While the global public has been struggling with the effects of the corona virus for weeks, there are some people who may be living undisturbed by it: According to the broadcaster Sat.1, the participants in the current season of Big Brother do not know anything about the course of the pandemic.
According to the broadcaster, the candidates for the surveillance show, which started on February 6, have not been informed of current developments in the world since they moved to Big Brother houses. At that time, only isolated cases were known in Bavaria.
Even candidates who only moved in later had to undertake not to reveal anything to the regular staff. According to the station, they had previously been tested negative for the pathogen.
When asked whether Sat.1 considered it ethically justifiable to keep the show participants uncertain due to the extent of the coronavirus crisis, a spokeswoman for the station replied to the SZ with a terse “yes”.
In certain circumstances, such as in the case of a family member’s illness, the information block would be lifted. “Of course, the residents will be informed if there is reason to do so,” it said. “Which information is given to the residents from outside is also decided in exchange with the relatives.”
The Big Brother candidates live this year in two houses in Cologne’s Ossendorf in particularly strong from the coronavirus affected state North Rhine-Westphalia.
According to Sat1, there are strict rules to protect residents from infection, such as “special hygiene measures” at EndemolShineGermany, which Big Brother produces for Sat1. The broadcaster did not explain exactly what these measures look like.
The Janine Pink case
The question of what events from the outside world Big Brother candidates should be informed about is not new. There was a debate last year when actress Janine Pink learned nothing of the death of her long-time colleague Ingo Kantorek, who had an accident in the Big Brother house during Pink’s time .
The broadcaster justified the move at the time by saying that the residents would only be notified if there were “deaths and illnesses from the closest relatives”. Pink was not upset about the late notification. After the show ended, she said she was somewhat glad to have been informed only after moving out of the house because she could now take the time to process the message.
