Nine's social experiment begins

COULD the next Sara-Marie, Fitzy, Pete Timbs and Jess and Marty be among the latest crop of Big Brother housemates?

From a towering country-girl, to a pint-sized geek who has never been kissed, a British sexpot and a feisty skater-girl with a humanitarian heart, it is vibrant and varied mix of personalities that entered the house tonight, each with a hidden secret.

From 20,000 Big Brother hopefuls, 10 entered the rebuilt house with the promise of four more boys to walk through the doors tomorrow night.

Hidden in the parlour, Big Brother in his deep booming voice informed the seven girls of the boys' secrets and instructed them their task was to match the secret to the boy.

One is hiding great wealth, another great intelligence and another an extreme fear of birds following an emu attack.

Now on the Nine network four years after Channel 10 retired the long-running reality series, and new host Sonia Kruger is at the helm.

Kruger has a lot riding on the success of the rebooted series, risking it all to switch networks from Seven to Nine to host Big Brother.

Dressed in neon pink heels and shiny silver pants the svelte host was all smiles and confidence as she met the housemates for the first time.

Her smile didn't falter even during a filming mishap where a small firework got the show off to a fiery start after fire extinguishes were needed to put out a small roof fire on set. A good omen according to BB narrator Mike Goldman who described Kruger as "on fire."

The set has been revamped, and has an almost James Bond feel with a disco edge.

The house this year boasts a bunch of secret rooms and is decked out with a '50s kitchen and Opera House-inspired lounge room and a floating pool island.

Spotted at the launch night filming was former 2008 Big Brother winner Terri Munro, who was nicknamed the "naughty nanna" of the house.

The first live episode of Big Brother airs tomorrow night at 7pm on Nine/WIN.

Big Brother House Mates So Far:
Michael (Brisbane)
Sarah
Angie
Zoe
Lalya (Brisbane)
Charne (Gold Coast)
Josh
Stacey
Estelle
Bradley