Channel 4 axes Celebrity Big Brother in wake of Shilpa race row

[mc_squared]

Channel 4 axes Celebrity Big Brother in wake of Shilpa race row

 

Last updated at 14:28pm on 24th August 2007 Comments (8)

Channel 4 is axing next year's series of Celebrity Big Brother, it announced today.

The move, which comes after the race row that engulfed the previous series, is part of a programme of "creative renewal", according to the broadcaster.

The highly successful series, which attracts huge ratings, is expected to return in 2009.

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This year's Celebrity Big Brother was embroiled in controversy after several contestants including Jade Goody (left), were accused of racist bullying towards Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty

 

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• Jack spotted with mystery lady days after splitting with Jade Goody

The decision also comes after this year's series of the standard non-celebrity Big Brother has failed to make as big a splash as usual, even though it has still attracted healthy ratings.

The broadcaster said the decision is unrelated and is part of a policy to clear almost all returning series from the heart of its peak time schedule in the first half of 2008 in pursuit of new and adventurous programming.

Channel 4 is marking its 25th anniversary with sweeping schedule changes.

A host of returning series such as You Are What You Eat, Brat Camp and It's Me or the Dog will come to an end.

The only returning series now currently scheduled on Channel 4 at 9pm for the first half of 2008 is Grand Designs.

The decision not to run Celebrity Big Brother will mean 29 hours of new programmes will be needed to fill the gap in January.

To pay for these programmes, the channel will reduce its annual spend on acquired US TV series by £10 million next year.

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A record 54,000 viewers complained at the allegedly racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty by the likes of Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O'Meara

 

Endemol are working on a Big Brother type show for digital channel E4 to screen when Celebrity Big Brother would normally be broadcast.

Celebrity Big Brother sparked huge controversy earlier this year when a record 54,000 viewers complained at the allegedly racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty by the likes of Jade Goody and Danielle Lloyd.

Gordon Brown, then visiting India, was drawn into the row.

Channel 4 was forced to broadcast apologies ahead of the start of the current eighth series of Big Brother, following an Ofcom ruling which revealed that further instances of racial abuse had occurred but not been shown to the public.

Comedian Jack Dee won the first series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2001. Other winners since it became an annual event have included Mark Owen, Bez, non-celebrity Chantelle Houghton, and Shetty.

The show, which would have been the sixth series next year, has also featured appearances from names like Michael Barrymore, George Galloway and Pete Burns.

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Big Brother presenter Davina McCall with Dermott O'Leary

 

Channel 4's Director of Television and Content Kevin Lygo admitted that this year's Big Brother was not as good as last year's.

Referring to the race row, he said of the decision to axe next year's series of Celebrity Big Brother: "Of course it's part of the way January was."

Julian Bellamy, in his new capacity as head of programmes at Channel 4, admitted: "One of the consequences of the race row and the Ofcom investigation was it felt that Big Brother was part of a national conversation in February, March, April, and May, when traditionally it was off our screens.

"As a result if feels like it has never been away this year so it is particularly apt to rest it."

But he added: "The overwhelming reason for doing this is a proactive positive move for creative space ... part of a wide process of creative renewal."

He said: "We have continuously enjoyed an extraordinary period of success in recent years. Channel 4 has always had an uncanny knack of renewing itself before it becomes too stuck in its ways."

Now was the moment to kick-start a period of creative renewal "to meet the next television age", he said.

It was time to stop doing "big successful series that have served us well through the years", he said "in the most ambitious project ever undertaken by the Channel".

He said the decision would protect "the long-term health of Big Brother".

He admitted the decision was a "risk" but added: "We think Big Brother is a brilliant show. In the longer term I think the format will benefit from having some breathing space."

He admitted Channel 4 was "highly unlikely to replicate the audiences of Celebrity Big Brother", but added: "It's a public service decision."

All broadcasters were losing share as a result of the digital revolution and as that was going to happen regardless: "It was better to be an interesting channel with slightly less share," he said.

The programming will be replaced with a "mixed bag" of new documentary series, dramas, and factual programming. The contract to run Big Brother with Endemol runs until 2010.

Selling Houses Abroad will also be scrapped as part of the changes.

[mc_squared]

Has Channel Four sounded the death knell for reality TV?

 

By PAUL REVOIR - More by this author » Last updated at 22:46pm on 24th August 2007 Comments (8)

Celebrity Big Brother is to be scrapped following accusations of racist bullying during the last series.

