[Daniel__]

CELEBRITY Big Brother is set to make a sensational comeback after last year’s race row.


The reality show was axed by Channel 4 following the abuse of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty by Jade Goody and other contestants.


But replacement programme Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack was a ratings disaster — and bosses are looking to send a fresh batch of celebs into the house next January.


A Channel 4 source said: “We never said that Celebrity Big Brother would be gone forever.


“We wanted to give it a ‘time out’ — a resting period after all the friction and chaos of the Shilpa and Jade saga.”


The last Celebrity Big Brother saw Channel 4 rapped by TV watchdog Ofcom over the bullying of Shilpa, 32. Cops were called in and the station had to make an apology.


But bosses are set to give the high-profile show another chance.


They hope for a repeat of iconic scenes such as MP George Galloway acting like a cat and Michael Barrymore making his telly comeback dressed up as Adolf Hitler.


In 2006, the Big Brother brand netted Channel 4 £165million — a quarter of its advertising revenue.


The insider added: “Channel 4 can’t afford to let Celebrity Big Brother go — in the publicity or cash stakes.”


Last night a Channel 4 spokeswoman said “no final decision” had yet been made. Meanwhile, bosses are whittling down contestants for the ninth Big Brother series, which starts on June 5.

http://thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sho...cle1155323.ece