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Big Brother to bow out next year | Big Brother to bow out next year |
(20 minutes later) | |
Channel 4's final series of reality TV show Big Brother will be broadcast next year, it has announced. | Channel 4's final series of reality TV show Big Brother will be broadcast next year, it has announced. |
The station, home of the programme since it began in 2000, will honour its deal to screen series 11 next summer. | The station, home of the programme since it began in 2000, will honour its deal to screen series 11 next summer. |
Channel 4's director of television Kevin Lygo said the show "had reached a natural end point on Channel 4 and it's time to move on". | Channel 4's director of television Kevin Lygo said the show "had reached a natural end point on Channel 4 and it's time to move on". |
Big Brother has suffered from falling ratings in recent years, with the current run the least watched. | Big Brother has suffered from falling ratings in recent years, with the current run the least watched. |
The latest series has picked up about two million viewers per show, compared with an audience high of eight million in 2002. | The latest series has picked up about two million viewers per show, compared with an audience high of eight million in 2002. |
Speaking at the broadcaster's new schedule launch, Channel 4 head Julian Bellamy said: "Big Brother has been our most influential and popular programme over the last decade." | Speaking at the broadcaster's new schedule launch, Channel 4 head Julian Bellamy said: "Big Brother has been our most influential and popular programme over the last decade." |
But he added that "inevitably we're both excited and ever-so-slightly terrified by the prospect of getting by without it". | But he added that "inevitably we're both excited and ever-so-slightly terrified by the prospect of getting by without it". |
Mr Bellamy said the loss of Big Brother would leave a "huge hole" in the station's schedules, but would prompt "the most fundamental creative overhaul" in Channel 4 history. | Mr Bellamy said the loss of Big Brother would leave a "huge hole" in the station's schedules, but would prompt "the most fundamental creative overhaul" in Channel 4 history. |
INSIDER'S VIEW Torin Douglas, Media correspondent | INSIDER'S VIEW Torin Douglas, Media correspondent |
Big Brother's ratings may have fallen from their peak - and it no longer fills page after page in the tabloids. | Big Brother's ratings may have fallen from their peak - and it no longer fills page after page in the tabloids. |
But it still attracts more viewers than most Channel 4 programmes - night after night - and that brings in a lot of advertising. | But it still attracts more viewers than most Channel 4 programmes - night after night - and that brings in a lot of advertising. |
Dropping the show is a risk - it makes a good profit for Channel 4 and there's no guarantee that the programmes that will replace it will be as successful. | Dropping the show is a risk - it makes a good profit for Channel 4 and there's no guarantee that the programmes that will replace it will be as successful. |
So will Big Brother move to another channel? | So will Big Brother move to another channel? |
Some rivals will be doing their sums and opening talks with the show's producer Endemol. | Some rivals will be doing their sums and opening talks with the show's producer Endemol. |
But it's expensive to produce - some estimates put it at £20m a year. | But it's expensive to produce - some estimates put it at £20m a year. |
That rules out most digital channels but it could still make financial sense for Sky or Five. | |
He stressed that Channel 4 was not seeking a like-for-like replacement for the reality programme, but admitted that fans of the show would be "disappointed" by its demise. | He stressed that Channel 4 was not seeking a like-for-like replacement for the reality programme, but admitted that fans of the show would be "disappointed" by its demise. |
The broadcaster said it had already started to allocate funds which would have been spent on Big Brother into new drama. | The broadcaster said it had already started to allocate funds which would have been spent on Big Brother into new drama. |
The show also spawned Celebrity Big Brother, with one more series of the spin-off to be screened at the beginning of 2011. | The show also spawned Celebrity Big Brother, with one more series of the spin-off to be screened at the beginning of 2011. |
Big Brother may not disappear from British TV screens, with the prospect of producers Endemol securing a deal with another broadcaster. | Big Brother may not disappear from British TV screens, with the prospect of producers Endemol securing a deal with another broadcaster. |
The show's makers said in a statement they are "enormously proud" of their partnership with Channel 4. | The show's makers said in a statement they are "enormously proud" of their partnership with Channel 4. |
"We have every intention of celebrating the show's historic run on Channel 4 with great final series of both Celebrity Big Brother and the summer series in 2010," it continued. | "We have every intention of celebrating the show's historic run on Channel 4 with great final series of both Celebrity Big Brother and the summer series in 2010," it continued. |
HAVE YOUR SAY Top marks C4 - I'll be able to start watching you again Adam, Norwich Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Top marks C4 - I'll be able to start watching you again Adam, Norwich Send us your comments |
"As for 2011, stay tuned. Big Brother will get back to you " | "As for 2011, stay tuned. Big Brother will get back to you " |
The programme thrust contestants including Jade Goody, "Nasty" Nick Bateman and Kate Lawler into the spotlight. | The programme thrust contestants including Jade Goody, "Nasty" Nick Bateman and Kate Lawler into the spotlight. |
It has also courted controversy, including in 2007 when Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty won Celebrity Big Brother following a series of rows with Goody, who was accused of bullying and racism. | It has also courted controversy, including in 2007 when Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty won Celebrity Big Brother following a series of rows with Goody, who was accused of bullying and racism. |