In a stunning revelation from this year's Big Brother, former housemate Zelah Glasson has exposed a secret system contestants used to manipulate the show's editing process. While participants typically accept constant surveillance upon entering the famous house, this year's cohort developed a clever tactic to keep their most controversial discussions off-air.
The Secret Code System
Zelah Glasson, who was evicted after five weeks in the house, disclosed that he and fellow contestants would repeatedly chant 'Davina McCall' when discussing sensitive topics they wanted to keep private. The personal trainer explained this was a deliberate attempt to disrupt conversations about contentious subjects ranging from substance abuse to family secrets.
'We used to say Davina McCall when we wanted them to not air the things we were saying,' Glasson revealed during the Truth or Dare series with content creators Lyndsey and Louise Scott. 'We weren't supposed to do it, we got told off for it. If we were talking about, I don't know, someone talking about substance abuse, or someone talking about a secret about their family, we'd be like 'Davina McCall, Davina McCall'.'
Production's Response and Editing Tactics
The secret code didn't go unnoticed by production staff. Glasson admitted that housemates were 'told off' on several occasions for using the tactic. Interestingly, producers developed their own counter-measure – in some cases, they still aired the controversial conversations but edited out the 'Davina McCall' references.
'I have had conversations that I've Davina McCalled, and they've been aired, they obviously just edited it out,' Glasson confirmed. The choice of Davina McCall was strategic, with housemates believing that mentioning the former Channel 4 host would make certain conversations less likely to be broadcast.
Big Brother Finale and Future
This year's Big Brother series concluded dramatically on Friday when Richard Storry, 60, became the oldest winner in the show's history. The author and composer, who admitted he almost didn't apply, was visibly stunned by his victory.
The finale also saw ITV officially confirm that Big Brother will return for another series in 2026, with applications now open for potential housemates willing to commit up to eight weeks for the programme next autumn.
Glasson's own journey in the house ended on day 34 when he was evicted alongside Farida Khalifa in a double vote-off. During his time in the house, the transgender content creator spoke openly about his transition but faced controversy after clashing with housemate Caroline Monk, who received a formal warning for making transphobic comments toward him.
The revelation about the secret code system exposes the ongoing battle between reality show contestants seeking privacy and producers determined to capture every dramatic moment for television audiences.
