New house for next year

[Maggie]

This is from Digital Spy Day 60, 12.33pm
By Beth Hart

Having been given an anonymous tip-off, DS:BB can bring you some excusive Big Brother gossip.

Following problems with noise and disruption to local residents there has been speculation that Channel 4 and Endermol have had to seek a new venue for future Big Brother series to be located.

The information we have been given is that this new site is going to be based in Epsom, Surrey on land purchased in April of this year.

This is a more secluded non-residential area so could mean that the nocturnal activities of future housemates will not be as restricted as they've been for Big Brother 4.

The layout of the new house is meant to resemble that of Big Brother's 1 and 2 with a similar walkway and gate.

[kaphc]

Will anyone be interested in Big Brother by next year??

[Romantic Old Bird]

Well, according to my OH's thrilling Planning magazine, they never actually applied for planning permission for the original site in Bow.

he thinks, if they had, and lost, he could have won it for them on an appeal. He usually wins his appeals. Shall I ask him to offer himself as a Consultant (for a fee and special concessions of course!)

[Sticks]

After this years fiasco and with Endemol and C4 at war with each other with recriminations over the selection of the BB4 housemates, I doubt they will get to do another BB

[LEE]

Ooh I hope this is right and it is in Epsom next year, cos that is really close to me :thumbs:

[BusyBee]

I thought that they had only agreed for 5 BBs so why build a new one.

Bearing in mind the reaction to last year's BB and this one, I'm surprised they are going tothe expense.

[James]

According to this they have a contract to use Elstree for Big Brother for the next two years and it will definately be back there next year.

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.398735.0.0.php

We will be back says Big Brother

By MARTYN KENT

Screaming Big Brother fans descended on Borehamwood for the grand finale of the reality TV extravaganza on Friday and saw a virgin fish trader from Orkney scoop the £70,000 prize.

Watched by an audience of 7.4 million people, Cameron Stout emerged as winner of Big Brother 4 after 64 days in the house with nearly 2 million votes.

Hundreds of people had to be turned away from Elstree Studios as the crowd reached its 1500 capacity by 6.50pm, over an hour before the first live show went to air.

Some hardened fans had been queuing in the Tesco car park in Shenley Road, adjacent to the house, since the early morning and were camped out in tents in the pouring rain.

Channel 4 has signed a deal to use Elstree Film and Television Studios to stage the Endemol UK production for another two years and Big Brother 5 will "definitely" be returning to Borehamwood next year.

"Beyond that, when the contract is up it will be looked at again", said a spokesman for Channel 4.

Back at the launch for this year's show, Big Brother Executive Producer Gigi Eligoloff said: "Elstree has been fantastic for the team, we love the studio and the house. We are planning on staying as we would like the continuity."

Despite this year's installment being criticised for being boring, the show remained a ratings success — with the launch and eviction shows recording Channel 4's top viewing figures in 2003.

"It remains very popular and there is no question of it not coming back", said a spokesman. Overall the series averaged 4.5 million viewers.

The 32-year-old winner, known for his strong religious beliefs which rule out sex before marriage, said at an after-show press conference that he would like to present Songs of Praise, and find himself a wife.

Although Channel 4 gave celebrity Big Brother the axe in June, work on a new teenage format started this week. Teen Big Brother:The Experiment is likely to hit our screens next year as an educational programme.

In the meantime, the Big Brother house will remain at the studios as a permanent fixture; it will be available for hire, and sponsors will be running competitions for members of the public to win parties in it.

11:53am today