[Tellymix]

If Celebrity Big Brother in January is a ratings hit getting a 3-4m average, do you think Channel 4 would un-axe the show? BBC1 axed Not Going Out and ITV1 axed Primeval but both those decisions have been reversed after replacement shows such as Big Top and Demons did rubbish. Maybe Channel 4 could do the same thing and bring back Big Brother?

Look at Channel 4's top ratings for the second week in December:

FILM: ELF (2003) (SUN 1746) 4.94
2 KIRSTIE'S HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS (WED 1959) 3.13
3 KIRSTIE'S HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS (TUE 1959) 2.97
4 PAUL O'GRADY (FRI 1659) 2.50
5 PAUL O'GRADY (MON 1659) 2.48
6 DEAL OR NO DEAL (MON 1611) 2.41
7 PAUL O'GRADY (TUE 1659) 2.41
8 THE SIMPSONS (MON 1759) 2.34
9 PAUL O'GRADY (WED 1659) 2.31
10 KIRSTIE'S HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS (THU 1959) 2.28

Apart from ELF (which they can only show once or twice a year), it's mainly a crap list. Paul O'Grady is leaving them so they'll have even worse shows on. Even though Big Brother 11 was getting low ratings compared to past series, its ratings were good compared to what Channel4 get usually.

Maybe Channel 4 should save the show?

[Billy]

Nah, because although it does bring in 2.5mill viewers, it doesnt justify the huge budget spent on it.

[Tellymix]

Originally Posted by Billy

Nah, because although it does bring in 2.5mill viewers, it doesnt justify the huge budget spent on it.

But they could reduce the budget? It can't cost Channel 4 that much, when you compare it to some of the shows they make like documentaries and drama which barely ever get over 2m.

Channel 4 would have the right to pay Endemol far less money than they did last time because the ratings have gone down so much.

So I still think there's hope for the show!!

[Tom]

When Channel 4 want to get rid of a show, they actually get rid of it

Even though I love the show I'm glad its going. It lost its spark after BB7 and its not the same anymore

[Tom4784]

It won't be saved, the best you can hope for is a terrible re-invention in a few years time.

[Tellymix]

Originally Posted by Tom

When Channel 4 want to get rid of a show, they actually get rid of it

Even though I love the show I'm glad its going. It lost its spark after BB7 and its not the same anymore

Usually when ITV get rid of a show, they get rid of it. But they still brought back Primeval.

Maybe, for this one time, Channel 4 can realise that it's not a good financial decision to get rid of BB and save it? What other show can get over 2m on Channel 4 90 nights of the year?

[Patrick]

Channel 4 are bitches, its good its leaving their poor little channel.

Hopefully whatever legend of a channel that picks it up in a few years time, they will include BBLB and Live Feed.

I just cant see them picking Davina as the presenter though and they might even change the eye design but you never know it may remain the same on another channel.


So obviously BB12 wont be on in 2011 and were all ****ed, and that summer is going to be so boring.
But possibly in 2012 maybe 2013 or more likely 2014, we will see BB12 in another brodcaster but like Dezzy said it would be 'terrible' but that depends how much work there willing to put into it.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Tellymix

Usually when ITV get rid of a show, they get rid of it. But they still brought back Primeval.

Maybe, for this one time, Channel 4 can realise that it's not a good financial decision to get rid of BB and save it? What other show can get over 2m on Channel 4 90 nights of the year?

ITV axe shows all the time and go back on their decision, 2 examples this year being Hells Kitchen and Ladette to Lady.

Channel 4 have never reversed the decision and I doubt they'll start with Big Brother which they've clearly wanted rid of since the race row.

Saving Big Brother might not be a good financial decision anyway. You need to factor in the cost of the show and how much revenue its creating, pure ratings don't automatically mean higher profit. Big Brother 9 and 10 apparently made a loss with BB8 making just Ł12m.

[tmx]

The difference is that Big Brother is running it a loss

Even if they replace it with a show that gets 1-2m viewers, if it's making a profit it's better than big brother.

It's no good if they get 3-4 million viewers but are spending more on the show then they are getting from it.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

It won't be saved, the best you can hope for is a terrible re-invention in a few years time.

