[James]

From Times Online
December 8, 2008

Dreams to sponsor Celebrity Big Brother

Patrick Foster

Dreams, the Buckinghamshire-based bed retailer, was today unveiled as the new sponsor of Channel 4’s Celebrity Big Brother.

The company has agreed a deal thought to be worth around £800,000 to sponsor the broadcaster's flagship programme, after Virgin Media pulled out of a partnership with the show in November, citing a 'shift in emphasis' in its marketing strategy.

Carphone Warehouse, Celebrity Big Brother’s previous sponsor, terminated its association with the show in the middle of its 2007 run, after allegations of racism towards Shilpa Shetty, the Indian actress, which generated a record 45,000 complaints to Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog.

Channel 4 tried to rehabilitate Big Brother by 'resting' the celebrity format in 2008. It will return to the nation’s screens on January 2 next year.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle5309302.ece