It was the trailblazing show which became the blueprint for the reality TV phenomenon.
But after a decade of controversy Big Brother was finally axed following a dramatic fall in viewing figures. The series which made Jade Goody a household name will air for the last time in 2010 with a celebrity version in January and a final series of BB11 in the summer. Channel 4 chiefs decided not to renew the contract with makers Endemol after viewing figures, solid for almost a decade, frequently dropped below a million for the current series. That compares to a peak audience of 10 million who watched Kate Lawler win Big Brother 3 in 2002. Julian Bellamy, head of Channel 4, described the decision as “the most fundamental creative overhaul” in the channel’s 27-year history. He said: “Big Brother has been our most influential and popular programme over the last decade.
“It’s been hugely innovative in its own right, provoked a really astonishing level of public debate and has been an under-appreciated showcase for social diversity and youth culture.”