Power of Veto

The Power of Veto is a power that was first introduced in Big Brother 3 (US) before being adapted by other franchises.

United States & Canada
The Power of Veto allows the owner to remove one of the Nominations from the Nomination Block. The Power of Veto also guarantees the holder safety should one of the nominees be removed, unless he or she is the only possible replacement nominee. The Head of Household chooses a new nomination.

The Power of Veto is won weekly in a competition. Six houseguests compete for the Power of Veto: the Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other houseguests chosen by the three guaranteed players (until Big Brother: All-Stars) or a random draw. Powers of Veto may be won under rare occurrences besides competitions, such as as a prize to come from Pandora's Box.

Silver Power of Veto
The Silver Power of Veto, used in Big Brother 3 (US), allowed the winner to remove one nominee off the Nomination Block if he or she so desired. However, the winner of the Silver Power of Veto could not remove him or herself off the Nomination Block. If the Veto were used, the HOH would select the replacement nominee.

Golden Power of Veto
The Golden Power of Veto was the final Veto introduced at the end of Big Brother 3 (US) and has been used in every succeeding season. The Golden Power of Veto allowed the winner to remove one nominee off the Nomination Block if he or she so desired, including themselves. If the Veto were used, the HOH would select the replacement nominee.

Diamond Power of Veto
The Diamond Power of Veto was introduced as the final Veto of Big Brother 4 (US) and was essentially identical to the Golden Power of Veto. Only if the winner chooses to use it, they will name the replacement nominee rather than the Head of Household. It was used by Alison Irwin to save herself from the threat of eviction. Erika Landin was the only possible replacement as Jun Song was already up on Nomination Block and Robert Roman was the HOH.

The Diamond Power of Veto was reintroduced in Big Brother 12 (US) and awarded to Matt Hoffman as a gift from Pandora's Box. A week later, when he was up for eviction, he used it on himself and nominated Kathy Hillis as the replacement.

It was a choice for America's Care Package during Week 3 of Big Brother: Over The Top, along with the Double Power of Veto and the Boomerang Power of Veto, but was not selected by Scott Dennis. It later appeared as an option for fans to choose in Celebrity Big Brother 1 (US) as part of the Pick-A-Veto twist on Day 20 alongside the Spotlight Power of Veto and the VIP Power of Veto. However, it was not selected by the audience.

After two unsuccessful attempts at revival, it once again appeared in Big Brother 21 (US). The prize for winning the Panic Whacktivity Competition in Week 3 was the ability to transform the Golden Power of Veto into the Diamond Power of Veto, anonymously granting it to whoever won that week's Power of Veto Competition, to be used at one of the following four Veto Meetings. It was won by Christie Murphy, but after nearly using it in Week 4, she chose not to. In Week 6, the final week she could have activated it, HOH Jessica Milagros also won the Power of Veto, rendering the power moot, so Christie allowed it to expire.

Other Types of Veto

 * Black Hole Power of Veto
 * Boomerang Power of Veto/VIP Veto
 * Double Power of Veto
 * Forced Power of Veto
 * Secret Power of Veto

The Power of Veto Contestant Selection
When the Power of Veto was first introduced in Big Brother 3, every houseguest was eligible to compete. Starting in Big Brother 5 (US), the Head of Household and the two nominees each got to select one player of their choosing to compete alongside them in the Power of Veto competition. The Head of Household selects the first player. Since Big Brother All-Stars (US), the HOH and the two nominees still compete, but rather than selecting their own players, each would reach into a bag filled with ping pong balls or small discs (depending on the season) with a houseguest's name or the words "Houseguest's Choice", where the player who draws the ball or disc gets to choose the additional player. In Big Brother 15 (US), Big Brother 18 (US), Big Brother: Over The Top, Big Brother 19 (US), and Celebrity Big Brother 2 (US) due to there being three nominees, the HOH drew two names to determine the six Veto competition players. The six houseguests later play in a competition to determine the winner of the Power of Veto.

