[Daniel__]

TV BIZ today asks the 2.4million-viewer question — how did Big Brother become a ratings flop?
On Friday, the show had the worst audience for an eviction in seven years. It was not just bolshy Belinda Harris-Reid who left the programme, but swathes of viewers too.

The Channel 4 show picked up just 2.4million viewers — the lowest figure since the second series back in 2001.

And so far, Big Brother 9 has already shed a whopping 15 per cent of viewers since last year’s series.



It’s woeful news for Channel 4 chiefs, who have paid for another TWO years of Big Brother. It is meant to pull in viewers aged 16-34 — gold dust for advertisers.

So today we ask just what has happened to a reality show that was once at the top of its game.

With the help of a panel of Big Brother “stars” past and present, we examine how the mighty has fallen — and if it can ever make a comeback.

BB9 launched with just 5.3million viewers — the lowest since 3.5million tuned in seven years ago.

In contrast, BB8 launched with an average 6.2million viewers last year.

Most worryingly for Channel 4, the show has failed to draw in as many crucial viewers aged 16 to 34 — the audience that advertisers crave.

Last night a C4 source admitted: “We’d prefer the ratings to be growing, but those days are gone.”

The insider insisted the show was not a disaster, adding: “It still does well compared to everything else on C4.

“It’s still young and upmarket. It could continue on its general level of gentle decline and still be significant. We are relatively happy.”

But “stars” of the past lined up to slate the series. Charley Uchea — known for her bitchy behaviour last year — said: “It’s been absolute c**p if I’m honest.

“I think it’s gone downhill for the simple reason that there’s nothing to do. They are sitting around bored.

“A lot of them are getting depressed. There’s just no atmosphere.”

She said viewers told her they couldn’t wait to watch the show when she was in it to see what she would do next.

Charley added: “I hate to say it because BB made me at the end of the day — but I just think there’s no need for it now. We’ve all seen Big Brother.”

Last night, BB1 villain Nasty Nick Bateman hit out at producers’ obsession with dull beauties and show-offs. He told TV Biz: “When they start putting in part-time models, you know it’s a ploy to pull the big audience.

“However, this seems to have backfired as both models have been desperately dull and suffer from charisma bypasses.”

Nick added: “The format works with normal people — not blind people, not show-offs, not frustrated actors or models, dull people or even vulgarians.


Blamed

“It goes without saying they are all in it for the fame and fortune, and only a few will achieve anything like that.”

But he praised this year’s show — hosted as usual by Davina McCall — for “funny and inventive” tasks.

Meanwhile, Amanda Marchant, one of the twins from BB8, said: “I think it’s quite boring this year. There are lots of things missing from the show.”

Her sister Sam blamed “boring housemates”. She said: “Bex is annoying. She’s the only interesting one, but she’s got no one to be annoying with.

“People are holding back — like they’re scared to get nominated. And things like Heaven and Hell are just repetitive.”

Craig Phillips, BB’s first- ever winner, said: “Would it be my choice of programme? No. I prefer wildlife programmes, documentaries and things like that.”

He said he had been keeping up with BB news online.



Craig added: “People slag it off, but they know the housemates’ names. They’re not forced to watch it.

“It definitely gets better later on. When there are too many people the camera time has to be shared.

“Now the numbers are going down it’ll get more interesting.”

Liam McGough of BB8 said: “It’s not a new concept any more. People are a lot more aware of how manufactured it is — they aren’t shocked.

“They should try to cut the c**p a little bit. The only reason some people are in there is so they can get into Chinawhite nightclub later on.”

As for reviving BB’s fortunes, Liam suggested: “They could try getting people who haven’t watched the show before — from the valleys in Wales maybe.”

Worst launch since 2001

BB9 launched with 5.3m viewers, making it the show’s worst launch since 2001 which got 3.5m.
And it’s down 800,000 viewers on BB8’s launch.
The share of viewers aged 16-34 was also the worst since 2001, with just 40.4 per cent watching.


Worst first 40 days ever

THIS year’s first 40 days’ viewing figures are down a whopping 15.4 per cent on last year.
And among 16-34 year-old viewers, the fall was an even bigger 17.7 per cent.
The ailing show averaged just 3.3 million viewers in its first 40 days.


Worst ever Friday interview

EVICTION night — traditionally a big draw for viewers — has also suffered a slide in viewers.
The first eviction night of this series saw the worst audience ever for the post-eviction interview with Davina.
Just 2.7million watched the 10.35pm show.


34 out of 45 episodes have so far lost viewers

COMPARING each episode this year with its equivalent episode last year reveals that 34 of the 45 episodes are down on viewer numbers year on year.


Worst episode since 2004

THE worst episode so far this series was on June 14 when just 2million viewers tuned in.
Prior to this, the worst single episode was July 31 2004, with a mere 1.7million.


Source: BARB/Infosys, Owl Overnights, Live data, C4 Total = C4 / C4+1, data back to 2001 (series 2).

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