Big Brother Set for Major Format Overhaul as ITV Axes Celebrity Edition
The iconic reality television show Big Brother is reportedly poised for a substantial format transformation, with plans to extend its civilian version by an additional week. This development comes in the wake of ITV's decision to suspend the celebrity edition of the programme for at least two years, a move attributed to the broadcaster's ongoing budget constraints and strategic realignments.
Historic Revival and Recent Successes
Originally launching on Channel 4 in the year 2000 before transitioning to Channel 5, Big Brother experienced a revival under ITV in 2023 after a multi-year hiatus. The rebooted series has seen notable winners, including Jordan Sangha in the inaugural revival series and Ali Bromley in the subsequent edition. Richard Storry was crowned the public's favourite housemate following the conclusion of the third series in November of last year.
The broadcaster also successfully reintroduced the celebrity iteration, with victories for Ibiza Weekender personality David Potts and Coronation Street actor Jack P. Shepherd. However, ITV has since opted to place Celebrity Big Brother on hold, with sources confirming the civilian version remains a priority and is actively being developed for future seasons.
Format Extension and Cost-Efficiency
Insiders have revealed that an extension of the civilian Big Brother series by one week is under serious consideration. This proposed change responds to fan feedback suggesting that the most compelling drama and action within the house typically unfolds during the latter stages of the competition.
A source close to the production elaborated, stating, "Extending by a week is something fans have been calling for as past runs have shown the action really only heats up in the latter days." The source further emphasised the financial rationale behind focusing on the civilian format, noting, "The civilian one is far cheaper to produce than celebrity so the return on investment is worth the while. ITV really is committed to the format and has lots of ideas to keep the civilian version as exciting as possible."
ITV's Broader Budgetary Pressures
This strategic shift occurs against a backdrop of significant financial cutbacks at ITV. The broadcaster has implemented reductions across several of its flagship programmes, including a decreased episode count for the long-running soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale. Daytime staples such as Lorraine and Loose Women have also seen their annual broadcasting schedules reduced from a full year to approximately thirty weeks.
ITV's Director of Television, Kevin Lygo, addressed the challenges surrounding the celebrity format at last year's Edinburgh TV Festival. He explained, "Celebrity Big Brother, we're looking at. We're thinking not on the main channel, that's the answer. It's so difficult now to book big celebrities, famous people, which is what we need on the main channel. Whereas you can go more interesting and niche on ITV2." Lygo confirmed ongoing negotiations regarding production costs but reaffirmed the show's importance to the network's portfolio.
Uncertainty for Presenting Duo
The future of the show's presenting team, AJ Odudu and Will Best, remains uncertain amidst these changes. Both hosts anchored the main series and its now-axed Late And Live spin-off. An insider noted the professional dilemma this creates, stating, "Both hosts will plan most of their other TV work around fronting Big Brother, but that’s incredibly difficult when so much is up in the air. AJ, in particular, will have plenty of offers and usually makes decisions on taking other jobs based on recording dates for BB, as it’s her biggest gig and commitment."
With Celebrity Big Brother officially rested until at least 2027, the focus now turns to how ITV will reinvent the core civilian format to captivate audiences while navigating a tightened budgetary landscape. The proposed extension signifies a commitment to evolving the series for its dedicated fanbase.
