[Jamie.....]

Will the red button live stream return?

OK, there is a lot of conflicting information about today’s non-crisis crisis meeting as Endemol chiefs and C4 bosses met to discuss the fallout from the first days of Big Brother.

Top of the agenda was the huge backlash from fans regarding the axing of the live feed, both on the red button and during the day on E4, which has triggered the most complaints of any C4 show over the last three months and over 2000 signatures to an online petition calling for live 24/7 streaming to be reinstated, with Endemol especially concerned these complaints were coming from the most loyal fans of the show.

In addition, ratings over the first weekend have been the lowest for any launch weekend of Big Brother, with just 1.8m tuning in to the non-housemate eviction last night.

These rumours have appeared on various forums, fansites and individual Facebook accounts, so it’s difficult to accredit them all to sources, but to summarise, these are the main points today from the last 4 hours.

NOTE: These are all rumours and should be treated as such. They have not been verified by either Endemol or Channel 4, and bbspy is not suggesting anything of the following is true. Or false.

•Firstly, shortly after 4pm the first reports that the meeting had been successful were posted on Digital Spy by mrmarky, an insider who has posted reliable information in the past. Shortly afterwards another two sources who have previously provided reliable information appeared to back up the news that the live “red button” feed would be reinstated, but it would be a few days before it could be put into place.
•Separate, unconfirmed, sources suggested that despite the huge number of complaints received over the axing of the live feed, and Endemol’s concern these complaints were from the fans of the show, not the critics, C4 were refusing to re-evaluate their decision, which led to Endemol issuing an ultimatum - reinstate the live feed or we’ll pull the series.
•Another unconfirmed rumour is that Endemol left the meeting believing the live feed would be reinstated, but senior bosses at C4 then over-ruled the decision.
•A number of people have contacted C4 since the rumours first leaked, and their official line is still that there will be no increase in live coverage and that the red button feed won’t be returning.
•However, later this evening more sources from within Endemol have come forward to say the live feed will be reinstated, but it will not be officially announced until everything is in place for it to happen, which will take a few days.
•Later speculation implied there could be disagreement about how to announce it’s return, with C4 wanting Endemol to handle it, but Endemol believing it is up to C4 to face the humiliation of admitting they were in the wrong and that they had underestimated the importance of the live feed to the fans.
And hence, we’re all rather confused.

For what it’s worth, bbspy did contact C4 earlier this evening and the official word was it is not returning - but as reported, if it is returning C4, in their wisdom, have decided to hold off announcing it until later in the week.

Therefore, either way it is important C4 continue to be made aware of how strongly Big Brother fans feel about the axing of the live feed, and how important we believe it being reinstated is. To contact C4, click here.

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