The thirteenth season of the Australian reality television series Big Brother, also known as Big Brother 2021, began airing on 26 April 2021 on Seven Network. Sonia Kruger returned as host of the series. The concept for this season is More Than Meets the Eye.
This season revolved around strangers living in a house together with no communication with the outside world as they competed for $250,000. They were constantly filmed during their time in the house and were not permitted to communicate with those filming them. Over the course of the competition, housemates will compete in challenges for power and safety before voting each other out of the house. When three housemates remain, the Australian public decided which finalist would win the grand prize.
The series was filmed from October to December 2020 and aired from April to late June in the following year on Seven Network. The live finale was aired on 29 June 2021, where Marley Biyendolo was declared the winner and won a prize of $250,000 with Christina Podolyan and Sarah Jane "SJ" Adams being declared as the Runners-up. In addition, Biyendolo also won a prize of $10,000 after winning the challenge on Episode 26.
Production In June 2020, during the release of the twelfth season, it was announced that Big Brother Australia had been renewed for a thirteenth season set to air in 2021. As in the previous season, the show was pre-recorded and was filmed between October and December 2020. On 11 April Seven announced that the season would premiere on 26 April.
International broadcast The season was broadcast in New Zealand online-only, via TVNZ OnDemand, starting 4 May 2021 with the first four episodes and each subsequent episodes being released within 48 hours of the Australian broadcast. This marked the return of the show to TVNZ after a 16-year absence following the conclusion of the 2005 season.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
The live finale was impacted by the on-going pandemic, as the plan was to broadcast from Hordern Pavilion at Fox Studios in Randwick in front of an audience of 2,000 people with all 26 housemates in attendance. As the result of lockdowns announced on June 24, 2021, it was confirmed the following day that no audience would be in attendance for the finale. In addition, due to inter-state travel restrictions nine housemates opted to appear via video link despite an initial desire from Endemol Shine Australia to still have everyone appear in-person. Lillian Ahenkan, the second evictee of the series, did not participate in the finale as she was given the option to not attend in-person due to the lockdowns - but did not appear via video link like other housemates that were unable to attend in-person.
Housemates On 14 March 2021, Channel Seven revealed Sarah Jane Adams as the first housemate for the series. More housemates were revealed over the following weeks, with the full cast of the 20 original Housemates being introduced on 25 April. Among the Intruders, Brenton was revealed in pre-show material, whilst the other 5 intruders were revealed on 15 May, a few days before their introduction on the show on Episode 12.
Two pre-existing relationships were a part of the game in a minor twist: Max and Katie are ex-boyfriend and girlfriend and intruders Alex and Charlotte M are twin sisters. Other than the personal effects of their relationships, there was no direct effect on the mechanics of the game.
Name Age on entry Residence Day entered Day exited Result Source Marley Biyendolo 25 Melbourne 4 63 Christina Podolyan 21 Melbourne 1 63 Sarah Jane "SJ" Adams 65 Sydney 1 63 Ari Kimber 22 Sydney 4 63 Daniel "Danny" Hayes 48 Geelong 1 62 Sid Pattni 34 Perth 1 61 Adriana Fernandez 53 Wollongong 27 60 Tilly Whitfeld 20 Sydney 4 58 Charlotte McCristal 25 Melbourne 27 51 Mary Kalifatidis 55 Melbourne 4 50 Jess Trend 29 Melbourne 4 45 Brenton Balicki 31 Sydney 27 42 Mitch Giles 26 Perth 27 40 Gabe Criste 27 Brisbane 27 33 Charlotte Hall 23 Brisbane 4 33 Alex McCristal 25 Melbourne 27 32 Katie Williams 26 Sydney 1 26 Melissa McGorman 33 Cambrai 1 24 Nick Benton 29 Adelaide 1 22 Mitchell Spencer 26 Cairns 1 19 Carlos Castro 39 Perth 1 16 Christopher Wayne 37 Brisbane 4 12 Michael Brown 29 Perth 4 10 Renata Bubeniene 45 Adelaide 1 7 Lillian Ahenkan 26 Sydney 1 5 Max Beattie 28 Gold Coast 1 3
Future appearances Daniel Hayes competed in Big Brother: VIP. He was the fourth housemate to be evicted from the house. In 2022, Marley Biyendolo competed on The Challenge: Australia.
