Is the lack of hype surrounding Big Brother largely irreversible?
 

I posted this on DS, but decided to post here as well-

I know a lot of people think live feed, a good set of housemates and a return to the 'old style BB episodes' would bring viewers back, but is the hype surrounding the show largely irreversible? I've spoken to a lot of people in real life who are casual viewers at the most, who have said that the format has become so repeated and that they were so into it at the start but due to the over repetitiveness, it's just become same old, same old

What is your opinion on the matter?

No matter what happens or how good a series is, the viewers will remain about the same. Only a big event would pull people in, Big Brother 'glory days' are over, and no amount of good series can change that and we have had one fantastic series (BB13 for me, BB14 for most others) which pretty much proves it, people just don't care enough about it anymore.

I don't even think a 'big event' could pull people in, yes the winter CBB series got about the same amount as some of Channel 4 series', but as a non-viewer from 2010 until 2014, not once had I heard anything about Big Brother during that time. When I first joined TiBB, people were shocked that I hadn't heard about Deana/Conor or Hazel/Daley, but I think people underestimate how easy it is to not hear about these things as a non viewer now.

I was thinking more like another fight in the house, that would probably make news or magazines and get people involved temporarily. Apart from that, I think Big Brother has no chance.

The problem with that is that non viewers think BB is purely that - just all shagging and fighting. It wouldn't surprise them so wouldn't make them watch. That Daily Star's headlines don't help either - making it sound like housemates bonk and have punch ups nearly every episode, taking away any shine from those really fantastic episodes that fans always remember. Somewhere along the line, and to be honest I think it was way before channel 5 got involved, some irreversible damage was done.
The January CBB was a freak of nature - they'll be expecting similar things this year and I honestly can't see it happening.

The main response I get from anyone when I mention Big Brother is basically 'Eurgh, why do you watch that? It's ****.'

Same.

It's actually really hard to understand how IAC pulls in so many viewers using the same tired format for the last ten years, more or less the same trials, z list celebs in the main, while CBB has at least had some big names, and yet its panned, its a mystery! I can understand the civilian series not getting large audiences as viewers do not want to watch "ordinary people" interact.

I think you can answer the question yourself seeing as you were one of the viewers who switched off for 4 years, you are in that group of people who lost interest in BB.