[*mazedsalv**]

I don't know if I'm allowed to state names, so I won't. But someone (people may know who) has been in constant contact with producers for years. After a while of being ignored the last year, they got an email from Ben Frow.

Well, it seems like a very bad place to be over on C5HQ! Basically there is nothing left to do. Mirella (new person) has ruined the show further. The civilian series was doing as well as it always has been before she came on the scene. A lot of fingers in the ears, "fla-lalaing".

The news will all come out after CBB airs, I think they are waiting on the performance of that series to come to a final decision. But at the moment, civilian BB seems to be dead in the water.

I think right now it's all embargoed and isn't allowed to be posted. But what I know is that "right now, they are in a worse position that 4 was in mid BB10"... and IIRC that was the time C4 announced they would be axing Big Brother.

[DrunkerThanMoses]

Well it had a good run, honestly I know if it was not for Rpah I would have probably given this season a miss

[Littlegreen]

Originally Posted by DrunkerThanMoses

Well it had a good run, honestly I know if it was not for Rpah I would have probably given this season a miss

Ditto.

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally Posted by DrunkerThanMoses

Well it had a good run, honestly I know if it was not for Rpah I would have probably given this season a miss

It has.

And apparently TV channels are refusing to snap it up if it gets cancelled, but there is some interest in taking it online. That way, it will be less about "ratings" and more about bringing 24/7 feed back and increasing quality.

[Cal.]

That stupid cow that joined can piss off. BB17 was fine and it was building itself back up.

[Daniel-X]

I'll miss it but this series has been very stale, the warning signs have been here all series that it was set to be axed especially when they're putting Legally Blonde on tonight in favour of it

[azi]

Didn't they just say they are still hopeful for the civilian series? And isn't doing better than bb16?
One season could be a hit and the next could be a mess. Look at bb15 and 16 doing bad and then 17 did well. I don't believe they would just let it go like this.

[Morgan.]

Exactly, and I'm sure Frow has said in recent interviews that he's happy with the performance and wouldn't mind keep running it - just at a later spot. And honsestly, I don't think a later spot is bad especially if it avoids clashes with Love Island (I don't watch but I know it's popular).

[sampvt]

Amazon poised to snap it up and revert it back to normal format. That would work if it was linked to some kind of live internet hookup paid for

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally Posted by azi

Didn't they just say they are still hopeful for the civilian series? And isn't doing better than bb16?
One season could be a hit and the next could be a mess. Look at bb15 and 16 doing bad and then 17 did well. I don't believe they would just let it go like this.

Nope, it was all lies. The talk of being hopeful was the biggest cover up ever. Ben Frow himself said they are pretty muck ****ed.

The series is currently around 200k lower than the average of BB16, so 200k lower than the series low.

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally Posted by Blurryface

Exactly, and I'm sure Frow has said in recent interviews that he's happy with the performance and wouldn't mind keep running it - just at a later spot. And honsestly, I don't think a later spot is bad especially if it avoids clashes with Love Island (I don't watch but I know it's popular).

Those interviews were before this series though. Believe me, word from his mouth is that they are in very bad decision. Endemol want one thing, and 5 another, massive disagreements and no one on either party know what the viewers want. And the feed issue keeps coming up and it's a resounding no. "Endemol expect us to keep throwing our money at BB when no one knows or understands the audience, when we could get cheaper factual for 20% more audience".

Ben Frow is not happy. Apparently a "point of no return". Lets remind ourselves that Frow was the one that stated "BB must be at 2m officials to be viable" at the start of BB12... well the are getting half of that.

[Jack_]

Ben Frow's talk in Edinburgh this summer will be interesting to say the least

When civilian's over so's my association with this pathetic channel, like **** am I watching CBB. Out of interest do you know if they plan to see the contract out with the final series next year or will BB18 have been the last?

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Ben Frow's talk in Edinburgh this summer will be interesting to say the least

When civilian's over so's my association with this pathetic channel, like **** am I watching CBB. Out of interest do you know if they plan to see the contract out with the final series next year or will BB18 have been the last?

I will always watch as it has it's ups and downs. For example, I loved BB17 and the January series.

[Greg!]

Originally Posted by *mazedsalv**

It has.

And apparently TV channels are refusing to snap it up if it gets cancelled, but there is some interest in taking it online. That way, it will be less about "ratings" and more about bringing 24/7 feed back and increasing quality.

Is this just speculation or did your source hear this? I'd be here for it if they brought back live feed etc. BB still has a cult following so if amazon bought it for example they would get a lot of new subscriptions I think.

[Jack_]

Originally Posted by *mazedsalv**

I will always watch as it has it's ups and downs. For example, I loved BB17 and the January series.

Me too but civilian has always been the reason I watch this show and despite C5's attempts to sabotage it and shove CBB down our throats I still see it as the spin-off that it is. If CBB stays and civilian goes that's me done on principle

I'd also be pretty annoyed at Endemol for even agreeing to it tbh

[Greg!]

If they axe it then it'll be sad obvs but not many shows last 19 years. I just hope they give it a good send off with a proper Allstars series for BB19 with the greats like Nikki, Charley and Gina returning.

[Jack_]

How fuming tho to miss the anniversary by one series

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally Posted by Greg!

Is this just speculation or did your source hear this? I'd be here for it if they brought back live feed etc. BB still has a cult following so if amazon bought it for example they would get a lot of new subscriptions I think.

It was in talks. So I guess it's a bit of speculation and a bit of likelihood too. But with the another TV channel getting it, certainly not. That's pretty much gone, ship has sailed.

As I said, the person who was pushing for feed is no longer there and in summer 2016 was coming up with a BB type game for the online with feed.

[Littlegreen]

It'll be so odd not having it on during the summer. Bittersweet.

[LukeB]

It will be sad to see it go but in a way i don't really mind. It needs a bit of break really and maybe bring it back in a few years? It will be strange only watching BBUSA because am i hell watching cbb if they keep that

[Greg!]

Originally Posted by *mazedsalv**

And the feed issue keeps coming up and it's a resounding no. "Endemol expect us to keep throwing our money at BB when no one knows or understands the audience, when we could get cheaper factual for 20% more audience".

God theyre so thick. If they brought back live feed hundreds of thousands of old viewers would come flooding back overnight. That's maybe a bit of exaggeration but that's all viewers have been asking for since 2011 how can they not know what viewers want? Do they not read social media?

[*mazedsalv**]

Also a reply...

"Spoke with Cris At Endemol last night and they are scared stiff about the future.
so that story from the Creative director was just that... utter B*llocks"

So we know it's not too rosy.

Basically they are waiting until after CBB. If CBB is stable, they will come to an agreement. If it falls, then it's done.

[reece(:]

Their fault for casting mostly reality veterans and labelling it as civilian. They'll never learn

[Jack_]

It's no coincidence that the best rating civilian on C5 is the one with the most feed available

I know the ship and the debate sailed a long time ago but the main benefit of the feed isn't just that you can watch whenever (and thus keeps the show honest - which is what they really hate the most), it's that social media and the press (less so these days) pick up on stories as they happen, which is a hell of a lot more reliable at drumming up interest in an argument or whatever than C5 holding the footage for 18 hours and then releasing it two hours before the highlights

[RichardG]

i haven't bothered watching this season post launch night

i think that i just don't care about it anymore