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Big Brother is to be scrapped by Channel 4 following disappointing ratings this year, according to a report by The Sun.

Barely 2 million have been tuning in to this series of the programme, compared to 8 million only a few years ago.

A telly insider confirmed last night an official announcement will be made as early as Friday, saying: “The reality is people are BORED with it. Even at Channel 4 the vibe among staff is that if you like Big Brother you’re not cool”.

They continued: “If the people commissioning the show don’t think it’s cool, what hope is there?”

The show was launched in 2000, a “bold experiment” in which a number of morons are thrown into a neonified complex, or “house”, for the public to scrutinise and ridicule for a predetermined number of weeks.

But year by year the contestants got duller and duller.

There will be one final series next year because of Channel 4’s deal with the show producers Endemol – and Celebrity Big Brother fans are likely to get their fix in January.

UPDATED!: C4 director of television Kevin Lygo has just confirmed that next year will be the last for Big Brother, at the network’s Autumn press launch. He said: “We’ve decided it’s time to move on”, adding: “Big Brother is still profitable for Channel 4 despite its reduced popularity and there could have been the option to renew it on more favourable terms.

“That’s what a purely commercial broadcaster would have done, but Channel 4 has a public remit to champion new forms of creativity.”

Big Brother production company Endemol is now expected to take the show to another broadcaster for 2011. ITV has previously expressed interest in acquiring the rights, although Five and Sky1 are also potential candidates. But where will that leave Davina?



For our rather askew/wish-fulfillment take on the Ultimate Big Brother (in which the best housemates of the last 10 series are forced to fight in a duel to the death), click here!