In a bid to outdo international "world firsts" as scandalous as pairing a mother and daughter in the Big Brother compound, Belgium's latest BB series has made our Australian version seem akin to morning children's television, and Brokeback David and the gang should perhaps consider themselves lucky. Beginning two weeks ago, there have already been two voluntary exits - before there's even been a real eviction. And let me assure you, this is for stomach-curdling, morality-testing good reason. 

 

I'm not sure where to begin with the weekly tasks and horrors of this series that has well and truly tested the Big Brother format at the very limits of sadistic entertainment, but let's start with the electrocution. Yes, that's right - housemates are systematically made to grasp metal bars and endure electric shocks. And we're not talking little zaps here, like those drinking games you find at novelty shops. One contestant was left crying on the floor for a good three minutes.

 

Or how about the task where one contestant, Astrid, was made to stand on a table, and fasten a noose around her neck? The table was then removed, and replaced with a male housemate, who was forced to remain on his hands and knees, poor Astrid standing on his back, for hours on end.

 

How about a bath filled with turantulas? Or insects for lunch? How about being placed in a David Hicks style cage for days? Or perhaps you'd prefer to be trapped in a dark, confined box, while (unbeknown to you, as to what the hell is happening) housemates ram it from the outside with steel buckets on their heads, and a range of nasty, living creatures are placed inside it with you? How about being blindfolded and made to shave each others' legs?

 

But it's the diet of Big Brother Belgium that has to be seen to be believed (or perhaps not, if you've a weak stomach and a fondness for living things). Apart from a regular dose of various insects, contestants have a daily delivery of dead animals in their original form - such as rabbits (as pictured above), and snakes. Housemates are then given a set of knives and are forced to skin, gut and eat the dead creatures for their meals. A whole range of close up shots of housmeates vomiting and crying have ensued.

 

And all this has happened within the first fortnight of the new series! It's hardly any wonder that two of the housemates have already walked out. We can only imagine they were somewhat relieved. But perhaps the strangest thing of all were the two members of the public who, knowing what was in store, happily took their place. The things one does for Fame™.