Skip to main content

Report: "Uncertain future" after "ratings disaster"

I really don't buy their excuse that it was originally supposed to be for 7+ too - to my knowledge they've not commissioned anything that significant exclusively for 7+. At least they acknowledge the forced dating aspect was a mistake, but we told them that the second it was announced (and it was announced for 7, not 7+).

It is also worth noting he doesn't actually rule it out completely for 2024 either, but just says it would have to be pre-recorded if they did it in 2024. Not quite sure I get the logic in that argument - if they've not got the house now but get it in time for a series to air this year surely if anything it'll more likely need to be live rather than have a house ready at least 2-3 months earlier to pre-record it.


Frankly though it all feels like lip service and I suspect when the 2025 "upfronts" come around they'll be a little footnote that Big Brother has been axed.
 
Brekkie said:
I really don't buy their excuse that it was originally supposed to be for 7+ too - to my knowledge they've not commissioned anything that significant exclusively for 7+. At least they acknowledge the forced dating aspect was a mistake, but we told them that the second it was announced (and it was announced for 7, not 7+).

It is also worth noting he doesn't actually rule it out completely for 2024 either, but just says it would have to be pre-recorded if they did it in 2024. Not quite sure I get the logic in that argument - if they've not got the house now but get it in time for a series to air this year surely if anything it'll more likely need to be live rather than have a house ready at least 2-3 months earlier to pre-record it.


Frankly though it all feels like lip service and I suspect when the 2025 "upfronts" come around they'll be a little footnote that Big Brother has been axed.
Click to expand...

I think it'd probably be something to do with lease agreements on the house, or programming blocks.

As in - they either cannot find a space to rent for the amount of time needed for a live series this year, or they don't have the space amongst their other "incredible" content to fit a live series in.
 
Another possibility is that conducting a live season is a very different type of show when it comes to pre-production, production and post. Maybe they don't think they'd be able to do all the necessary groundwork and preparation to get one off the ground this year.
 
up_all_night said:
Another possibility is that conducting a live season is a very different type of show when it comes to pre-production, production and post. Maybe they don't think they'd be able to do all the necessary groundwork and preparation to get one off the ground this year.
Click to expand...
Indeed, you need a lot more cameramen, editors, etc for a live reality TV series as opposed to a prerecorded one.
 
Zcsund1234 said:

Programmer’s Wrap 2024: Seven​


EXCLUSIVE:

Seven Head of Scheduling Brook Hall admits to being “excited and nervous” about the start of the entertainment battle for eyeballs in 2024.

SAS Australia is also due towards the end of the year, but Seven is undecided about Big Brother for 2024 or whether to return to a Live format in 2025. Hall admits to problems with 2023’s pre-recorded series.

“We originally were going to do it for 7plus and pushed it too much into the relationship space. We can put our hand up with that. Second, do we go back to Live? That’s a whole different show to what has been made here in Australia for 10 years.

“We could do it this year, but it would probably have to be pre-recorded,” he reveals.

“We’re committed to doing Big Brother, but if we’re going to do it Live, that means you obviously need to have a house and lock in a specific date. Plus, it would run longer, because we would want to do it properly.”

So is the show in contention for 2024 or 2025?

“I would say that Big Brother is very likely to come back. It’s just where….”

tvtonight.com.au

Programmer's Wrap 2024: Seven | TV Tonight

Australian Idol, The 1% Club, UK hit Mr Bates v the Post Office kick off Seven's year of new & returning shows -plus will Big Brother return?
tvtonight.com.au tvtonight.com.au
Click to expand...
"Big Brother is going live in 2025, please welcome your host, Sonia Kruger!" is the most likely (and most ideal) outcome here me thinks!

Give the show a rest for 2024, people are goldfish, and by the time 2025 rolls around they wont even remember the shitshow of season 2023.
 
Gayspie said:
"Big Brother is going live in 2025, please welcome your host, Sonia Kruger!" is the most likely (and most ideal) outcome here me thinks!

Give the show a rest for 2024, people are goldfish, and by the time 2025 rolls around they wont even remember the shitshow of season 2023.
Click to expand...
Since people are goldfish nobody will even remember Sonia exists and a brand new host will be found - one that can think on their feet in a live situation.
 
