Global producer and distributor Endemol Shine Group today announces that Big Brother is returning to Poland and Finland after a hiatus.

As CEETV reported in December, Endemol Shine Poland has been commissioned by TVN to produce a new series which will air in spring 2019 on TVN7. It has been ten years since Big Brother was on air in Poland and this latest deal marks the format’s return to its original home when it first launched in the country in 2001.

Meanwhile, as TVBIZZ wrote last week, Nelonen Media has come onboard and ordered a first series from Endemol Shine Finland. The format last aired in Finland five years ago and this deal will see the Big Brother launch on Jim and Ruutu this fall.

This year marks 20 years since Big Brother made its worldwide debut in the Netherlands. The format enjoys ongoing success around the world with 28 productions airing across 21 territories in 2018.

This includes the US where a second celebrity version will launch on CBS later this month; Spain where the celebrity finale in December drew a record breaking 50% market share, complemented by a 24/7 live stream on YouTube for the first time, and where its VIP ‘Duo’ special edition just launched; the Philippines where the series has been extended on the back of ratings success; India where six regional language versions of the long-running hit have been produced; Israel which will launch a new celebrity version next week and Brazil where the finale generated 130 million votes and a 54% audience share.

Lisa Perrin, CEO of Creative Networks at Endemol Shine Group says; “It’s a milestone year for Big Brother which remains youthful by continually evolving and reinventing itself. It’s proven that this format engages audiences around the world and our talented teams in Poland and Finland are enthusiastic about bringing it bang up to date for the age of social media.”