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After 18 Series, Is 'Celebrity Big Brother' Finally For The Chop?

After 18 Series, Is 'Celebrity Big Brother' Finally For The Chop?

The curtain could be about to fall on this festival of celebrity arguments.

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

Bad news for people who are into watching people the siblings of British politicians argue violently with hip-hop artists from the early 2000s - according to industry whispers, Celebrity Big Brother might be about to be given the boot.

Yes, the Channel 5 reality show - a celebrity-centred version of the show that launched a thousand reality shows, Big Brother - will reportedly be axed by the broadcaster due to years of steady decline and falling ratings.

That means that the series that is about to air in the UK may well be the last you'll see on these shores, so you might as well try to enjoy it while you can - and if you can.

PA

According to the Daily Star's 'sources' (and doesn't it always sound trustworthy when unnamed 'sources' are quoted), after the failure of the last two series - which had the lowest ratings of any CBB series - the decision has been made to pull the plug.

Channel 5 took on the show back in 2011 after Channel 4 decided that it wasn't worth keeping on. It's pretty amazing that it's managed to last this long since then, to be quite honest.

Despite employing more and more argumentative celebrities, and introducing every gimmick under the sun, it seems as if people just aren't interested anymore and have been switching off in favour of literally anything else.

The show was on the rocks as early as last year, when the last edition - hosted by Emma Willis and won by RuPaul's Drag Race star Courtney Act - pulled in an average of 1.9m viewers.

Last series' winner, Courtney Act.
PA

At that time, a 'source' (cough) said to the Star: "There have been conversations between the execs about not renewing the contract for both Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother. It would be the end of an era, but they feel the time is right to end.

"There is still time for the bosses at Channel 5 to change their mind, but it is not looking likely. Even if they drop it, another channel or a streaming service may decide to pick it up in the future."

So has the axe finally fallen?

Another 'source' (hmmm) told the same publication: "After months of discussions it has been decided to axe Celebrity Big Brother. Ratings have dropped for the past few series, so it isn't worth the hefty price tag."

There is a human cost to this, too. CBB Bit on the Side host Rylan Clark-Neal told the Sun: "If it didn't come back, I would be utterly devastated.

"I can't imagine TV without Big Brother. When Channel 4 got rid of it, I rang the helpline in Heat magazine. I was that devastated.

"Not many reality shows can say they've been on air for 18 years. I'd love to see it make 20 years - of course I would.

"I think it's time to make Big Brother what it was. I've always had one­ ­million percent faith in the format and that it can be the greatest show on telly."

Rylan Clark, in happier times.
PA

Mate, if it was the greatest show on telly, nobody would be talking about axing it.

Still, 'one million percent'. Intriguing maths, there.

Featured Image Credit: Channel 5

Topics: Celebrity Big Brother, TV and Film, News, Big Brother, Channel 5, UK