Confirmed: 'Big Brother' to end on Channel 4

 

By Neil Wilkes, Editor and Dan French, TV Reporter

 

 

Channel 4 has confirmed speculation that next year's run of Big Brother will be its final series with the broadcaster.

 

Speaking at the network's Autumn press launch this morning, C4 director of television Kevin Lygo said: "We will not be continuing with Big Brother. Next year will be the last series for Channel 4. There will be a celebrity version, plus the regular one. We've decided it's time to move on."

 

Lygo added that the broadcaster is now thinking about programmes to replace Big Brother in 2011 but acknowledged that it would be "a challenge for the commercial side of the business".

 

The current series of Big Brother has been its lowest-rated to date, with an average of around 2 million viewers watching each night.

 

"Big Brother is still profitable for Channel 4 despite its reduced popularity and there could have been the option to renew it on more favourable terms," Lygo explained. "That’s what a purely commercial broadcaster would have done, but Channel 4 has a public remit to champion new forms of creativity."

 

Of the estimated £50 million budget freed up by the cancellation of Big Brother, Channel 4 pledged to invest £20 million into new "event" dramas such as Red Riding and "quirky series" for younger audiences, such as Skins.

 

C4 head Julian Bellamy described the show as "the voice of a generation", adding: "It will be sorely missed, [but] we're going to go out with a bang next year."

 

Big Brother production company Endemol is now expected to take the show to another broadcaster in 2011. ITV has previously expressed interest in acquiring the rights, although Five and Sky1 are also potential candidates.

 

I was pretty sad when I first read this, because I'm enjoying the current series so much.

 

BUT

 

It's about time LMAO

It will probably turn up on Sky in 2011 or something but the whole thing has run its course, thank god next year is the last

Im pretty sure this was already confirmed... :unsure:

Nope it wasn't, just rumours.

 

Part of me is like "so?" but I know I'll miss it lol.

 

Definitely have a feeling some other channel will pick it up and broadcast it on channel 372 or something to like 20 people :P

Its because putting freaks and weirdos in is turning people away in droves. Notice how the best series had the most normal people in.

I'd be funny if ITV got it and millions of people started watching it.

 

I think the show needs a complete revamp. Maybe even tke it to what it was like in the first series and try to get those sort of people in it.

Cant say im supsrised. Ratings have of course been terrible. I will miss it though, but here's hoping it does get picked up by someone else.

They say this at the end of every BB series.

The thing is BB is still one of C4's most watched programs.

Oh well, all things come to an end eventually, i think 10 years is the right time to end it.

R.I.P. Big Brother 2000-2010.

about f***ing time, they should of done this 7 years ago.

Thank god for that, I think its run its course to be honest.

I think axing is the wrong word, we all knew it was only ever booked for 11 years, and 11 years is a pretty long run for any show,apart from the soaps not mant other programmes nowadys manage 11 seasons. Also i cant see big brother stopping it will simply move to another channel and most likely sky one.

 

And i no its easy to slate the show and people bang on about this been their lowest rated series but all programmes have seen a ratings drop including the big guns like coronation street and eastenders, big brother is still getting a decent tv audience share and is still one of channel 4's most watched shows.

Edited August 26, 200915 yr by Feel_The_Fever

:cheer: Great news!

 

I got fed up with it after around series 4.

 

It's well past it's sell by date.

 

The series has got so long now that it has become so boring.

 

No wonder ratings have slumped

 

They say this at the end of every BB series.

Yeah, but it's official this time, it's been posted on the Big Brother website and everything.

 

A bit gutted really, it's still my favourite reality show. Don't really get the people saying 'about time', if you don't watch it and the media are ignoring it lately, what difference does it make to you if it's being shown or not? There's plenty of shows I find past their sell by date but them being axed wouldn't be a cause for celebration, it's only TV and I don't watch them.

 

Also don't get how Big Brother gets boring, every year they put different people in and different personalities creat different vibes each year. It's not exactly some long running series with rehashed storylines and actors. I guess the sheer number of tasks there have been over the years makes it hard for them to come up with new ideas, but that's the only problem to me.

 

I'd love a new low key series on a digital channel, with a different format (perhaps that of the USA version) I think that'd be fresh.

I completly agree and likewise big brother is my faveourite reality show. Agian i dont find series 10 too long or boring in fact i think it has been a great series with plenty of drama. Many many shows are well by their sell by date but i suppose for the fans they have its nice they continue. I never understand people who slate big brother but in the same sentence say they dont watch it, if they dont watch it how do they know if its good or not, but for some reason its always been nearly uncool to say you watch big brother for some reason. If another channel picks it up after channel 4 which i think they will i would be delighted as i think big brother can go on and on once they cast the right people.

 

Overall it could be great for big brother if another channel picks it up as they will probbaly put more effort in to make the show work. At the end of the day big brother has made huge money for channel 4 and it has certainly created its fair share of headlines over the years, love it or hate but i dont think big brother will be fogotten about for a very long time.

I'd love a new low key series on a digital channel, with a different format (perhaps that of the USA version) I think that'd be fresh.

 

That could actually work imo. The US series is only on about 3 episodes a week i think and they allow the housemates to openly discusss nominations. There's a lot more gameplaying aswell and false alliances, the formats a lot more interesting.

I have watched a few american big brother clips on the internet and it definitly comes accross as a more dog eat dog type show comparing to the UK version. I think the nomination process should be allowed discuss as it will expose the real game playing.

It's sad that it's going to come to an end but it is definitely time for it to finish. I've watched it since BB1 back in 2000 and in its prime it was absolutely brilliant but these past few series have become rather dull and boring. I used to be an avid watcher but I've missed a lot of episodes this year and haven't really felt the desire to catch up with what I haven't seen. It's still an incredibly iconic TV show though and when people talk about this decade they'll always think of BB-it was a cultural phenomenon and without it we wouldn't have a lot of the reality shows we have now.

 

It would be great if another channel gets it and, after giving it a few years rest, reboots it with a fresher and more simplistic approach like the first few series had. I don't believe this is really the last we've seen of Big Brother, its way too big just to disappear from our screens. I'm sure at some point in the future we'll see a glorious return :)