Channel 5 has signed a deal to air Endemol reality show Big Brother later this year, it has been revealed.

The hit show, which launched the careers of Jade Goody, Kate Lawler and 'Nasty' Nick Bateman, was dropped by Channel 4 last year after a decade on air and 11 series. The programme also spawned a number of hit spinoffs and sister shows such as Big Brother's Little Brother and Celebrity Big Brother.

A full confirmation of the programme's return details is expected to be announced tomorrow. However, according to The Guardian, the deal will apparently last five years and a Celebrity edition is expected to begin in August. A traditional non-celebrity edition will follow in September.

Richard Desmond's Channel 5 has been linked to Big Brother since last summer when it concluded on Channel 4. Negotiations between the broadcaster and producers Endemol have broken down on several occasions, but they have now finally reached an agreement.

A report in the Desmond-owned Daily Star earlier this month suggested that stars such as Charlie Sheen, Mohammed al-Fayed and Amy Childs would be approached to take part in the first Celebrity series on the channel.

Davina McCall, who hosted every series on Channel 4, previously ruled herself out of presenting the show again. Vanessa Feltz, Brian Dowling, Jeff Brazier and Emma Willis are the early bookmakers' favourites to land the job.

A SENSATIONAL Golden Ticket contest will give Daily Star readers the chance to win a place in the all-new Big ­Brother house.

They could then scoop the show’s £500,000 top prize and celebrity status with the potential to earn millions more.

We are launching the greatest newspaper competition ever to mark the return of the spy-on-the-wall favourite this year.

You could become a household name overnight, win the £½million jackpot and make a fortune from advertising and magazine deals by establishing yourself as real celebrity.

We will be offering FIVE Golden Tickets daily from Monday to Saturday, for a fortnight in the build-up to the show returning in its new home on Channel 5.

That gives 60 readers a chance of telly fame. Everyone who gets their hands on a prized ticket will be invited to London to audition for one place in the show.

The prize is inspired by the one Willy Wonka offered in the Roald Dahl story Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and made into a movie, starring Gene Wilder as the choc tycoon. Johnny Depp starred in a recent remake.

A BB source said: “This offers the chance of winning a genuine life-changing opportunity for the price of a Daily Star.

“We reckon the nation will go Big Brother barmy. This has got to be the most astonishing prize ever offered by a newspaper.” Five years ago a contest which hid golden tickets in chocolate bars proved a huge hit.

Winner of the “golden ticket” was Suzie Verrico, 43, from Kent after her number was picked out in a draw of the 35 prize-holders, but Tourette’s sufferer Pete Bennett, 29, took the title that year.

A similar move was also tried on the Brazilian version of Big Brother when two fans entered the house and one, 21-year-old nanny Cida, ended up winning.

That could now be YOU.

The sensational giveaway means you could be up there with former BB winners Kate Lawler, 30, Jade Goody, 27, Nadia Almada, 34, and Ultimate Champ Brian Dowling, 32 .

Channel 5’s new-look BB kicks off with an all-star version this summer, followed by a series featuring the public in September.

The 24/7 live feed will return along with features to make it the hottest and raunchiest BB ever.

Channel 5 Programmes Director Jeff Ford said: “We’re hugely excited.”

Damn! Just when I thought id got my summers back

if youre lucky and I mean extremely lucky, I may even play your game this year