German broadcaster Sat.1 has decided to inform contestants of its latest “Big Brother” production of the ongoing coronavirus crisis that has put Germany into lockdown.
The first group of contestants has been living in the “Big Brother” house in Cologne since Feb. 6, sealed off from the outside world. The show, which premiered on Feb. 10, added four new contestants last week who were instructed not to mention the crisis.
The show’s host, Jochen Schropp, and “Big Brother” physician Andreas Kaniewski will inform the contestants on Tuesday about the coronavirus crisis, which has resulted in Germany’s major cities being put into lockdown, during a special live program.
The participants will be allowed to ask questions about the situation and also receive video messages from relatives, Sat.1 said.
While some of the first “Big Brother” residents may have been aware of the initial coronavirus outbreak in China, they have been in the dark about current events since entering the house in early February.
Currently in its 13th iteration, the German version of the international reality franchise created by John de Mol launched in 2000 on RTL Zwei (formerly RTL II), where it ran for 11 seasons. It returned in 2015 on ProSiebenSat.1’s Sixx outlet and, after a five-year hiatus, this year on Sat.1.
The coronavirus episode could result in a much needed ratings boost for the show, which got off to a lackluster start. Monday’s live episode of “Big Brother“ achieved a 6.5% market share, up slightly from the previous week’s instalment, according to media news site Quotenmeter.