Dar es Salaam — As would be contestants for the next season wait for the auditions M-Net's Big Brother Africa reality show in February, organisers have come up with a new twist.

The seventh season of the continent's epic reality TV show has this time around added a new requirement which now requires entrants to bring a partner as part of the selection process.

"That other person can be a best friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, mom, dad, brother, sister, boss, husband, wife, neighbour, hairdresser, . . . in fact, anyone," read a statement from M-Net Africa director Biola Alabi who is in Dar es Salaam.

Unlike last year when winners walked home with $200,000 this time around the prize money has gone up and the winner will take home $300,000.

She added that entrants should be 21 years or older, English-speaking, have a valid passport and are citizens of the 14 participating countries.

The entrants should also be tolerant of views and lifestyle choices other than their own and must have the social flexibility to live in close proximity with others.

In another move, Big Brother Africa has introduced Liberia and Sierra Leone to the Big Brother house, while this time around, Ethiopia bows out of the game and Mozambique will take on a new role that will be announced at a later stage.

No particular reasons were given for the exclusion of the two countries this time around.

The show has in recent times come under fire in Tanzania with MPs saying it violated Tanzanian customs and traditions.