Interesting facts and figures! What you may not know about Big Brother Africa!

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The show has featured a total of 164 contestants till date plus two international participants. In the first season of the show Gaetano Kagwa swopped places with Big Brother UK contestant Cameron Stout while Munyaradzi “Munya” Chidzonga swapped spots with Finnish player, Johan Grahn in the third season.

Over the years, 78 male and 85 female contestants have vied for the cash prize. Of all winners, were male while only 3 were female, Cherise Makubale from Season 1, Karen Igho from Amplified (S6) who shared the title with Zimbabwe’s Wendall Robert Parson and Dillish Matthews (S8).


27 seems like the lucky number in this game, as three of the winners were 27-years-old when they won. They were Big Brother Africa Revolution contestant, Kevin Chuwang Pam, (S4); Uti Nwachukwu took the All-Stars title (S5); Karen Igho, was a joint winner of Big Brother Africa Amplified (S6).

This, incidentally also makes them the most senior of all the winners so far.

Ricardo “Rico” Venancio, who won the third season of Big Brother Africa, is the youngest of the winners at 21 when he won in 2008.

Premiering for the first time to audiences across the continent on 25 May 2003, Big Brother Africa Season 1 was the longest running season lasting 106 interminable days.

The then 24-year-old Zambian Cherise Makubale became Big Brother Africa’s first ever winner. While singer and model, Bruna Estivão, reserves the honour of being the first ever evictee.

Having been in the Big Brother Africa house for a total of 197 days, Tanzania’s Mwisho Mwampamba is currently the record-holder for the most days spent in the house. He was the runner-up in the first season after 106 days and returned as one of the All Stars in 2010 where he finished in fourth place after 13 weeks.

The charismatic Ikponmwosa “IK” Osakioduwa holds the longest stint as host of the show hosting 4 seasons from Season 4.

Big Brother Africa Amplified was the first ever series of Big Brother in the world to have two winners; Karen Igho from Nigeria and Zimbabwe’s Wendall Robert Parson.

The 2012 season of Big Brother Africa, tagged StarGame, broke many records in many respects as well. There were a record-breaking 35 housemates vying for the largest prize, a grand US$ 300 000 booty.

Also in StarGame, a record four people were disqualified from the house, Zainab O. Sherriff and Derrick Kobina Bonney, known as DKB on day 29 and Maneta Mazanhi and Rockford ‘Roki’ Josphat on day 44.

Four StarGamers also chose to walk that season. Nigeria’s Olamilekan Bakare and Chris Asekomeh left on day 13 while drama between Angolan pair, Seydou Soumaré and Esperança Vemba got too much to bear and they chose to walk out on day 26.

In all the seasons combined, a total of seven housemates walked out while a total of six were disqualified.

In February 2013, Big Brother Africa’s official Facebook account reached a milestone 1 million likes. Big Brother Africa’s official twitter account is also stacking up followers and currently sits at 302 552 fans.

At the age of 31, starlet Goldie Harvey died on Valentine’s Day becoming the first Big Brother Africa alumni to pass away.

There have been 4 babies born from Big Brother Africa unions. Couples Kevin Chuwang Pam and his wife Elizabeth “Liz” Gupta from Big Brother Africa Revolution; Meryl Shikwambane and Mwisho Mwampamba from All Stars; Philbert Okure and Liziwe Coka as well as Quinn Sieber and Mozambique’s Jennifer Mussanhaneare all from Season 4 are all proud BBA parents.

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