Big Brother Australia 2026 kicked off last night and the series has found itself in strife over the livestream — once again — as contestants have allegedly been caught making racist remarks.
After the premiere episode aired, viewers quickly flocked to social media to call out several housemates over their alleged remarks.
In one TikTok, a viewer by the name of Brodie Jenkins accused Ebony of allegedly saying “the thing I hate about Black people is” before the livestream cuts off.
Elsewhere, the TikToker claims some of the men used “casual racism against Harem”, with one contestant allegedly saying “you’re Indian, you’re good at making [phone] calls, get back on the phone”.
“He was stereotyping him as a telemarketer,” she alleged.
“When these racist remarks occur, they mute the live, and I just hope behind-the-scenes, producers of Big Brother are calling people into the Diary Room and calling them out on it and not just trying to hide them from us,” she added.
@brodiejenkins1 Big brother live stream recap! What’s everyone’s thoughts so far?#bigbrother #bbau #bigbrotheraustralia ♬ original sound – Brodie Jenkins
Chattr has reached out to Network Ten for a statement.
The Big Brother Australia livestream’s problematic past
Last year, Big Brother Australia restored the 24-hour livestream and it was not without its controversies as contestants were caught making offensive remarks on numerous occasions.
The livestream featured multiple exchanges containing racial stereotypes, ethnicity-based remarks, and comments targeting Jewish, Asian and Middle Eastern communities — the sort of behaviour that has prompted international versions of Big Brother to abandon live feeds altogether.
An insider told PEDESTRIAN.TV at the time that producers were worried the controversy could tarnish Network Ten’s reputation, especially during the reboot’s debut season.
While Big Brother has always leaned into conflict and controversy, there’s a significant difference between entertaining housemate clashes and behaviour that creates legal or ethical concerns for the broadcaster. Reports claimed the livestream had repeatedly veered into that territory.
“They’re terrified the whole network could get gazumped by this,” the insider claimed.
“Every time they dump the footage, another line slips through. They’re genuinely panicking. If one more thing airs unedited, it’s going to blow up.”
However, Network Ten sources reportedly insisted contestants are subject to a “three strikes and you’re out” policy when it comes to inappropriate conversations, with disciplinary action allegedly being taken against housemates who breach those standards.
A Network Ten spokesperson told the site at the time: “Viewers are loving 10’s Big Brother 24/7 livestream. The content strikes the balance between being entertaining and juicy, while still protecting audiences and housemates. We have been thrilled to see Aussies obsessed with the show, the housemates, and the access.”
Meanwhile, another source pointed out: “This is exactly why the livestream disappeared for years. You cannot control ‘casual racism’ on a reality show. You just can’t. And the audience is recording everything. The editing delay is not protecting anyone.”
Other Big Brother franchises have faced similar controversies. The US, UK and Canadian versions have all dealt with racist behaviour appearing on their live feeds, with some ultimately abandoning their 24/7 streams over the legal and reputational risks involved.
Big Brother airs 7:30pm weeknights and 7pm Sundays on 10, with the live stream available via 10 Play.
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