Grande Fratello

Grande Fratello
Created byJohn de Mol Jr.
Directed byFosco Gasperi (2000–2001)
Fabio Calvi (2003–2004, 2006–2009)
Sergio Colabona (2009–2012, 2014–2015)
Alessio Pollacci (2018–2019, 2023–)
Marco Fuortes (2018–2019, 2023–)
Presented byDaria Bignardi
Barbara D'Urso
Alessia Marcuzzi
Alfonso Signorini
Simona Ventura
Country of originItaly
Original languageItalian
No. of series19
No. of episodes333 (live shows)
Production
Running time190–220 min (approx.)
Production companyEndemol Shine Italy
Original release
NetworkCanale 5 (main show and daily recaps, 2000–)
Italia 1 (daily recaps; 2014–)
Stream TV (live; 2000–2003)
Sky (live; 2004, 2008–2009)
Mediaset Premium (live; 2006–2015)
Mediaset Extra (live; 2018–)
La5 (live; 2010–)
Rete 4 (daily recaps; 2023–2024)
Release14 September 2000 (2000-09-14) –
present
Related
Grande Fratello VIP
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Grande Fratello (also known by the acronym GF) is the Italian version of the reality television franchise Big Brother, created by producer John de Mol Jr. in 1997, which began airing on 14 September 2000 on Canale 5, it has gone on to become a cultural phenomenon in Italy. The show follows the format of other national editions, in which a group of contestants, known as "housemates", live together in a specially constructed house that is isolated from the outside world. Live television cameras and personal audio microphones continuously monitor them. Throughout the competition, housemates are "evicted" from the house by public televoting. The last remaining housemate wins the competition and a cash prize. The series is named after the fictional totalitarian dictator from George Orwell's 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Over the course of its nineteen seasons, the program has been hosted by Daria Bignardi (2000–2001), Barbara D'Urso (2003–2004, 2018–2019), Alessia Marcuzzi (2006–2012, 2014–2015), Alfonso Signorini (2023–2025) and Simona Ventura (from 2025).

The reality show also had seven editions of the spin-off Grande Fratello VIP, reserved for famous people and one of the spin-off The Couple - Una vittoria per due, reserved for couples.