Nick Samwell-Smith (the boss of Initial and Big Brother showrunner) leaves Endemol.

[zakman440]

Big Brother UK is facing another major change to its senior production team this year after Nick Samwell-Smith announced that he is leaving Endemol Shine.

Samwell-Smith is the managing director for Initial, the Endemol subsidiary responsible for Big Brother, and was put in charge of the reality format when it moved to Channel 5 in 2011.

However, today it was announced that he will depart the production company in May after working there for almost two decades. He will be replaced by Mirella Breda, Initial’s creative director, whose credits include Big Box Little Box and ITV’s recent revival of Stars In Their Eyes.

“I feel very lucky to have had so many fantastic years at such a great company,” he said. “I want to bow out whilst on a high. I know that Initial’s tradition of creating outstanding entertainment shows will be assured under Mirella’s stewardship.”

It is currently unclear whether Breda, who previously worked on Masterchef and Dragon’s Den as an entertainment commissioner at the BBC, will directly assume Samwell-Smith’s responsibilities as Big Brother’s showrunner.

Samwell-Smith’s exit came after Big Brother creative director Denis O’Connor left the show at the end of last summer’s series. Executive producers Susy Price and Katy Manley were promoted to his role, while they were in turn replaced by Andrew Jackman and Shannon Delwiche.

Endemol is currently awaiting a decision on planning permission to build a major extension to the Big Brother house at Elstree Studios, which would be its biggest revamp since it was built in 2002.

http://www.bbspy.co.uk/bb17/news/030...#ixzz42QWnlAIS

Smith's departure can only be a good thing. Hopefully a huge senior production shift is about to take place.

[jackc1806]

Excited for BB now!

He's the guy who was like no live feed I think when Frow wanted it?

[jackc1806]

http://www.bbspy.co.uk/bb17/news/030...of-2016-series

[Cal.]

He's been the show runner since BB12 so they'll probably be massive changes.

[jackc1806]

thank ****kkkk

[LukeB]

BBUK will still suck tbh nothing can save it

[Jake.]

At this point I'm more optimistic. Hopefully a few things change, but things can't be worse than the past 2 years, right?

[RichardG]

It probably won't make a difference tbh but at least there's a tiny possibility that we could see an improvement and as said above^, it can't get any worse

[Mrmattybeck]

The worst thing about the show for me currently is the twists and hardly any normal noms now it's Gotta change

[Rob!]

People getting excited that the woman taking over was also in charge of the revival of stars in your eyes that got cancelled after one series and is widely seen as one of the worst things ITV have ever done

[Pete.]

I'm excited for BB17: The Gina Rio Takeover

[Marsh.]

I don't even remember them bringing back Stars in their Eyes? When did that happen?

[zakman440]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

I don't even remember them bringing back Stars in their Eyes? When did that happen?

Last January with Harry Hill as the host (it did not go down well). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars_in_Their_Eyes#2015

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by zakman440

Last January with Harry Hill as the host (it did not go down well). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars_in_Their_Eyes#2015

Each episode features Harry being pursued by Adele (really a look-alike) for being in possession of her baby and would comically chase him until she got the baby back.

Dear lord

[Mrmattybeck]

I actually think people who be complaining who ever was chosen as the replacement bb fans are never happy I still love bbuk no matter what happens

[RichardG]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Dear lord

I take back my last post, if she's the replacement then maybe it can get worse

[Maxxie.]

Tbh Big Brother UK, especially CBB is kind of on a high atm. Im worried that Big brother's gonna get a whole lot cheesier considered this directors past work. She completely ****ed stars in their eyes for having cringe editing and making unbearable TV. Hope I'm wrong, last time there was a change I think is when CBB13 happened so I am feeling hopeful

[Cal.]

Ugh I can't. It's going to be awful if she's really the woman running BB.

[zakman440]

Re Smith's replacement - I'd say that the Stars In Their Eyes decisions were more of an ITV decision and not Initial's (my guess is that ITV wanted Harry to host and the two agreed gave him creative control). Not to mention the fact that the SITE and BB are two completely different shows Plus, as far as I'm aware, Big Brother is the only Endemol show in which the MD of Initial is also the showrunner. Nevertheless, I'm still optimistic - from what I've heard about Smith he was all about limiting the amount of Live Feed and heightening up the drama/negative atmosphere in the house (stir up the drama tasks, secret houses - basically the repetiveness of twists and drama that we've seen over the past two years). Any change at this point has to be more beneficial that Smith sticking around - a new set of eyes over the show will hopefully change it for the better.

[zakman440]

(Also, as the article points out, it hasn't been made clear yet as to whether she's actually taking over as showrunner or not - they could bring in someone new to oversee BB).

[Jack_]

Can they just fly Erin Brock over plz

[Mrmattybeck]

Bring back Desmond