Hong Kong ( CNN ) -- `` Big Brother is watching you . '' This is the sinister maxim repeated throughout George Orwell 's `` Nineteen Eighty-Four , '' his dark portrayal of life inside an authoritarian state characterized by its omniscient and paranoid leadership . Fortunately this kind of dystopian nightmare is confined to fiction for most of us -- or more recently the world of reality television with the phenomenally successful Big Brother show , where groups of hapless `` housemates '' try to outlast each in an isolated environment where their every move is monitored 24 hours a day . And now the show is coming to China 's small screen , an irony that wo n't be lost on many in a country that purportedly has more people employed to censor the Internet than its army ( the world 's largest ) has soldiers . Launching in early 2015 , the first-ever Chinese version of Big Brother will air for ten weeks , with production in China set to begin shortly , according to Endemol China -- part of the Asian arm of one of the world 's leading multi-platform program makers -- who will partner with Chinese digital video platform Youku Tudou Inc. to produce the show . `` In a market that annually generates hundreds of billions of video views , partnering with the number one digital video platform will allow us to bring Big Brother to a young audience and deliver the most immersive , interactive and unique experience to fans across the nation , '' said Endemol 's CEO of Asian Operations Arjen van Mierlo . Victor Koo , Chairman and CEO of Youku Tudou Inc. said : `` We are delighted to be joining forces with Endemol to finally bring this groundbreaking format to China . Fifteen years after its launch , Big Brother continues to be a worldwide hit that engages passionate young fans across multiple platforms . '' 'Excessive ' and 'vulgar ' The announcement comes at a time when authorities are concerned about the lack of originality and diversity of Chinese programs , as well as `` excessive '' and `` vulgar '' entertainment -- with foreign content in their crosshairs . Shows such as `` Chinese Idol , '' a talent show that replicates the formula of the hugely popular `` American idol , '' have been a huge success with viewers and sponsors alike . But as of this year , satellite broadcasters are only permitted to buy the rights to more than one foreign-made program per year . Big Brother , which has been running for 15 years , continues to be a hit in the USA , Europe , Australia , Canada and Israel , as well across Latin America , Scandinavia , Africa and Asia .
Launching in early 2015 , the first - ever Chinese version of Big Brother will air for six weeks . Will follow the success of the hugely successful reality show popular across the globe . Coming at a time when China has been cracking down on ` ` excessive , vulgar '' content .