[James]

Friends ensures we'll be there for Brother
Exclusive by Simon Holden

Channel 4 is planning a super Friday at the end of May ? Big Brother V will begin on May 28, the same night as we say farewell to Friends, an insider has confirmed.

Station bosses want to give the reality show the biggest boost they can and have decided to pull in Friends fans who want to say goodbye to the world's most successful sitcom. It will guarantee them a huge section of the coveted 16 to 34-year-old audience.

The American sitcom will bow out with a double bill from 9-10pm. The 10 Big Brother contestants will enter the house at 8.30pm and viewers will rejoin them after 10pm.

Just like last year Davina McCall will warn them not to swear as they begin their test at the compound in North London.

Channel 4 and Endemol will not officially confirm the scheduling decision but a TV insider has confirmed it to TV Plus.

TV fans will be holding Friends parties across the nation when the sitcom finally ends. American broadcaster NBC has produced an online party pack for fans to plan their farewell bashes.

Each character will give advice. Joey shares his best party chat up line: "You smell better than a meatball sub. Hey, is anybody else hungry?"

And Rachel advises: "Single females, there's nothing wrong with low cut."

27/04/2004

From http://www.teletext.co.uk/TVPlus/gen...0&page=1&ref=1