[jamess1988]

BIG BROTHER will be axed at the end of this summer.

That is the view of bookies who are so convinced bosses will pull the plug they have slashed odds on the 2008 series; BB9 – being the last.

Race rows, dull contestants and ever-changing formats have seen bored viewers desert the one-time smash hit show in droves.

Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack, which finished with a whimper last night, has been the biggest flop so far. An average of only 600,000 have watched this series;– a pathetic 10% of the viewers who watched the final two years ago.

Last night bookies made their opinions clear by offering odds of just 5-1 that Channel 4 bosses will evict the show;and punters piled on the cash.

The ratings slide began a year ago when gobby Jade Goody’s bullying of Bolly-wood babe Shilpa Shetty lost the show millions of disgusted viewers. And last summer’s flagship show, won by Essex lad Brian Belo, 20, failed to catch fire and viewing figures plummeted by 20%.

Bosses tried to halt the slump with a change of format on Celebrity Hijack, but viewers are simply not interested.
Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said: “Celebrity Hijack has hardly captured the imagination of punters.

“And there are plenty of customers who reckon it’s the beginning of the end.”
Most embarrassing of all, even the number of wannabe housemates has nosedived.

The number of people who turned up to BB9 auditions – in cities including Manchester, Belfast, Birmingham and Cardiff; is at an all-time low.

A senior show insider said: “It’s a real worry that people are rushing to the bookies to place bets on the show being axed
“It doesn’t say much for public confidence in the brand.”

Source: The Daily Star
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/bigbrothe...bets-it-s-off/

Does anyone believe this? If the bookies are taking bets on it, they must think it's likely. I really hope this isn't the last one. I guess it depends on how successful this series is!

[Scarlett.]

Its not true BB have signed until at least BB11

[Xander]

The Daily Star is just a load of crap, 99.5% of the time there not true.

*prepares self for more daily star rubbish to come through in the next 2 months*

[DiscoDave]

i doubt tht they will call off bb as its popular

[*mazedsalv**]

If they take BB off then good luck to Channel 4 trying to get a show as popular as BB that gets 4 million+

[dupin]

It's always around 5/1, I thought it was like 2/1 one year that it would be the last...so yeah, that means nothing.

[Matt]

Big Brother is a VERY popular and much-hyped show. Love it or loathe it, it is one of the biggest television phenomenons of the 21st century.

Even if the ratings have dropped, BB is still one of Channel 4's highest-rating shows. It also generates quite a bit of revenue for them. As such, I don't think we'll be seeing it going anywhere for a while.

If Channel 4 do drop Big Brother it is likely another broadcaster would pick it up - ITV have shown interest in Big Brother before.

[Spike]

BB gets C4 its biggest ratings so they would be mad to axe it, I don't believe it will be axed after BB9. The Daily Star must be stuggling for storys if they have to write about the betting odds for BB to be axed.

If C4 do drop it which is very unlikely I think ITV would go for it because they have shown interest in the past and it gets higher ratings than most of the shows in the 9pm slot now.

Also one of ITV's main targets is to get more younger people watching the channel, so far with the new dramas they have failed but if they have Big Brother they will gain a lot of younger viewers. I think it is very likely ITV will try to get Big Brother even if C4 don't drop it so I can see Big Brother being around for a long time.

[Conzors]

Yes and im a pink elephant with lots of make up on :S

[GiGi]

and i'm joan rivers!

[bridge7too7far]

Big Brother is gonna be axed oh no!! What about celebrity Big brotehr and celebvrity hijack. Maybe celebrity hijack did that good they will axe Big Brothers main show and do that instead of

[jamess1988]

I realize Big Brother is signed up until BB11 but that doesn't stop them cutting it short if they didn't think they'd do well from it. I know The Daily Star is full of crap, but if the bookies are taking bets on it I thought it might be more likely - though, if they've been taking bets on it every series it diminishes it's credibility some what.