AJ Odudu says Big Brother housemates are looked after behind the scenes after George Gilbert was removed from the 2025 series. The new series kicks off on Sunday, 13 September, and the hosts are already framing duty of care as part of how the show runs, not a side issue.
AJ and Will Best said the work starts before anyone enters the house. Odudu said, “I think housemates, ultimately, you want them to be their best selves. [And] there's so many conversations that happen way before they come on into the Big Brother house. But what you've got to remember is it is live and they are thrown into an environment that is completely foreign.”
George Gilbert and the 2025 series
George Gilbert was issued a formal warning before he was told he needed to leave the house. The warning concerned comments he made during a game of Truth or Dare to Sam Ashby, and the removal followed repeated use of unacceptable language and behaviour.
That sequence matters because it shows how the show’s response can move from warning to exit inside the same series. The hosts are saying the protective work is handled privately between the housemates and the team, which means the visible moment on screen is only the last step in a process viewers do not see.
Will Best on duty of care
Best said, “They've never been in this environment before. Different things happen, and I'm always just in complete awe of anyone who goes into that house because it is just such an unreal environment to be in.” He added, “I think anybody who goes for it is amazing, should be applauded and should be looked after, you know.”
Best also said, “And I think the important thing to remember is that Big Brother, yes it's a social experiment, but it's also a fun entertainment show and our main priority is that everybody watching enjoys it and that everybody taking part enjoys it and feels safe and protected and like they're in there for the experience of a lifetime.”
Eight weeks in 2026
The 2026 instalment is set to last for eight weeks, giving the series a defined run after the latest welfare questions around the 2025 house. The practical read here is simple: the show is treating contestant safety as part of the format itself, not something separate from it.
Best said, “And I think that's the main aim of kind of everybody involved in making the show, is making sure that it stays that way for everyone, viewers and housemates alike.” That is the standard the hosts are setting before Sunday’s launch, and it is the one viewers will judge against the next time the house turns volatile.
