Yeh, it is only a requirement due to the crowd, so without one they can do what they like. Can't say the show would suffer without it.

That's a good idea. Save money by having no actors whatsoever. Just have half an hour of an empty living-room. Should increase the laugh quota.

Would they bother though? While they want Big Brother to do reasonably for their income it's not like they're looking to return it to it's former glory. Would they waste money on paying other channels to promote an axed show?

By the way, there's a suggestion on the soap forum that the reason that Coronation Street has moved to 9pm during Britain's Got Talent week is not just to be boosted by Britain's Got Talent, but also because some of the subject matter is explored in a way which is a bit dark for a pre-watershed slot. How true this is I don't know, but it could result in interesting ratings - would a family audience really want to watch something quite that bleak waiting for Britain's Got Talent to return?

ITV really need to change their promo for ITV Player. According to them, The Prisoner is 'amazing drama you cannot miss'.


It's Coronation Street - a recognisable name, so yes. Plus, not the entire half an hour I don't think will be bleak.

Besides, ITV need to actually promote that its on at 9pm, which they haven't done yet. Come on ITV, pull your finger out! So far during Buble and BGT, I've seen numerous adverts for the World Cup, some for the National Movie Awards and now a generic ITV2 adverts. And then they wonder why their soaps are struggling...

Maybe they're just getting desperate?


They probably fear that promoting it now would just confuse people for next week. I think the heavy promotion will come next weekend - besides, it'll probably get the biggest lead out of the year so far anyway (The EastEnders Live episode makes me say 'probably' instead of 'definitely').

Probably is, it isn't owned by that sap anyway

Exactly 'Coronation Street all the week after next at 9pm on ITV1' or 'Coronation Street, Monday 31st May to Friday 4th June at 9pm on ITV1' aren't very snappy.

They will probably start advertising early next week. Plus there is an element of it being a spoiler if it starts too early.

They have been advertising quite a bit, billboards etc.

I reckon their next wheeze is to send some Z list celebs to Fiji, see if they can pull each other over a five week period, but it won't be called Love Island because of the bad publicity last time and will be named Celebrities in Love. Audience figures will average 1.5 million and fall below 1 million as viewers die of boredom by the final week. However, HEAT magazine will give it massive publicity and the scene in the Sexshack( not Loveshack) where Lucy Pinder decides whether she prefers a male or a female nonentity out of Hollyoaks will get a centre spread. ITV bosses will claim it is a massive success and BARB fiddled the figures for Marco as it really attracted 20 million viewers and Celebrities in Love was a milestone in British broadcasting.

No French Open coverage from the BBC on Freeview today was a bit of a hammer blow.

I trust it will be there tomorrow for the Murray game, otherwise me and the BBC might have a bit of a falling out, and that wouldn't be pretty.

Just seen an advert for Father and Son on ITV1, and I quote: 'over four consecutive nights', which all but confirms Monday 7th June to Thursday 10th June.

You really detest reality TV and soaps, don't you Glenn !

Well they've spent enough money already - that ad must be the most expensive promo they've ever done for Big Brother, and they're also shelling out on billboard ads so advertisements on other channels isn't beyond the realms of possibility.


Hopefully it's more 'explosive' than 'bleak' - and knowing Corrie there'll be enough light relief to offset the drama (they tend to run a humorous subplot alongside anyway). In terms of content ITV have already said it won't be anything that they couldn't have aired pre-watershed.

Brilliant.

So what are they airing on Friday? They could put The Bill there, I suppose, as it seems to be losing the Tuesday slot.

Probably a film from 20:30 (run Corrie for 1 hour instead of 2 x 30 minute episodes), as on BBC1 will be the first World Cup game.

Another bunch of overhyped underachievers - England in the World Cup!



Not sure they'll go for ITV - but it's ridiculous that C4 didn't seem to realise that effort = ratings until after they axed it. It's a weird one though - most shows axed don't have 100+ hours to go.

Uruguay v France - it won't be the biggest crowd puller but then it does involve one of the big sides. I reckon ITV shjould try The Bill out there, with the usual schedule lined up before it. It might pull in a few more viewers who don't like the football.

A bit like the Welsh Rugby team then .


I bet ITV will air a load of repeats on days the BBC has matches. In 2006, all they seemed to show were Midsomer Murder and Rosemary & Thyme repeats! If it's not repeats, it'll probably be low budget documentaries or something like Australian Ladette to Lady.

Oh, you mean Channel 4 could reconsider if it all of sudden started getting 3m to 4m each night?

Not so much soaps, but reality shows leave me cold as they take work away from actors and scriptwriters and are just a blight on television. A lot of actors would tell you the same, unless you hit lucky and land a role in a soap or make it in Hollywood, they are killing roles for aspiring actors who 20 years ago could have started in a sitcom, a drama or a soap. Also most of them have no repeat or DVD value.Sadly, though, the beancounters see them as worthwhile as they're cheap and disposable.
Deep down I am a television traditionalist at heart, growing up in the three channel era when great shows would pull in 20 million viewers and the cream of the acting and comedy profession were still around. I know this era has gone, but a brisk trade in DVDs for programmes like Rising Damp suggests these programmes are timeless. Who in 33 years time would buy a DVD of Big Brother or even remember it?

I can tell you've never been in the Big Brother forum...

Just today that it's not on Freeview according to BBC Sport website. Bring back 302!

London was just (finally) cooling down when BGT is on, I reckon it'll hold up fairly well, especially towards the end.

DVD value is so little these days. The broadcasters probably make zilch from dramas they don't make themselves as all the money probably goes to the production company. Yeah, they're generally more repeatable than reality shows but shows like BGT/TXF also repeat exceptionally well for ITV2/ITV1 daytime.

I think Big Brother, despite all its flaws, will be remembered in 30 years time as one of the most influential shows of the '00s.

And currently make the most money for the channels, which is where commercial television needs. Each genre has a spurt, and this is reality television's time. It'll die out as a new genre comes to the fore.

It's a shame Digital TV came about in a way. They say that competition increases quality but instead it's just dented all around it due to a decrease in funds.