ITV Big Brother's hidden area sparks complaints from fuming viewers as they beg 'why'

Big Brother fans are scratching their heads over a key element of the show that's barely been glimpsed.

ITV2's Big Brother has had audiences riveted since it started earlier this month, with a non-stop stream of drama. However, some astute fans have picked up on the curious absence of the smoking area from our screens.

This is despite several housemates being smokers and vapers.

There was a fleeting glimpse of the smoking room earlier in the series when Marcello made a quip about kissing Ali in this hidden nook. Additionally, it cropped up during a moment when the Big Brother authority figure was dealing with a rule infraction in the abode.

But since those instances, the room has vanished from view, leaving viewers puzzled and clamouring for answers, reports the Mirror.

Flocking to the social media platform Reddit, followers began theorising and debating. Kickstarting the discussion around the enigmatic space, one spectator queried: "Why has BB stopped including it in the show? We all know that's where the spicy tea is. I had a quick look and it's not illegal or against broadcasting guidelines as it's post-watershed. We're missing out."

In response, a fellow fan reminisced: "Didn't they use to have to buy cigarettes out of the shopping budget too? The drama."

Another chimed in with a supposed explanation for the smoking area's absence on air: "Only one person is supposedly allowed in at one time to stop them gossiping in there."

In a revelation by viewers, one suggested it might have been an intentional move by the channel, explaining: "It was a decision from ITV, they don't want to be seen to be encouraging smoking because society's attitude towards it have changed."

Meanwhile, another fan expressed frustration about the past restrictions on airtime, stating: "It's so annoying, in the final Channel 5 series we were all wondering why Sian was getting ZERO screen time, literally less than Tom this season. Anyway, after she got evicted she revealed its because she just chain-smoked all day so they couldn't use any of her scenes. So much great content gets cut, it really annoys me."

During Thursday night's episode, viewers saw the Big Brother house divided for the latest challenge, imposing new rules which included limited access to certain areas, resulting in some contestants being barred by their peers from the smoking room.