Channel 4 will turn its back on the reality show - and four other successful programmes - as it aims to concentrate on new, high-quality material.

However, industry insiders believe the decision not to run the celebrity show in 2008 may herald the beginning of the end for Big Brother.

 

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Controversy: Jade Goody (left) was accused of racist bullying towards Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty

 

Read more...

• Jack spotted with mystery lady days after splitting with Jade Goody
  
• Paxman wanrs the BBC: Make quality programmes or perish

 

 

Ratings for the current non-celebrity series are down on last year. And Channel 4 admitted yesterday that the summer version could be moved from Channel 4 to the smaller digital channel E4 in future.

Critics have accused Channel 4 of going downmarket in recent months, saying it has become over-reliant on reality, lifestyle and factual entertainment shows.

The broadcaster described its planned changes as a "creative overhaul". But the revamp is likely to cost it ratings and money.

Other programmes to be culled include Brat Camp - a reality programme which puts troublesome teenagers through a boot camp.

The dog training show It's Me Or The Dog, property programme Selling Houses Abroad and Gillian McKeith's lifestyle programme You Are What You Eat will also go.

In January, Celebrity Big Brother attracted 54,000 complaints from viewers over the alleged racist bullying of Shilpa Shetty, an Indian housemate and Bollywood actress.

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Bullying: Jade (centre), Danielle Lloyd (right) and Jo O'Meara were all accused of racism

 

 

It led to a diplomatic incident that overshadowed Gordon Brown's visit to India.

Ofcom ruled earlier this year that Channel 4 had breached the broadcasting code with "serious editorial misjudgments".

The broadcaster aired three apologies ahead of the current, noncelebrity series, after it was accused of mishandling of the racist footage.

The broadcaster says the programming revamp is designed to refresh its schedules and re-assert its public service credentials.

But others believe it is a direct result of the damage Big Brother did to Channel 4's reputation.

The broadcaster has also stopped making money from phone-in competitions after several scandals across TV.

Julian Bellamy, head of programmes for the channel, said: "We have decided not to do Celebrity Big Brother on C4 in 2008, freeing up almost 30 hours of nine o'clock programming for a raft of new shows.

"In terms of Celebrity Big Brother at some point next year we will take a view on whether it returns to Channel 4 in 2009."

He said the decision to scrap it was a "public service decision".

But Kevin Lygo, Channel 4's director of TV, appeared to admit that the decision had in part been the result of January's show. He also acknowledged that this year's Big Brother was not as good as last year's had been.

The broadcaster, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, said it was giving Celebrity Big Brother "breathing space" by not showing it next year.

However, the format might return to our screens in the future, it added.

Mr Bellamy added: "One of the consequences of the race row and the Ofcom investigation was it felt that Big Brother was part of a national conversation in February, March, April, and May, when traditionally it was off our screens.

"As a result if feels like it has never been away this year so it is particularly apt to rest it."

Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan has previously admitted that the series has given the broadcaster an image problem.

It has also been criticised by the channel's deputy chairman Lord Puttnam.

 

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Presenters: Davina McCall with Dermott O'Leary

 

 

This year, eight million watched the opening show of Celebrity Big Brother, and 7.3million tuned in for its final programme. The show achieved an average of 4.5 million viewers.

Only last year, Channel 4 signed a new deal with producers Endemol to make the series for another three years from 2008 until 2010.

BBC STAFF ON £150,000 JUNKET

The BBC is spending about £150,000 sending almost 160 executives on a TV junket.

Although it is cutting jobs, saying it is strapped for cash, the corporation has forked out £70,000 on tickets for the Edinburgh Television Festival.

It is thought to be paying about £30,000 for accommodation and £15,000 on travel. Once other expenses are added, the real cost is believed to be more than £150,000.

Researchers and producers to senior managers across all the BBC's departments will attend the festival this weekend.

But politicians condemned the move.

Conservative MP Philip Davies, who sits on Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said: "It strikes me as quite extraordinary that any organisation, particularly one who claims to be under financial pressure, can send this many people.

"I certainly don't think people who are struggling to pay for their licence will be impressed that it is being used for a jaunt."

The BBC said debate at the festival tends to be dominated by BBC issues. "We think it is entirely reasonable to be adequately represented at this important event."

[Black Rose]

Excellent :)

[mc_squared]

Excellent :)

 

The trouble is, it isn't for ever.:angry:

[Black Rose]

But it means TV will be Bog Brother free for longer.