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Friday Flashback: “Get this stupid programme off the air.”

In 2006 one Prime Minister wanted Big Brother off our screens.

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Next week Seven will screen a Leader’s Debate at 9:10pm having first ensured Big Brother has gone to air at 7:30pm.

It reminded me of 2006 when then-PM John Howard responded to the infamous ‘turkey slap’ incident and insisted the show be pulled off air by 10 (who responded with this fantastic promo).

Next week, Mr. Howard will be forced to wait for Big Brother to wrap before he can watch Scomo and Albo.

Poetic, much?

9 Responses

  2. Back when I was young, I saw that footage of two housemates doing some indecent acts. When I saw this footage, I was so disgusted about this act. The turkey slap incident in 2006 was the beginning of the end of BB. What were the ratings like during post-turkey slap gate?

  3. Yes that’s correct, it wasn’t broadcast on television. I remember tuning into the very low quality 24 hour stream with a lot of buffering. Interesting nonetheless. I read about the axing in another article I found about the incident so it was probably a precautionary or appeasement axing.

  4. Appearantly it led to Big Brother: Adults Only/Uncut being axed. Though returned later as the more tame Big Brother: UpLate. I think Howard was talking based on public perception and rumours of the incident because talk of it would have been in the schools, which would have been a concern for parents and teachers.

    Would the incident be more or less offensive now? That’s a difficult thought. I think it might actually be less tolerated since MeToo and the like if it were to happen now, despite society being more liberal (no pun) and open minded nowadays. It would probably still be just as controversial.

    2. Uplate didn’t replace uncut/adults only.

      Uncut/adults only started in the first series, whilst uplate (live streaming from the house interspersed with Mike Goldman popping up for some live commentary and quizzes) debuted with the third series. They both continued but I don’t recall when they ultimately ended. I just know they unfortunately didn’t follow over to when 9 started big brother but there was many complaints from the fans wanting uplate back especially since we didn’t have live streaming viewable in the internet anymore.

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