28 Classic Big Brother Moments That The Reboot Has To Live Up To

From Jackie Stallone's camp entrance to Nikki's legendary Diary Room moments, get ready for a serious hit of nostalgia ahead of BBUK's return.
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Just a selection of Big Brother's best bits
Channel 4/Channel 5

After five years off our screens, Big Brother is back for a brand new series, as ITV2 gives the original reality show a brand new lease of life. 

Having been responsible for some of the biggest nuggets of reality TV gold in UK history, the rebooted version has a lot to live up to for fans, who will be hoping for twists, drama and, of course, big laughs from the latest crop of housemates. 

To celebrate Big Brother’s return, we’re casting our minds back to the show’s original run to remember some of its most iconic moments...

1. Jackie “yeah, Jwackie” Stallone enters the house, much to the surprise of ex-daughter-in-law Brigitte Nielsen (CBB3, 2005)

The campest – and most quoted – entrance in Big Brother history. 

 

2. George Galloway proves he’s just a big old pussy cat (CBB4 – 2006)

This moment is still burned into our memories. 

 

3. Alison Hammond breaks the table (BB3 – 2002)

“I can probably bend it back..?”

 

4. The Big Brother bedsit (BB5 – 2004)

Emma and Michelle’s stay in Big Brother’s bedsit was iconic for many reasons – Emma’s wardrobe malfunction as she got swept up in the excitement of not being evicted and Michelle screaming “no naked jacuzziness!” as she watched over her Chicken Stu being just two.

But of course, it also spawned one of the most controversial moments ever seen on reality TV, when the infamous Fight Night broke out.

 

5. David’s dead! (CBB17 – 2016)

We still can’t believe this actually happened.

 

6. Glyn cooks an egg “for the very first time” (BB7 – 2006)

Sadly, the actual footage of Glyn and his egg has disappeared from the web, but at least we have this fabulous remix.

 

7. Vanessa Feltz has a moment involving chalk, a dining table and some rather fruity language (CBB1 – 2001)

Not to forget that leopard print dressing gown. 

 

8. Jayne Connery goes off at Big Brother (BB17 – 2016)

“Are you fucking on drugs??”

 

8. Makosi thinks she’s pregnant (BB6 – 2005)

Nothing encompasses the spirit of Big Brother 6 quite like Makosi looking straight into the camera and whispering the immortal line: “I could be pregnant.”

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Makosi in the Big Brother house
Channel 4

 

9. Josie Gibson looks on the brightside (BB11 – 2010)

If we had a penny for every time Josie says “ripped off by a chimpanzee” in this clip, we’d have... well, we’d have three pennies.

 

10. Pete Burns’ coat is seized (CBB4 – 2006)

This is why you don’t come between a diva and his coat. 

 

12. Kim Woodburn explodes at her housemates (CBB19 – 2017)

When Kim made her late arrival, no one could have predicted quite how much things would escalate...

 

13. The box task (BB6 – 2005)

Who knew watching cardboard boxes could be so entertaining, but thanks to Science and Derek’s arguing, it spawned one of the most famous BB shopping tasks ever. 

 

14. Nadia takes home the Big Brother crown (BB5 – 2004)

A beautiful moment for a very deserving winner.

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Nadia Almada leaves the house after being announced the winner of BB5
Bruno Vincent via Getty Images

 

15. “Basic rations for a basic bitch” (BB16 – 2015)

Aisleyne called it exactly as she saw it when she encountered Helen Wood upon her return to the house in 2015. 

 

16. Leo Sayer loses it over some underwear (CBB5 – 2017)

Leo broke out via the fire exit and got into a tussle with security, after he accused Big Brother of withholding his underwear... which actually turned out to be buried deep in his suitcase all along. 

 

17. Non-celebrity Chantelle has to convince her celebrity housemates she’s famous (CBB4 – 2006)

Altogether now, “I want it all, I want it right now”.

 

18. “He’s mugged you off, dallyn” (CBB13 – 2014)

Casey Batchelor’s mum was the greatest housemate that never was. 

 

19. Cameron comes out to his housemates (BB19 – 2018)

A moment that proves when you put aside the showmances, petty squabbles and whatever else has made it such an easy target over the years, reality TV can still do a bit of good.

 

20. Jade Goody’s verruca (BB3 – 2002)

The late Jade’s cries of “am I minging?” became synonymous with the third series.

 

21. Nasty Nick is exposed (BB1 – 2000)

Nick became the original Big Brother villain off the back of this scene, which actually seems rather tame now, compared to some of the action that would follow in the series to come. 

 

22. ‘Old maiden type of shoes’ (CBB17 – 2016)

Shakespeare could never.

 

23. Helen and Paul’s romance (BB2 – 2001)

Helen and Paul were the original Big Brother romance, and their sweet relationship was far from some of the showmances we saw in later series

 

24. Nadia can’t have her cigarettes (BB5 – 2004)

A camo-clad Nadia fuming over her lack of cigarettes is one of the moments from BB5 that we can still quote to this day. 

 

25. Pretty much everything Gemma Collins said and did in the house (CBB17 – 2016)

Just give us this whole season in full, in all honesty. 

 

26. Big Brother does bondage (CBB13 – 2014)

Yes, that really is Lionel Blair in a PVC police uniform. 

 

27. Kinga gets better acquainted with a wine bottle (BB6 – 2005)

What is there to say really?

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Kinga in the Big Brother garden
Channel 4

28. Nikki Grahame vents in the Diary Room (BB7 – 2006)

And what better way to end than with a compilation of the late, great Nikki Grahame’s best moments?