TV calls up its top guns in the war for viewers

ITV chiefs have called up big guns Robbie Williams, Simon Cowell and Ant and Dec to blitz Big Brother 7 this summer.

Network bosses plan British telly’s most cut-throat reality ratings battle ever – using more than 30 celebs on three top shows.

The gloves are off as Channel 4 and ITV1 fight to grab young viewers and an ITV1 executive warned last night: “We’re taking no prisoners.”

C4 fired the first shots by announcing plans to extend BB7 by a fortnight – to 13 weeks – and move it from 10pm to prime time.

But ITV aims to blow BB, hosted by Davina McCall, 38, out of the water by putting on three major shows head-to-head. It promises to be a sizzling summer for viewers, with the World Cup to look forward to as well. ITV believes BB will struggle to compete with Celebrity Love Island, hosted by Denise Van Outen, 31, and Soccer Idol, which will feature Robbie Williams, 31.

There’ll also be Celebrity Pop Idol, with Ant and Dec, both 30 and, US commitments allowing, Simon Cowell, 46. Celebrity Pop Idol will see top name showbiz stars competing in a talent-singing contest. And Soccer Idol will see stars battling it out on the football pitch.

Shock

A senior ITV source said: “Channel 4 has had it all its own way with Big Brother in previous years – it isn’t going to happen again.

“We have plans to target Big Brother this summer and reckon we have the shows to blow it away.

“Channel 4 only has Big Brother and it’s in for a nasty shock.

“Summer 2006 is going to be very, very, different from the past few years.”

But C4 bosses are confident that BB7 will be a smash, following the success of Celebrity BB, won by Chantelle Houghton, 22.

C4’s director of television Kevin Lygo said: “I don’t want to give too much away but ITV won’t have it all its own way. We aim to be more tactical.

“ITV will no doubt have plans to target shows against us and move Coronation Street around, but we’re confident.”