Tim Teeman's verdict on the axing of Celebrity Big Brother

Channel 4 has signalled the end for Big Brother after axing the controversial Celebrity version and admitting that the current series of the reality show has been a flop.

The broadcaster, facing a cash squeeze and the threat of privatisation on the 25th anniversary of its launch, is making radical changes to its schedules. American imports and reality shows will be cut to make way for a “creative renewal”.

The flagship Big Brother show has become a tarnished brand after the Shilpa Shetty racism row, which provoked 54,000 complaints and serious censure from Ofcom.

The celebrity version became Channel 4’s biggest ratings banker, attracting seven million viewers. The 2006 series, featuring George Galloway MP, was one of Channel 4’s most popular programmes. But the programme will not be returning next year. The racism row also hit ratings for the current celebrity-free series, which have slumped by almost 20 per cent.

Kevin Lygo, Channel 4’s Director of Television, said: “It’s time to give Celebrity Big Brother a rest. It dominated debate about the channel. It’s a risk and ratings will probably fall. But there is no point in Channel 4 existing if we don’t take risks and create space for new programmes.”

Mr Lygo admitted that Big Brother, now in its eighth summer, had faltered. The format needed “reinvigorating”, he said but hinted that the entire show could move to the E4 digital youth channel if its audience continues to narrow.

Channel 4 is locked into a £60 million contract with Endemol, Big Brother’s producers, until 2010. Endemol will produce a “stunt” version of Big Brother in January, when the Celebrity version would have been screened, but this will only be shown on E4.

Channel 4 denied that the Celebrity Big Brother had been axed because potential participants refused to sign up after the public vilification of Jade Goody and other housemates involved in this year’s racism row.

Big Brother programme costs have also increased for Channel 4, which recorded a 70 per cent fall in pre-tax profits this year to £14.5 million. The loss of income from premium-rate phone competitions, abandoned after the Richard and Judy scandal, has also hit the broadcaster.

American imports, such as Desperate Housewives have been vital for the channel but Mr Lygo said he was cutting £10 million, around 25 per cent, from the acquisitions budget. “These shows no longer provide value for money,” he said.

Popular homegrown shows axed include Brat Camp, Selling Houses Abroad, You Are What You Eat and It’s Me or the Dog. Taking their place will be The Family, an observational documentary series chronicling the life of one British family for six months. There will also be a season examining illiteracy amongst schoolchildren and a drama about British-born Muslim suicide bombers called Britz.

Addressing the Edinburgh International Television Festival, Mr Lygo said Channel 4 was at a “pivotal” point in its history: “Much better to be an interesting channel at 8 per cent (of the audience) than a less interesting one at 10 per cent.”

He called on programme-makers to produce fresh ideas for arts, current affairs and entertainment shows and accused the BBC of squandering the licence fee on bland shows.

Mr Lygo said: “Casualty, Holby City, Holby Blue, the real possibility of a fifth EastEnders and the factual output dominated by soft focuses on mountains, coasts, rivers, birds and heritage. The BBC should be leading the way with the new and the different and the challenging.”

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