Big Brother Australia host Melissa Tracina has broken her silence about the programme's chaotic start, confirming that Channel Ten's budget reductions directly affected production while humourously addressing the mayhem that unfolded during Saturday night's disastrous live launch.
The Storm That Stole The Show
During Monday's episode, the popular television and radio presenter openly acknowledged both the scaled-back production setup and the now-infamous weather fiasco that forced filming to be abandoned partway through the launch event. Melissa joked during the broadcast, "We thought we could do the show in sunny Queensland and save on costs - but ironically, we spent fifty grand on ponchos," drawing appreciative laughter from the studio audience.
The host, who wore a clear raincoat on stage while being battered by heavy rain, persevered through the challenging conditions. She had also sought shelter under an umbrella during Monday's premiere episode while being lashed by the severe storm.
Production Chaos Unveiled
The light-hearted comments came as the programme revisited footage from the storm-ravaged launch, which featured torrential rain and lightning strikes at Dreamworld's open-air stage, compelling production to halt abruptly. Only four contestants had entered the Big Brother house when organisers cancelled the event for safety reasons, leaving soaked audience members scrambling for cover beneath plastic ponchos distributed by crew members.
This follows Daily Mail's exclusive revelation that the chaos erupted due to insufficient roofing at the outdoor set, with insiders claiming producers Endemol Shine decided against constructing proper cover to reduce expenses. "They were trying to save money wherever they could," one insider disclosed to Daily Mail. "It's ironic because that decision ended up costing them the entire night's shoot."
Another source added: "Everyone had been working around the clock to pull this launch off, and then the weather just killed it. People were soaked, equipment was getting wet, and the energy totally disappeared."
Weather Becomes Unwanted Cast Member
Melissa confronted the production blunder directly, quipping that even Queensland's famously unpredictable weather had joined the cast as an uninvited extra. "We thought we could save on a roof, but apparently Queensland had other ideas," she laughed. "Welcome to Big Brother - where even the weather's unpredictable!"
Staff reportedly made urgent attempts to keep spectators in their seats, but most fled as lightning strikes moved closer to the theme park. "They had to call it off halfway through because the storm got too dangerous," a crew insider told Daily Mail. "There was no proper roofing over the stage, and with that much lightning around, it just wasn't worth the risk."
According to production insiders, concerns about the lack of adequate roofing had been raised weeks before the launch, but financial constraints meant Endemol Shine - the company producing the programme - chose against building one. "They were trying to save money wherever they could," another source revealed. "It's ironic because that decision ended up costing them the entire night's shoot."
Channel Ten disputed suggestions that work had fallen behind schedule, telling Daily Mail the Gold Coast share house would look "amazing". A network spokesperson stated: "Anyone with questions about the show should know that nothing gets past Big Brother. The house is looking incredible, and will be ready for its 12 new tenants this weekend. From lush loungerooms to bougie breakout spaces, a kitsch kitchen and statement Diary Room chair, the house is going to amaze housemates and viewers alike."
