Seven doesn’t want to alienate Big Brother’s biggest fans
With the ink on the contract barely dry, Seven programming boss says a lot of decisions around BB are yet to be finalised.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News, Top Stories, Upfronts
Big Brother fans hoping for more detail on Seven’s plans for 2020 were left to wonder what shape the show will take.
There was no announcement yet on host or location at Seven’s 2020 Upfronts.
Seven’s ink on the Endemol Shine contract is less than a week dry, meaning discussions are still ongoing. Director of Programming, Angus Ross told TV Tonight change does not mean fans have to put aside all of their expectations.
“I don’t think you have to put all of it aside,” he explained.
“I don’t want to go into the specifics of what we’re planning because some of them are still to be debated.
“But it won’t be Live,” he confirmed, adding, “I am expecting to have a host.
“There are certain nods to nostalgia required with that show. Like any show there are super-fans and we certainly don’t want to alienate them.
“So those are discussions we will be having with Endemol Shine in coming weeks.”
The word “Revolution” and phrase “the game has changed” has fuelled fan speculation about housemates voting one another out, as depicted in North American editions.
“You’re right where the inspiration comes from but I wouldn’t say it will be singularly like the Canadian or US show,” Ross continued.
“Nearly everything I’ve seen written about it is rubbish, particularly around where things will be based. It’s not decided yet.
“What’s not rubbish is how many applications they’ve had for this show. They’ve never seen anything like it.”
65 Responses
I’m really not sure how this can work if it’s not live. If the housemates are voting one another out (and I’m not really sure how else it could work if it’s unfolding before we see it), don’t the exciting, polarising personalities go while the middle-of-the-road people stay? How are we going to have the compelling TV we really want to watch?
Look to Survivor model.
Live event television, such as sport, is about the only content that rates well on free to air these days. You’d think the networks would be looking to engage viewers by doing more of it instead of the sanitised, producer manipulated and heavily edited “reality” that passes for entertainment.
Exactly – TV stations around the world have used live TV to fight back against streamers whilst Aussie TV just seems to move away from it. The live element is the USP of Big Brother – events unfolding in almost real time. Even without the live feed (and axing that’s a mistake) it is still a crucial point of the format that it all unfolds as it airs.
I’d be guessing they’re trying to go as cheap as possible, which means no Friday night games etc as that would blow the costs out and they already have Friday night football for most of the year anyway. Strange to move to cheap as productions, when 10 are having more success with higher production values like with Survivor AU.
FNG isn’t needed for the main game. Survivor is pre-recorded same as BB will be.
This idea that it will be shot over a set time and then edited just wont work. This show has to be in real time. Have it in a soundstage sure, but it has to be live. Thats why jungle has been working well, its live and the public get a say in who stays.
Just thinking out loud… do you think if the original BB house wasn’t burnt down, and we didn’t see the vision of the abandoned house there would be any interest in this coming up? For me, I didn’t really think about it until I say the house in the horrific state – instant nostalgia
Am I the only person who doesn’t give a rat’s about BB ? But for the sake of humanity, give the fans what they want so I don’t have to read any more incessant complaints.
And yet here you are reading a BB story……..
Yeah, go figure ?
🙂
I know this is way to early to say, but I want to campaign for Anne Sanders to read the news wrap up in the finale. She’s national and well respected. Only about a 4 min segment, but a true highlight watching the reaction from the housemates to all the news which has happened within the time in the house.
Have been trying to pin Seven down for an interview with Anne for 3+ years. I keep getting assurances, but doesn’t happen. I think it is Publicity problem rather than Anne herself.
Good luck in getting that interview. Anne has to be one of the warmest anchors out there. The questions would be endless for her…
Warm, totally flawless, and that voice is the quintessential newsreaders voice.
that’s one interview I’d love to read.
Probably upset with you and others for spelling her name wrong for all these years.
LOL Very true ???
If they don’t do it live, there probably won’t be a “news” segment ???
Can’t say I am a big fan of BB, or even a casual viewer, but having live shows seems to be key to the whole concept…even 10 can do live shows for I’m A Celeb from South Africa (albeit with pre-recorded elements, but still live to air). Without that…its just a Home & Away soap opera. Do they think they need to avoid live elements in order to manipulate viewers & manufacture drama? The whole point is you go live and drama naturally follows…What they have at this stage is a My Kitchen Rules 2.0 as contestants will also live in a house, just no cooking
So it’s basically Survivor without the Island.
Sounds boring imho.
Worth noting there’s been almost 450 series of Big Brother produced over the world, only 1 of those series has been pre-recorded. China tried it and it failed.
I think 7 are making a big mistake taking away the live eviction element of the show. It gives viewers and fans a sense of involvement and shared experience with the housemates when we all find out the results of an eviction in real time together. Kind of like the way we all love to watch a football grand final live on TV. The housemates become like our footy teams and viewers are barracking for their favourites to win and our less than favourites to lose. It’s the element of surprise that can only work in a live TV environment.
If you’re going to do it Channel 7, do it properly and give the viewers and fans what they want, or don’t bother. That includes bringing back our favourite Big Brother host…Gretel…Please 🙂
It’s worth remembering that production companies make shows for networks. Creative visions are a collaboration. Endemol Shine owns the show, and will have pitched a rebooted BB to Seven for this market. They indicated “game has changed” before Seven finalised deal.
Of course they do but networks have the final say if they run with it or not. Channel 7 has made a poor investment choice for their viewers and have underestimated them once again as usual.
You can change the rules of the game while still keeping a live element. I’d think a format that combines the Australian version with the US/CAN version would actually work well and be refreshing. But even the US/CAN versions aren’t pre-recorded months in advanced like this series is rumoured to be. I just don’t get how anyone thought this was a good idea?