[Arneldo]

Channel 4’s New Deal For Big Brother

Channel 4 today announced it has signed a new deal with Endemol UK to acquire the UK rights to Big Brother for the next two years.

The new deal runs to the end of 2007 and covers UK rights to all broadcast TV (including pay and interactive TV); new media (web and mobile telephony) as well as other commercial activities including books, DVDs and CDs.

Channel 4’s current four-year-long contract with Endemol UK finishes at the end of 2005. Under the terms of the new deal Endemol UK will continue to produce the series for television via its production arm Endemol UK Productions. Victoria Real (part of Endemol UK) will also produce the new media content.

Julian Bellamy, Head of Channel 4 Factual Entertainment and E4, who negotiated the deal on behalf of Channel 4, said: “We are delighted to extend our commitment to Big Brother for a further two years. Big Brother has become a traditional and hugely popular fixture in the summertime TV calendar.”

Lucas Church, Joint Managing Director of Endemol UK, said: “This has been a fantastic four year collaboration during which Big Brother has continued to be renowned for its innovation. Channel 4 remains the natural home for this project and we are delighted to be extending our partnership for another two years.”

This summer Big Brother returned to Channel 4 and E4 for a sixth series, again offering interactive TV features, SMS updates and 2.5G and 3G video, broadband streaming and clips, alongside other spin-off products and services.

Zoe Cartell, Channel 4
Charlie Gardner, Endemol UK

Notes to editors:
Big Brother facts
• Big Brother Series 6 launched on Channel 4 on 27 May. 7m viewers watched 13 new participants enter the Big Brother house. To date, average viewing is 4.1m/ 20% audience share.
• Big Brother is one of Channel 4’s youngest profiling programmes in peak with16-34s accounting for 45% of its audience. 39% of all 16-34s watch Big Brother.
• The series to date has attracted an ABC1 adult profile of 44%.

…and trivia
• BBC’s Springwatch series, the other hit reality tv show of the summer, attracts the same ABC1 adult profile (45%), 16-34s 8%; 87% are over 35; Strictly Come Dancing, BBC’s other hit Reality TV show shares the same ABC1 adult profile (43%), 16-34s account for 13%, 55% are 55+.
• 23% percent of Big Brother’s audience are university educated. The same as for BBC’s flagship quiz shows Have I Got News for You (23%), Mastermind (20%) and discussion programme Question Time (24%)
• ITV’s Reality TV series, Celebrity Love Island has averaged 3.6m (3.4m since the start of Big Brother). It has attracted an ABC1 adult profile of 40%; a 16-34 share of 25% and a 16-34 profile of 32%.
• Head to head, Celebrity Love Island average viewing opposite Big Brother is 3.6m/17% audience share and Big Brother average opposite Celebrity Love Island is 4.1/21% share


-ends-

[InTheHood]

Great news

Thanks for posting it

[Mike]

Yeah thats great news, thanks.

[Arneldo]

And they will have DVD'S

[Amy]

Originally posted by bb4eva
And they will have DVD'S

where did you get this info from?

[steve-g]

excellent news i was getting worried thinking that BB6 would be the last one thanks for letting us know

[Buffyfan]

Does anyone know whether BB6 will have a DVD, Book etc.

[Arneldo]

Originally posted by Amy

where did you get this info from?

it was on the digital spy Fourm but i cant find a link!