It was announced today that Big Brother will be finishing next year after its 11th series. I can't say I'm surprised, it's just run out of steam and come to the end of it's natural shelf life. It's no longer must see TV and we've seen it all before!
This is the first year that I haven't really followed or got into Big Brother properly. I've watched the occasional show almost through habit as I've always watched it during the summer over the last 10 years.
I knew the writing was on the wall for the show when I gave up watching half way through last year's series.
I was just bored with it. I can't even remember the name of the girl who won last year, yet I still remember those contestants who won the first 4 or 5 series.
This year has seen the lowest audience viewing figures in the show's history. I don't think it's the show's fault, people have just moved on.
Back in 2000 before Big Brother began, I remember reading about the original first series which started in Holland. I thought the whole concept sounded really interesting and I was determined to make sure that I watched the series when it started in the UK.
The novelty of watching a house full of strangers has worn off. The first set of contestants didn't know what they were letting themselves in for, the programme was still seen as being some sort of psychological social experiment.
As we all know this soon changed, and contestants emerged from the experience as minor celebrities and before you knew it the whole show became a vehicle for any talentless wannabe to try and become a Z list celebrity!
Well we've seen it all before now. All the same types of characters, having the same types of relationships, arguments, and ups and downs.
Perhaps if the programme makers had tried to return the series back to its original concept of a social experiment, and picked more 'normal' people who had no interest in showing off to the camera or trying to forge a celebrity career, then the programme may have been able to continue and appear interesting and relevant, but they haven't.
When I go to work nobody talks about the show anymore in the way that they used to in previous years. What I find most telling is that none of the tabloid newspapers have even bothered to cover the show in any real depth this year.
Instead we've had a relentless daily diet of stories about Jordan and Peter Andre's breakup. If the tabloids can't even be bothered anymore you know the programme is on its last legs.
I will probably make an effort to watch some of the series next year as a way of saying goodbye, but all I can say is that Big Brother has had a good run, and it's a good time to bring it to an end.
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