[Mrluvaluva]

BB in crisis


From The Daily Star

BIG Brother bosses are holding daily crisis meetings in a bid to save the show from dying on its feet.

Viewing figures have bombed and fans are screaming that the series has become a big bore.

They are switching off in their droves because:
* Colourful characters and troublemakers like Chanelle Hayes, 19, and Charley Uchea, 22, have either walked or been evicted.

* All the blossoming romances in the house have gone down the pan – leaving no hope of any sex action.

* Stunts – like the £100,000 cash award, the fake week and the gurus picking the evictee – have all flopped.

Last night an insider said: “Big Brother 8 promised so much but has given viewers very little.

“Channel 4 cannot hide the fact that ratings are down.

“And with just 11 days to go before the finale, we need to make sure we end with a bang.”

The show has had trouble winning viewers from the start.

It should be averaging at least 4.5 million viewers as it reaches its climax.

But it has been struggling to get 3.5m recently.

Its fan base – largely young girls and gay men – thought the opening night where 11 women entered the house was a turn-off.

And subsequent stunts and new housemates have failed to impress.

Flings between Ziggy Lichman, 26, and Chanelle, Amy Alexandra, 21, and Liam McGough, 23, and also Brian Belo, 20, and Amanda Marchant, 19, have all ended.

And there is now virtually no chance of viewers seeing any hanky-panky in the house before the finale.

Fans also think the stunts have been a disaster.

Bosses thought they could stir things up by asking three housemates to choose someone to win the £100,000 prize money before the show had even ended. But everyone seemed perfectly happy for Liam to have the cash.

The great fake week – with actress Thaila Zucchi, 26, pretending she was a housemate from Aussie BB – also flopped.

Carole Vincent, 53, sussed she was a fake.

And on Friday, BB tried to add a twist by making “gurus” Ziggy, Tracey Barnard, 37, and the twins pick the person to be evicted. But the plan backfired when Gerry Stergiopoulos, 31, begged the gang to boot him out.

Now producers are desperately trying to keep viewers tuned in.

A source said: “There are some plans in the offing to spice up the show before the finale.”

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news_detail.html?sku=2200