Remakes always are, look at Gladiators! 2010 is the end of Big Brother for me, regardless of if it returns on Sky1 or wherever.

[Tom4784]

Thousands of TV shows have been cancelled, what makes BB any different? People have just got to accept it's ending and enjoy it while it lasts.

[Tellymix]

Originally Posted by Tom

ITV axe shows all the time and go back on their decision, 2 examples this year being Hells Kitchen and Ladette to Lady.

Channel 4 have never reversed the decision and I doubt they'll start with Big Brother which they've clearly wanted rid of since the race row.

Saving Big Brother might not be a good financial decision anyway. You need to factor in the cost of the show and how much revenue its creating, pure ratings don't automatically mean higher profit. Big Brother 9 and 10 apparently made a loss with BB8 making just Ł12m.

Hell's Kitchen was never axed. They just took a break from it and made it a biannual event. It'll be back in 2011. Ladette to Lady is crap but they didn't bring it back, they just imported it from Australia!

Yeah BB10 mightve made them a loss. But they can pay much less for the new deal and make it worth saving.

I hate Channel 4 for getting rid of one of their best shows! They're so stupid. It's Brookside all over again. They messed around with the scheduling and now they're paying the consequences!

[Tellymix]

Originally Posted by tmx

The difference is that Big Brother is running it a loss

Even if they replace it with a show that gets 1-2m viewers, if it's making a profit it's better than big brother.

It's no good if they get 3-4 million viewers but are spending more on the show then they are getting from it.

Yeah well they could pay a fraction of the cost they paid last time. Look how cheap BB in Australia is. Something like $20m a year which is Ł15m here. Channel 4 would be making a profit if they paid something around that!

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Tellymix

Hell's Kitchen was never axed. They just took a break from it and made it a biannual event. It'll be back in 2011. Ladette to Lady is crap but they didn't bring it back, they just imported it from Australia!

Yeah BB10 mightve made them a loss. But they can pay much less for the new deal and make it worth saving.

I hate Channel 4 for getting rid of one of their best shows! They're so stupid. It's Brookside all over again. They messed around with the scheduling and now they're paying the consequences!

Hell's Kitchen was axed, and has been axed again because its too expensive. It isn't biannual. Ladette to Lady may have been imported but it was still produced by ITV after they axed the British version and it aired over here. Its not as though its just an Australian version either, its identical in every way.

If they pay less for BB10 then the budget of the show is going to go down, and then it will be poorer. Then it will lose more viewers and Channel 4 will have the same problem yet again.

Big Brother is far from its prime, people just need to accept that and move on. Its only a TV show!

[*mazedsalv**]

The only way for this to happe is if CBB7 is a massive hit, by this I mean in the league of BB3 and BB5 (Average of 5m). And as that is looking very impossible at the moment, there is no chance.

Even if CBB7 were to get 5m average, they cant do much about it, they would have to wait a few years to put it back on air.

However i do hope BB11 finale gets really good ratings and manages to get everyone to watch BB's goodbye that used to watch it before.

[Tellymix]

The budget doesn't need to be big Tom. BB1-BB5 were on relatively low budgets. Most BBs around the world are on low budgets apart from USA, UK and a couple of other countries. But they're still entertaining.

It's mostly about the housemates which costs little. I hope if C4 don't save it, it goes to Channel 5 .

[Tellymix]

Originally Posted by *mazedsalv**

The only way for this to happe is if CBB7 is a massive hit, by this I mean in the league of BB3 and BB5 (Average of 5m). And as that is looking very impossible at the moment, there is no chance.

Actually BB3 had 8 million viewers! It's amazing how huge BB used to be.

But everything is going down in the ratings. People want to go on the computer or play games, so 2 or 3m is quite good these days for Channel 4.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Tellymix

The budget doesn't need to be big Tom. BB1-BB5 were on relatively low budgets. Most BBs around the world are on low budgets apart from USA, UK and a couple of other countries. But they're still entertaining.

It's mostly about the housemates which costs little. I hope if C4 don't save it, it goes to Channel 5 .

Expectations were much lower during BB1-5, plus they weren't as long, never had as many spin offs, didn't have a Celeb version every year and more importantly people actually watched back then.

