Big Brother viewing figures dip
Despite the hype that preceded it, this year’s Big Brother will be quickly forgotten.
It has failed to make the big splash expected of the Channel 4 show since it became an unexpected summer hit in 2000.
A glut of one-dimensional contestants who know how to “play the game” has taken the shine off this year’s series, and possibly the Big Brother brand in general.
This year, none of the contestants, which have included the first ever twins and a housemate who had not heard of Shakespeare, have found their way into the nation’s consciousness.
In 2006, even people who professed no interest whatsoever in the Big Brother TV beast knew the winner suffered from Tourette’s Syndrome.
The eighth series has seen no equivalent of Nasty Nick, Portuguese transsexual Nadia Almada, Jade Goody, or Makosi Musambasi, who claimed she could be pregnant after a tryst with another contestant.
Most of this year’s contestants will find their 15 minutes of fame ends abruptly when they leave through the show’s doors.
Viewing figures are down on last year, with an average of 3.8 million so far compared to 4.5 million in the same period in 2006.
Meanwhile, Channel 4 has announced it is axing next year’s Celebrity Big Brother.
For some, that appears to throw the future of the programme into doubt.
TV bosses admitted that thanks to the furore over last year’s race row, when Gordon Brown was drawn into the controversy during a trip to India, the brand could do with a break.
This series is set to be the reality programme’s worst ever performance.
The third series, won by Kate Lawler and featuring Jade Goody, had a peak of 5.8 million viewers, and before this year the lowest ever viewing figures were 4.5 million in 2006.
Channel 4 argues the reality show, which has become a hit format around the world, has always had its ups and downs, with some years more successful than others.
It has the rights to the Endemol-made show until 2010.
But as a result of the controversy over phone-ins it will no longer be the money-spinner it once was – in future Channel 4 will only be charging the cost of the call of votes.
Stunts this year to drum interest have included bringing back former contestants Alex Sibley and Adele Roberts, kicking-off the show with an all-female house, and organising a Fake Week.
For some, the axing of Celebrity Love Island and the flop that was the BBC’s return of Castaway points to the end of reality TV.
But the popularity of I’m a Celebrity …Get Me Out of Here! And other reality shows means any such predictions might be premature.
Channel 4 defends the show, saying it is still a winner for the broadcaster.
A spokesman said today: “Big Brother remains one of Channel 4’s most popular programmes. It consistently beats its slot average and attracts a huge number of young, upmarket viewers.
“As homes with multi-channel television have nearly doubled in five years, it’s evidence of Big Brother’s enduring appeal that this series is watched by an average of almost four million viewers, an audience that all broadcasters would be thrilled with.”