Episodes
Voting history
This housemate was nominated for eviction. This housemate won the Challenge on this round. This housemate was immune from this round of eviction. This housemate was not in the Main House and did not participate in this round of eviction. This housemate was originally nominated but was saved from eviction.
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Episode123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930Finale ChallengeWinner(s) Renata Melissa Jess MelissaTillyChristinaDaniel Tilly Tilly Katie Ari DanielMarley Mitch Brenton Mitch MitchMarley Tilly Tilly Christina AriChristina Marley Tilly Daniel Sid ChristinaAdriana Marley Daniel Christina AriChristina Marley(none) Nominations ChristinaMaxMelissa KatieLillian MelissaRenataSidMaryMichaelTilly Charlotte HChristopher MarySid MarySid CarlosCharlotte HJess MitchellSid AriMelissaNick DanielMarleyMelissa AriCharlotte HKatie AdrianaAlexBrentonGabe AlexGabe AriCharlotte HGabe AdrianaAriChristina AriBrentonMitch BrentonChristinaMitchBrentonChristina AriJess MarleyMary AriChristinaMary AdrianaChristina DanielMarley DanielMarleyTilly AriMarley (none) AdrianaChristina AriDanielSid Daniel AriChristinaSJ MarleyNot inHouseBB Air RenataTilly Charlotte H Sid Sid Carlos Mitchell Nick MelissaNominatingHousemate Gabe Gabe Charlotte HNominatingHousemate Brenton Brenton Brenton SJ SJNominatingHousemate Christina Nominated Daniel AriNovoting Adriana Ari SJAri ChristinaNominated Lillian RenataMichael ChristopherNominatingHousemateMary Carlos Mitchell Nick Daniel Katie Adriana Gabe GabeAdriana In PanicRoom Mitch SJNominatingHousemateNominatingHousemate Mary Charlotte M Tilly SJNovotingNominatedNominatingHousemate Daniel Nominated (Finale) SJIneligibleLillian RenataTillyChristopherMaryIn AtticMitchell Nick Melissa Katie Adriana Gabe Gabe Christina Mitch Mitch Brenton Nominated Marley Mary Charlotte M Nominated Marley AriNovotingAdriana Sid Nominated Nominated (Finale) AriNot inHouseBB Air RenataMichael Christopher SJ Mary Carlos MitchellNickNominatingHousemateKatie Adriana Gabe Noteligible ChristinaMitch Mitch Brenton NoteligibleNominatingHousemateMary Charlotte M Marley Tilly SJ Room Adriana Nominated Daniel NominatedEvicted(Day 63) Daniel Max Lillian SidMichael ChristopherNominatingHousemateMary Jess SJMedicallyIsolating MelissaNominatingHousemate Adriana Alex Charlotte H Christina Mitch Mitch Christina Jess Marley MaryCharlotte M Nominated Marley AriNovotingNominatingHousemate Sid NominatedEvicted(Day 62) SidIneligible LillianRenata Tilly Charlotte HSJNominated CarlosMitchell Nick Melissa Katie Gabe Gabe Gabe Christina Brenton Mitch Brenton Jess SJ Christina Christina MarleyNominatingHousemate AriNovoting Adriana NominatedEvicted(Day 61) AdrianaNot inHouseNominated Gabe Gabe Christina Mitch Mitch Jess Marley Mary Charlotte M TillyNominatingHousemateNovotingNominatedEvicted(Day 60) TillyNot inHouseBB Air RenataMichaelNominatingHousemate SJ SidNominatingHousemateNominatingHousemate Melissa Melissa Katie Gabe Alex Charlotte H AriNominatingHousemateNominatingHousemate Brenton SJ SJ ChristinaNominatingHousemate Marley Daniel RoomEvicted(Day 