We’ve touched in this topic a bit before but I just watched the most recent episode of a series called History of Power Rangers and the guy brought up a pretty good point…

Millennials to an extent unlike previous generations still have attachments to things we grew up with. We didn’t have the same type of upbringing as our parents and things like the internet meant we could share our interests with more people than previous generations. The need to move on from just wasn’t there and many of this generation are still following “childish” franchises we grew up with. The fact that we have rewatch threads in both the BBAU and the international forms says a lot.

My point being a future revival of BBAU shouldn’t necessarily be targeted at today’s younger audience but rather those of us that were BB’s target audience when the show was in it’s prime. If you can win over the long time fans then naturally everything else should fall in to place. Millennials are old enough now to have kids within that “target” demographic and so provided the show is produced for a wide audience (as it had been in the earlier years) it can be something they can share together.

Going back to Power Rangers for a moment there’s been a change in recent years where the franchise has shifted from being produced strictly as children’s entertainment to something that while still relatively tame tries to appease “older” fans while still falling within the realm of children’s entertainment. It seems to be working quite well and there’s a buzz around the franchise I haven’t seen in a while.

Obviously BB’s target audience skews slightly older than a show like Power Rangers but I think the same sort of principles apply. A future revival doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, it’s more of a “if you build it they will come” situation.

Here’s the episode I referenced… I think Linkara does a pretty good job explaining what I’m talking about and he talks about it in his opening so you don’t have to watch the whole retrospective to get the point.

 
Last edited:
BBUK somewhat struck that balance, and the UK revival of Gladiators walks the line perfectly between nostalgia and being a show that feels fresh for 2024.
 
Brekkie said:
BBUK somewhat struck that balance, and the UK revival of Gladiators walks the line perfectly between nostalgia and being a show that feels fresh for 2024.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I think the “updates” the show needs are pretty obvious. The days of a series lasting 100 days are a thing of the past, enhancing the tasks, diversity in casting, etc. In 2024 and beyond what’s going to sell BB is essentially being the opposite of what we’ve come to expect from a modern reality show.
 
In terms of presenters, normally I’d make a case about how the slate needs to be wiped clean but I think in this case brining back Gretel is a smart choice… If they can get her excited about the show again I think she raised a very good point when she was rumoured to be returning for the last revival that you didn’t just watch the show to see what would happen but also what she was going to say. With the show shifting back to more of a social experiment/experience I think there’s a lot to be said about the way that Gretel understands people and her years of “experience” that could bring a lot to the show. I also think that playing on the fact that she’s “older” but presenting a show that’s trying to be “younger” and “cool” again is something that could find quite funny.

This interview I think really shows what I’m talking about in terms of her sort of understanding and interest in people and how her age is actually more of a benefit than a hindrance. I think it also highlights the fact that while she’s physically “matured” she doesn’t come across in a way that feels “old” if that makes sense.


There’s also this clip that I referenced above… Even watching this clip after the fact there’s still a sort of sense of excitement and nostalgia about it. You can kind of imagine Gretel talking about how a revival is going back to a more authentic version of itself and how exciting it could be. I think it also highlights her ability as a presenter to be unscripted, passionate about the show, and effortlessly comedic.


Now Mike on the other hand I’d leave as part of the past… I’d bring in someone perhaps like Leon Murray as narrator. Someone that could bring a bit of humour to the role and would still have that sort of zany Mike style personality on camera. As far as I know he really hasn’t had much experience on camera but I could definitely see him filling Mikes shoes hosting a revival of FNL quite well.

 
I think they need to set up the show for the future not hark back to the past and Gretel is perhaps a bit like Marcus in BBUK - strongly associated with the show but quite divisive in terms of popularity.

Surely Australia must have some decent presenters? Carrie Bickmore is the name that springs to mind.
 
Brekkie said:
I think they need to set up the show for the future not hark back to the past and Gretel is perhaps a bit like Marcus in BBUK - strongly associated with the show but quite divisive in terms of popularity.

Surely Australia must have some decent presenters? Carrie Bickmore is the name that springs to mind.
Click to expand...
Let's just bring in Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris in to host BBAU.
 
Chrissie Swan? She has the original BB connection - I haven't really watched her in years to see what she is like as a presenter/host, but according to wiki it looks like she is pretty popular
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top