A planned twist disrupted Big Brother UK 2025 on Oct. 17 when former housemates Emily Hewertson and Farida Khalifa re-entered the house following a staged eviction. The live episode, posted Friday at 10:47 p.m. EDT, featured a fake elimination that secretly redirected nominee Sam to a hidden room instead of removing him from the competition.
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The twist was kept from the remaining players as Emily and Farida both previously evicted joined Sam in the concealed space, extending a season marked by surprise format changes.
Fake Eviction and Secret Room Twist
Hosted by AJ Odudu and Will Best, the live show placed Sam and Nancy up for public vote after they received the highest number of nominations from fellow housemates earlier in the week. Nancy was nominated by Cameron, Feyisola, Jenny, Marcus, Richard, Teja and Zelah, while Sam received votes from Elsa, Jenny, Marcus and Tate.
Sam was told his time on the show had ended and said goodbye to the others before stepping outside only to be informed moments later that the eviction was not real. Instead, he was directed to a secret room where two eliminated contestants would soon join him.
Emily Hewertson and Farida Khalifa Return
Producers confirmed in advance that Emily Hewertson, the first person eliminated on launch night after she, Sam and Caroline were tasked with choosing who would leave, and Farida Khalifa, the initial evictee of the 2023 revival, would rejoin via the secret-room twist.
Ahead of her return Emily said she had followed the season closely and was prepared to re-enter. “Once again, another plot twist. I’m full of plot twists. I’m so excited – I’m really raring to go. Very grateful to do it all over again – not many people can say that.”
Farida said she hoped to make better use of her second chance after her early exit during her first appearance. “I didn’t really feel fulfilled – I only had a few days in there. The most important thing is – the audience has wanted this for such a long time. I’m doing it for the fans.”
Production Safeguards and House Reaction Management
To protect the reveal, the live audience at Elstree Studios was instructed to remain silent to avoid tipping off the housemates. Emily entered the secret room first, followed by Farida. Sam joined them once he learned the eviction had been staged. Food and drinks were provided, but the trio were told to stay quiet since the hidden area is located near the Diary Room, where housemates record private reflections.
Big Brother UK continues to air on ITV, with the staged eviction and re-entries setting up further developments as the season progresses.
Source: Primetimer
