Chaos as filming stops and fans evacuate launch episode.
Channel 10’s Big Brother has been thrown into chaos after wild weather descended on Dreamworld on the Gold Coast.
Thunderstorms, lightning, and torrential rain forced production to a halt on Saturday night, with only four housemates having entered the facility before filming was paused.
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Audience members who had gathered for the launch episode fled as conditions worsened, despite frantic pleas from producers for them to stay.
TV Blackbox understands concerns were raised weeks ago about the lack of a roof over the outdoor auditorium, but budget restraints reportedly prevented production company Endemol Shine from installing one.
That cost-cutting measure has now backfired spectacularly.
While Big Brother is scheduled to premiere on Sunday night, the lightning strikes and heavy rain have left producers scrambling to complete filming in time.
Problems first arose Saturday afternoon when a surprisingly small number of fans turned up to watch the housemates enter. As the downpour intensified, that crowd dwindled even further, with ponchos doing little to persuade fans to remain.
Witnesses say frustrated producers were overheard demanding that the audience be made to stay – but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
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How this chaos will affect Sunday night’s broadcast remains unclear, but it’s safe to say a live crowd won’t be a major feature after the first few housemates enter.
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