[Mrluvaluva]

From The Times

Has the Big Brother bubble finally burst? The Channel 4 show has lost 25 per cent of its target audience since the racist bullying scandal that tainted the programme.

Figures seen by The Times reveal a disastrous slump in viewing for the latest series of the eviction show, which previously generated up to £50 million in revenues for Channel 4.

Another housemate will be evicted tonight. But after seven weeks of the current series, the average number of viewers in the key age range of 16 to 34 years is down from 1.9 million to 1.4 million viewers – a 25.6 per cent fall on the previous year.

The Barb/Infosys figures show that the average viewing audience across all age groups for Big Brother 8 is down from 4.5 million to 3.7 million – a fall of 16.7 per cent. The decline is worrying for Channel 4 since poor weather and the absence of a big football tournament on rival channels should have boosted viewing. Channel 4 is locked into a £180 million deal with producers Endemol to keep Big Brother on air until 2010.

Although Big Brother’s critics would welcome its terminal decline, Channel 4 would find it impossible to maintain its public service programming without the revenues it generates. Channel 4 announced yesterday that it will premiere a new film by the director Ken Loach about illegal employment in contemporary Britain. It is the kind of project Big Brother subsidises.

This year’s Big Brother was launched with a series of on-air apologies, for the bullying of Shilpa Shetty during the celebrity edition, demanded by Ofcom.

Yesterday a Channel 4 spokesman said: “Big Brother remains our most popular programme and continues to attract a huge amount of young, up-market viewers. While first and foremost an entertainment show, it is, as Ofcom acknowledge, an important programme that can raise matters of social importance which may lead to legitimate public debate.”

Discuss.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle2106486.ece

[MR.K!]

uh.. oh... this isnt good... i hope bb dosent keep losing viewers

[Mrluvaluva]

Last nights show was one of the most boring I'd seen, apart from the mess left by BB at the beginning. Lol. They need to make it more exciting or they will keep losing more and more viewers.

[Jack]

This is why people really need to think before picking up the phone to evict people so all of the strong characters aren't gone within a few weeks. I also think the producers should be more thorough with the selection process to ensure "crazy" and "wacky" people like Tracey and Carole in there audition tapes are not just playing up to get in the house.

[Mike]

I havent been watching much recently, nothing to do with the 'racism row' more down to the fact that most of this years HM are boring and don't really have a great deal to offer.

[Noel]

Same here. But even if it does, it still has to go on to 2010, so all is good.

[Billy]

Aww nicky was the "another housemate to be evicted"

[kev2k7]

Originally posted by Noel
Same here. But even if it does, it still has to go on to 2010, so all is good.

it doesnt you know, its been comissioned (they have permission to do it until 2010), but it doesnt mean that they will

[geoking66]

No it's actually contracted until 2010, meaning that Channel 4 has committed to Endemol that they are doing a Big Brother series (along with Celebrity versions) until 2010.

[Matt]

What you forget is: whilst it may be losing viewers, it is still one of Channel 4's highest rated and most popular programmes.

I can't see it being axed for a while.

[Conor]

I love BB, and no matter how bad a series, we're all guilty of watching it, and then dening it. (I hate it when people do that) I'm a devoted BB fan and openly atmit I've watched seies/episodes, where I might as well be watching paint dry. lol

[Scarlett.]

this seires was bad, but I hope next year will make up for it