[Tellymix]

Originally Posted by Tom

Expectations were much lower during BB1-5, plus they weren't as long, never had as many spin offs, didn't have a Celeb version every year and more importantly people actually watched back then.

They should get rid of BBLB and Big Mouth. Just have the main shows and subscriiption live feed. I'd pay for live feed and loadsa other people would. They could make money that way!

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally Posted by Tellymix

Hell's Kitchen was never axed. They just took a break from it and made it a biannual event. It'll be back in 2011. Ladette to Lady is crap but they didn't bring it back, they just imported it from Australia!

Yeah BB10 mightve made them a loss. But they can pay much less for the new deal and make it worth saving.

I hate Channel 4 for getting rid of one of their best shows! They're so stupid. It's Brookside all over again. They messed around with the scheduling and now they're paying the consequences!

But Brookside and BB have something in common, they were both hitting huge audiences and then declined rapidly.
Wasn't Brookside in the 90s hitting averages of 10m? And then some episodes of its last season was getting 700,000 viewers... the final episode got around about 2m. It was obviously going to be axed. With a loss of 9m viewers in a few years and a loss of about 88% of its audience.

Okay BB's decline hasn't been that rapid as Brookside. BB's decline hasnt been too bad, I mean lets compare BB3, its average was 5.8m, highest ever, and now lets compare BB10's average of 2.4. Its a loss of around 60%, not as bad as other shows.

One can even argue for EE, but that goes up and down like a yoyo.
The highest episode was in 1986... Den handing over the divorce papers to his wife, got 31m people watching. The lowest its ever been was 2005 i think when one episode got 3.4m. But now its back into 9m figures.
2005 was a dreadful year for EE.

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally Posted by Tellymix

Actually BB3 had 8 million viewers! It's amazing how huge BB used to be.

But everything is going down in the ratings. People want to go on the computer or play games, so 2 or 3m is quite good these days for Channel 4.

Nope the average was 5.8m. The finales peak was 10.1m.
So its comparing the averages which count, so
BB3 vs BB10
5.8M VS 2.4M

Isnt that bad when taking into account its been on for a decade.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Tellymix

Actually BB3 had 8 million viewers! It's amazing how huge BB used to be.

But everything is going down in the ratings. People want to go on the computer or play games, so 2 or 3m is quite good these days for Channel 4.

Going off the final ratings, heres how many viewers each series had.

BB1- 9.5m
BB2- 8m
BB3- 10m
BB4- 7.2m
BB5- 9m
BB6- 7.7m
BB7- 8.2m
BB8- 5.6m
BB9- 5.4m
BB10- 3.4m

Big Brother doesn't have the pulling power it once had and rather than having a strong launch rating and growing gradually throughout the series, it now peaks on launch night and drops throughout the series, sometimes with the odd rise in the middle/towards the end, then an underwhelming final rating. I'd say its unlikely it will ever have as many viewers as BB9 let alone any of the others. If it does manage to somehow climb above 5m for the CBB7 and BB11 finals, then maybe its best to let the show leave Channel 4 with its last shred of dignity in tact.

[Tellymix]

Originally Posted by *mazedsalv**

One can even argue for EE, but that goes up and down like a yoyo.
The highest episode was in 1986... Den handing over the divorce papers to his wife, got 31m people watching. The lowest its ever been was 2005 i think when one episode got 3.4m. But now its back into 9m figures.
2005 was a dreadful year for EE.

So EE used to get more than 20m and now gets 9m?! But that's not axed.

BB has lost less viewers and that gets axed. It doesn't make sense

[MarkWaldorf]

Originally Posted by Tellymix

So EE used to get more than 20m and now gets 9m?! But that's not axed.

BB has lost less viewers and that gets axed. It doesn't make sense

Eastenders isn't seen as a national embarrassment and freakshow.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Tellymix

So EE used to get more than 20m and now gets 9m?! But that's not axed.

BB has lost less viewers and that gets axed. It doesn't make sense

But ratings as a whole have decreased, but Big Brother held steady between 2000 and 2006, then seen a dramatic slump in 2007 then another in 2009 so it can't even be blamed on the same thing because that never happened to Eastenders. There is something fundamentally wrong with the show and viewers aren't responding as well as they used to.