Where are they now? Original Big Brother star Pete Timbs reflects on his experience as a housemate nearly 20 years after the show first aired
Original Big Brother star Pete Timbs has reflected on his time as a housemate in the first season of the show back in 2001.
Appearing on Channel Seven’s The Morning Show on Monday, the former reality star, now 48, spilled on his experience in the house.
Pete admitted himself and the rest of the cast, which included Sara-Marie Fedele and Blair McDonough, didn’t think the show would work.
Where are they now? Original Big Brother star Pete Timbs, 48, (pictured) has reflected on his experience as a housemate nearly 20 years after the show aired on The Morning Show
‘We could hear the crowd in the background but we thought Big Brother was messing with us,’ Pete admitted.
He explained the cast believed the noise was simply canned laughter and cheering, with them unaware the show was a phenomenal hit.
‘We thought there’s no way this show is going to work. We’re just playing volleyball, swimming in the pool and just reading books. It can’t be interesting to watch.’
Changes: Pete, now 48, is living in the Byron Bay area where he runs an Italian cafe, with him still getting recognised from his time on the show
Pete, who lives in the Byron Bay area where he runs an Italian cafe, says he still gets recognised from his time on the show.
He explained he originally went on the series after he won a competition on radio station Triple M.
‘I was between jobs at the time, and I was looking to move to WA, and this came up,’ he said of the chance encounter.
Vintage: ‘I was between jobs at the time, and I was looking to move to WA, and this came up,’ Pete said of the chance to get on the show. Here: April, 2001
He added that the competition win got him to the final 200 auditions.
He went on to last 49 days in the house before being evicted. He placed eighth in the first season.
Tim finished by saying he still keeps in touch with a number of the first season’s stars including Blair McDonough and that season’s winner Ben Williams.
Original stars: Big Brother first premiered in 2001. Here: cast shot
‘Blair lives literally 10 minutes from my house, so I speak to him every couple of weeks,’ Pete said.
Pete added he also keeps in contact with Jemma Gawned, as well as Johnnie Cass, who was one of the first openly gay men on Australian television.
Big Brother 2020 will premiere Monday, June 8 at 7.30pm on Channel Seven
Big Brother is watching! The Big Brother reboot is set to premiere Monday, June 8