Big Brother UK welcomes evicted housemates back as fake elimination stuns current cast

Big Brother UK 2025 confirmed that former contestants Emily Hewertson and Farida Khalifa re-entered the house during the October 17 live show as part of a planned twist.

The return followed a staged eviction in which Sam, one of two nominees alongside Nancy, was removed from the main house but relocated to a hidden room instead of being sent home.

The twist, which was not revealed to the remaining housemates, brought back the two previously evicted players to join Sam in the secret space, continuing Big Brother’s ongoing series of format surprises.

Big Brother UK fake eviction twist brings back former housemates Emily Hewertson and Farida Khalifa

Fake elimination and Secret Room reveal

During the live broadcast hosted by AJ Odudu and Will Best, Sam and Nancy faced the public vote after receiving the highest number of nominations from their fellow contestants earlier in the week.

Nancy had been nominated by Cameron, Feyisola, Jenny, Marcus, Richard, Teja, and Zelah, while Sam received votes from Elsa, Jenny, Marcus, and Tate.

After the vote was announced, Sam was informed that his time in the house had ended, leading to a brief farewell with Nancy and other housemates.

However, moments after stepping outside, he was informed that the eviction was not genuine.

Instead of leaving the competition, Sam was directed to a secret room where he would be joined by two returning contestants from previous Big Brother seasons.

Return of Emily and Farida

Producers confirmed earlier that Emily Hewertson and Farida Khalifa would rejoin the series through the secret room twist.

Emily, who was the first contestant to be eliminated during the 2025 series’ launch night, re-entered the house following her brief original appearance.

Her initial departure occurred after she, Sam, and Caroline were tasked with choosing who among them would be the first to leave.

In a statement prior to her re-entry, Emily said she had been following the show closely since her exit and was ready to participate again. She remarked,

“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 Khalifa, who first appeared in Big Brother’s 2023 revival series and was the inaugural evictee that season, also returned to the program.

Before her comeback, Farida said she hoped to make the most of her second chance after her short stay during her first appearance. She explained,

“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 measures and housemate reaction

Different production steps were implemented in order not to leak the twist to the housemates. The live audience at Elstree studios was asked to keep quiet during the reveal so no spoilers would come to the contestants.

Emily entered the secret room first, followed shortly by Farida. Sam joined them moments later after learning that his eviction was part of the staged elimination.

The three housemates were provided with food and drinks in the hidden area. Still, they were cautioned to remain quiet, as the secret room was situated close to the Diary Room where current contestants regularly film their private reflections.

Big Brother UK continues to air on ITV, with the latest twist setting up further developments as the season progresses.

Stay tuned for more updates.