Big Brother given the axe by Channel 5 as viewers reality TV tastes switch
Celebrity Big Brother and “civilian” Big Brother will no longer be airing on Channel 5.
The long-running reality show will come to an end on the channel after the new series, which started last night.
Channel 5 announced it would no longer continue with either version of Big Brother after seven years pro- ducing the often controversial programme.
The reality TV show has seen its ratings decline over the years. The final of the very first series of Big Brother, which was broadcast by Channel 4 in 2000, attracted 9.45 million viewers.
But the final of the most recent series, broadcast by Channel 5 in 2017, was watched by just 1.11 million.
The latest series of Celebrity Big Brother was won by Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas, who was at the centre of a controversy that dominated headlines when fellow housemate Roxanne Pallett accused him of punching her.
Pallett left the series and after watching the footage back, issued an apology saying she had “gotten it wrong”.
The celebrity edition of the series has often seen controversy in the house, including standout moments such as the 2007 perceived racial bullying of Indian actress Shilpa Shetty by the late Jade Goody, which was condemned at the time by then-prime minister Gordon Brown.
In 2016, theatre star Christopher Biggins was removed from the house for his comments about bisexuals.
During the latest series, Brazilian reality TV star Rodrigo Alves was also removed from the house over his repeated use of racist language.
The concept of Big Brother was originally taken from a Dutch television series with the same name and premise.
Channel 5 boss Ben Frow indicated in August the future of the series with the broadcaster was uncertain, saying he “planned for a year” without the series after it swapped channels in 2011.
The finale of the latest series of the celebrity version attracted 1.6 million viewers at a time when ratings for ITV2’S Love Island have surged.