The Power of Veto Meeting
The winner of the Power of Veto is called to the Diary Room, where they are briefed on the procedures of the Power of Veto meeting. The Veto holder then proceeds to the Memory Wall, retrieves the Veto, and studies the portraits of all the remaining houseguests as he or she finalizes his or her decision. The Veto holder then calls in the remaining houseguests who await the meeting in the backyard. The houseguests take their respective seats, either on the couches or on the Nomination Block. The Veto holder begins the meeting by explaining what powers the Veto holds and then asks the nominees to make a final plea, if they so desire, to try and convince the Veto holder to use the Veto on them. Once the nominees have made their speeches, the Veto holder makes his or her decision. If the holder chooses to use the Veto, he or she places the Veto around the neck of the nominee he or she has chosen to save. At this point, the Veto holder takes a seat, and the Head of Household stands and chooses a replacement nominee. In Big Brother 15 and Big Brother 18, if the holder used the Veto on the MVP nominee/Roadkill nominee, the MVP/Roadkill winner would secretly nominate the replacement. In Big Brother: Over The Top and Big Brother 19, if the holder used the Veto on America's Nominee/the Temptation nominee, there would be no replacement nominee, leaving only the HOH's two nominees on the block come eviction night. If the Veto is not used, the holder places it in a box on the coffee table. After all the decisions are made, the Veto holder adjourns the meeting by closing the box shut.

United Kingdom
For more information, click here.

In Big Brother 19 (UK) it was known as the Gamechanger Competition. Six people would participate including the nominees and the housemate with the most 'Big Coins'. The leading Big Coin housemate would also pick more housemates to participate to make up the numbers to six if necessary. The winner of the Gamechanger Task wins the ability to save any of the nominees from eviction, although they can opt not to use it if they so wish.

