Big Brother 2020 host finally confirmed (original) (raw)

After months of speculation, Channel 7 has confirmed Sonia Kruger will host the long-awaited reboot of Big Brother.

In a 10-second teaser aired during My Kitchen Rules, Kruger – who hosted the wildly popular reality show’s Channel 9 iteration – was revealed as the host of the new-look season.

Kruger told KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O this morning that she was only asked by Channel 7 to host the show last week.

Kruger also said on radio that the show will start filming very soon and it will “start rolling out not long after that”.

Last night’s teaser confirmed that the contestants have already been selected.

Big Brother was first hosted by Gretel Killeen on Channel 10 from 2001 – 2007, before Kyle and Jackie O took over for a year until 2008.

When it moved over to Nine, Kruger became the new face of the show, from 2012 to 2015.

In a statement released by Seven today, Kruger said: “I knew 2020 was going to be a fantastic year but to be asked to host the big daddy of reality shows is icing on the cake.

“I’ve always loved Big Brother and this brand new series of the show will take it to an exciting, contemporary level that will make for addictive viewing.”

She continued: “The housemates have been selected, the new home is mind blowing and Big Brother is as mischievous as ever. The game has changed and I can’t wait to give fans their all access pass to the greatest reality show on earth!”

Kruger defected from Nine to Seven in November last year, shortly after _Big Brother_’s return was announced.

The move came amid rife speculation Kruger would soon be named as host of the revamped program.

A Channel 7 spokesperson said of the appointment: “Channel 7 is very excited to have Sonia on board for a thrilling new era of Big Brother.”

The statement went on to reveal _Big Brother_’s filming commitments mean Kruger will no longer host Mega Mini Golf, which Seven had announced in late November.

Kruger will also take up a spot on the judging panel of Australia’s Got Talent.

According to TV Blackbox and Daily Mail, the former Today Extra host agreed to a “seven-figure” deal to return to her former network in 2020, nine years after first defecting to Nine.

It’s understood Nine had initially presented Kruger, 54, a new three-year contract worth over $1.5 million, but negotiations had broken down and she had accepted Seven’s offer.

Kruger quit Seven after 14 years in November 2011 and was revealed as Nine’s newest recruit just weeks later.

Since then, she’s hosted the midmorning show – originally called Mornings before its rebrand to Today Extra in 2016 – alongside David Campbell, along with the former Big Brother series and The Voice since 2015.

Kruger’s big move will put her back in the same building as her partner, Craig McPherson, who is Seven’s Director of News and Public Affairs.