Press Release from Craig Phillip's PA:-
Quote:
BB CRAIG – HAPPY AND SAD THAT BB ON C4 WILL END IN 2010.
Comments from Craig Phillips are as follows;
“I am happy and sad that C4 will not be renewing their contract with Endemol beyond 2010 for the rights to televise Big Brother.
I think whilst the show and the format remains popular, whilst popularity of a reality show is driven by characters and the public engaging with the contestants , Big Brother is undoubtedly tired. The bottom line though is that Big Brother remains a highly profitable show for any broadcaster and so I can’t see any reason why another broadcaster wouldn’t want to pick up the UK rights for 2011 and beyond – people remain transfixed by reality television which Big Brother is originally responsible for. I think Channel 4’s director of television Kevin Lygo is right in that it would be so easy to renew contracts for financial reasons but the format perhaps needs some fresh creative input.
I think the best thing for next years final C4 show would be for C4 to go out with a bang in style by making 2010 a best of the best show – with all the 10 winners, perhaps some surprise Celebrity BB housemates and notable BB housemates from the years entering the house – I think the public would be engaged with their favourite characters returning and it would be great to see how the winners bond or not bond as the case may be. This would be a great way to celebrate one of the most important shows in recent television history.
I’ve met all the other winners and get on well with all I think it would be great to see how all the winners get on though in the house, we all would want to win for our chosen charity and am sure our experiences pre and post winning Big Brother would make for interesting viewing. Imagine how A Geordie stud, a Welsh actress and model, a Scottish fisherman turned broadcaster , a transgender, a tourettes sufferer, an Essex boy, an Irish gay gent, a top lady DJ , this years winner and myself a Liverpudlian builder would get on!. Although none of us have anything to prove (although we all might have something to prove as we are all competitive and would like to be the ultimate Big Brother winner) we would all be competing hard to win the publics votes and perhaps funds could go to appropriate cancer charities in memory of Jade Goody. I for one would certainly be happy to discuss something like this with Endemol and C4 and would be willing to help them to bring all the winners together and make this final year as exciting and entertaining as possible.
I feel beyond 2010 if Endemol did work with another UK terrestrial or satellite broadcaster, producers should use the opportunity to take a step back and review how they can best revitalise and improve aspects of the format for the future.”