United States & Canada

 * The first ever Power of Veto winner in Big Brother history was Gerry Lancaster.
 * Gerry also became the first houseguest to use the POV, while Danielle Reyes (first female to win the PoV) is the first PoV winner not to use it.
 * Jason Guy is the first male to win HOH and POV in the same week; Adria Klein is the first female to win HOH and POV in the same week.
 * Janelle Pierzina was the first HOH to veto one of her own nominations. James Zinkand was the first male HOH to veto one of his own nominations.
 * Marcellas Reynolds won the first ever Golden Power of Veto and the first person to not use it.
 * Marcellas is the first person to win the PoV while nominated and not use it on himself. He would be followed by Dick Donato, Daniele Donato, Brendon Villegas and Matthew Clines. Marcellas is the only one to not use it at all, as the others all used it on another nominee.
 * Marcellas and Brendon are the only two to be evicted after not using the PoV on themselves.
 * Dana Varela is the first female to win the Golden Power of Veto.
 * Big Brother 3, Big Brother 15, Big Brother Canada 2 and Big Brother Canada 7 are currently the only seasons not to feature one houseguest winning the POV twice in a row.
 * Robert Roman was the first person to win the POV twice in a row. Alison Irwin was the first female to win the POV twice in a row.
 * Nathan Marlow was the first person to use the Golden Power of Veto. Alison was the first female to use the Golden Power of Veto.
 * Alison is the first female houseguest to veto herself; Jase Wirey is the first male houseguest to veto himself.
 * Alison also won the first ever Diamond Power of Veto.
 * Matt Hoffman was the first houseguest to win a Power of Veto through Pandora's Box, having been awarded the Diamond Power of Veto during his second reign as HOH.
 * He is also the first male to hold the Diamond Power of Veto.
 * The most consecutive Power of Veto wins is 3. This record is held by James Zinkand (Big Brother 9), Shane Meaney and Frank Eudy, (Big Brother 14), Kaycee Clark (Big Brother 20), Ashleigh Wood (Big Brother Canada 3), Kevin Martin (Big Brother Canada 5), and Kaela Grant (Big Brother Canada 6).
 * James Rhine (BB6) could have held the record with 4 consecutive Power of Veto wins had he won the "Couch Potato" competition. Rhine chose to instead help his girlfriend, Sarah Hrejsa, win the Veto.
 * The most Power of Veto wins in a single season is 5, held by Janelle Pierzina (Big Brother: All-Stars), Daniele Donato (Big Brother 8), Paul Abrahamian (Big Brother 19) and Kaycee Clark (Big Brother 20).
 * All of them, with the exception of Janelle, made final 2.
 * Kaycee is the only one to win the game.
 * The record for second most POVs won by a male in a single season is 4, held by James Rhine (Big Brother 6), Shane Meaney (Big Brother 14), John McGuire (Big Brother 17), Jackson Michie (Big Brother 21), Kevin Martin (Big Brother Canada 5) and Adam Pike (Big Brother Canada 7).
 * If Nick and Phil Paquette's Vetos are counted as one, they would tie the record of 4 wins as well.
 * Paul Abrahamian has won the most Power of Veto competitions in total, with 8 wins over two seasons. Janelle Pierzina has won the most POV competitions in total for a female, with 7 POVs over two seasons (she won no POVs in her third season).
 * Kaycee Clark holds the record for most Veto competition wins by a winner with 5. Kevin Martin and Jackson Michie are tied for second with 4, and Jon Pardy and Nick Paquette are tied for third with 3.
 * If Nick & Phil Paquette's wins are counted as one, then they also tie with Kevin for second most Vetos won as a winner with 4 wins.
 * Up until Big Brother 20, no one in BBUS has won the game with more than 2 PoV's.
 * Jackson Michie holds the record for the second most POVs won by a winner in the American version with 4.
 * Memphis Garrett, Cody Calafiore, Paul Abrahamian, Jason Roy, Ross Mathews, and Tyler Crispen all won 3 POVs and made the final two, but got second place. Daniele Donato and Paul won 5 PoVs in Big Brother 8 and 19 respectively and both got second place.
 * Six houseguests have completed a "Trifecta Veto", which is when a houseguest wins the veto in all three eligible ways (as HOH, as a nominee, and as a person picked to play).
 * Daniele Donato, Shane Meaney, Paulie Calafiore, Corey Brooks, Jason Dent and Jackson Michie all accomplished this.
 * Shane is the only houseguest to complete the trifecta within the first three weeks.
 * Jackson is the only one of the six to win the game.
 * In the civilian seasons of Big Brother, HouseGuests who have gone on to win the Week 2 or Week 3 POV have never gone on to win the game.
 * Only five HouseGuests that won the Week 2 Veto made it to final 2 (Danielle Reyes, Erika Landin, Daniele Donato, Paul Abrahamian, and Tyler Crispen).
 * Marissa Jaret Winokur is the only HouseGuest to win the Week 2 Veto and by extension, win the game.
 * The Week 3 veto winner has never made final 3. Only Nakomis Dedmon, Keesha Smith, Michele Noonan, Shane Meaney, John McGuire and Justin Duncan made it to final 4.
 * In the American version up until Big Brother 20, HouseGuests who won 2 PoV's in a row have never won the game.
 * Only Alison Irwin, Daniele Donato, Memphis Garrett, Cody Calafiore, Paul Abrahamian, and Ross Mathews made it to the final 2 but placed second.
 * Derrick Levasseur, Jillian MacLaughlin, and Paras Atashnak are the only winners never to win a Power of Veto competition and go on to win the game while the POV existed.
 * Will Kirby did not win a Veto competition in Big Brother 2 as the Power of Veto did not yet exist.
 * Week 7 of Big Brother 14, as well as a 2 week period in Big Brother Canada 2 (which included a double eviction), mark the only times in Big Brother history when two houseguests have held Golden Powers of Veto that were not won in the same competition.
 * In Big Brother 14, Ian Terry received the Golden Ball of Veto due to a Pandora's Box Twist, while Jenn Arroyo won the Golden Power of Veto in the POV competition.
 * In Big Brother Canada 2, Allison White found the Secret Power of Veto in the War Room, while the current houseguests won the Golden Power of Veto in the weekly POV competition. Allison held her secret Veto for two weeks and three POV competitions (she held the power during a double eviction).
 * In Big Brother 12, Matt Hoffman and Ragan Fox both held Vetos not won in the same competition. However, both were not Golden Powers of Vetos with Matt possessing the Diamond Power of Veto via Pandora's Box.