

Shade Adeoti, a self employed graduate told Friday Treat about why she decided to try her chances this year. She said, “I have always watched the Big Brother show but lacked the confidence to audition every year. Plus I also felt the show was for morally loose people because of what many people were saying. But seeing how many lives have been impacted positively, especially the likes of Ebuka, Miyonse, Bisola, Tobi, and even Nina, all who didn’t win the show but are doing very well for themselves, convinced me to audition this year. Many of my friends are also auditioning for the first time this year. We have realised that the platform has unlimited potentials”.

Another respondent who spoke to Friday Treat, Opeyemi Alowonle, said that he decided to audition this year in order to expose himself to Africa and the world. The platform is really great. I have decided that it is the right platform to show the world what I can do. I will travel to Ibadan to audition and I hope to be picked. Many of my friends have also signified interest so the competition this year will be stiff”, he submitted.

Some hopefuls have reportedly formed whatsapp groups to share experiences across citis, all in a bid to share information and help themselves to a dose of the action that is Big Brother Naija.

The reality TV show which follows the format of the international Big Brother franchise is known to bring excitement and entertainment to fans and viewers across the continent as it houses strangers over a period of three months who contest against each other in a battle of wits for the ultimate prize.

Speaking on the return of Big Brother Naija, the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr John Ugbe said: “This fourth season promises to be even bigger than previous editions and underscores MultiChoice’s position as the biggest investor and driver of entertainment content on the continent”.

Since its maiden edition in 2006, the Big Brother Naija reality TV show has produced some of the country’s biggest pop culture influencers and celebrities including Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Gideon Okeke, Katung Aduwak, Bisola Aiyeola, Efe Ejeba and Uriel Oputa and mostly recently Miracle Ikechukwu, Tobi Bakre among others.