58) Charlotte MNot inHouseNominated Charlotte H Ari Brenton Brenton Brenton SJ SJ Christina ChristinaEvicted(Day 51) MaryNot inHouseBB Air Renata Michael Charlotte H SJNominatedIn Attic Mitchell Nick Melissa Charlotte H Adriana Gabe Gabe Christina Mitch Mitch Brenton Jess SJ ChristinaEvicted(Day 50) JessNot inHouseBB AirNominatingHousemateTilly Charlotte H SJ SidCarlos Mitchell Nick Melissa Ari Adriana Alex Charlotte H Christina Brenton Brenton Brenton NominatedEvicted(Day 45) BrentonNot inHouseNominatedIntruderWinner Charlotte H Adriana Mitch Mitch SJEvicted(Day 42) MitchNot inHouseIntruderWinner AlexNominatingHousemateNominatingHousemate BrentonBrentonEvicted(Day 40) GabeNot inHouseNominatedNominatedWalked(Day 33) Charlotte HNot inHouseBB Air RenataMichaelChristopher SJ SidCarlos Mitchell Nick MelissaKatie Adriana GabeNominatedEvicted(Day 33) AlexNot inHouseNominatedEvicted(Day 32) KatieIneligibleLillian Renata Tilly Charlotte HSidSid Carlos MitchellNominatingHousemate MelissaAriEvicted(Day 26) MelissaNominatedNominatingHousemateRenata MichaelNominatingHousemate SJ Mary Jess SJNick DanielEvicted(Day 24) Nick Abstained Lillian Renata Michael Christopher Mary Mary Charlotte H SJAriEvicted(Day 22) MitchellIneligible Lillian Renata Michael Christopher SJ Mary JessSarah JaneEvicted(Day 19) CarlosIneligible Katie MelissaTilly Christopher Mary Mary JessEvicted(Day 16) ChristopherNot inHouseBB Air RenataTillyCharlotte HEvicted(Day 12) MichaelNot inHouseBB Air RenataTillyEvicted(Day 10) RenataNominatingHousemate KatieSidEvicted(Day 7) LillianIneligible SJEvicted(Day 5) Max NominatedEvicted(Day 3) Notes None None None Source (none) (none) (none) WalkednoneGabenone EvictedMaxto evictLillianto evictRenatato evictMichaelto evictChristopherto evictto fake evictMaryto fake evictCarlosto evictMitchellto evictNickto evictMelissato evictKatieto evict AlexBrentonto enter each to enterAlexLost Final Intruder ChallengeChristinato be aMitchto be aBrentonto be aBrentonto evictJessto evictMaryto evictCharlotte Mto evictMarleyto receive The EyeTilly Arito fake evictTillyLostChallengeAdrianato evictSidto evictDanielto evictArito evictChristina Gabeto enterAlex4 of 12 votesto enterto evictMitchto evict Saved Christinato evict Katieto evict Sidto evictTillyto evict to evict Maryto fake evict Sidto fake evict Jessto evict to evict Arito evict Danielto evict Arito evictMitchBrenton Adrianato be a Brentonto be a Brentonto evictto evictto evict Marleyto fake evict Christinato evict Christinato evict Daniel AriWonChallenge Christinato evict Arito evict to evict Christinato saveMarley Melissato evict to evict Melissato evictMaryto evict SJto evict Sidto fake evict to evict Sidto evict Melissato evict Marleyto evict to evictAdrianato enterGabeto enter Gabeto evict Arito be a Arito be a Christinato evictChristinato evict Maryto fake evict Arito evict Adrianato evict Danielto receive The Eye MarleyNullified Marleyto fake evict SJto save Notes
Reception Ratings Ratings data is from OzTAM and represents the viewership from the 5 largest Australian metropolitan centres (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide).