Yahoo News Big Brother boss addresses the show's future in the UK
There's been a Big Brother-shaped hole in our lives this year.
We've gone far too long without hearing Marcus Bentley over-dramatically announcing what day it was, a ridiculously complicated shopping task or a drunken argument featuring very drunk celebrities flinging iconic one-liners at each other.
Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother were both cancelled in the UK after Channel 5's contract with the show ended late in 2018, and despite lots of talk about a revival, there's been no solid plans on that front ever since.
Related: Who are the most successful Big Brother winners ever?
Now, Deadline has spoken to Endemol Shine's chief creative officer Peter Salmon for the 20th anniversary of the original version of Big Brother's premiere in Denmark, and asked him about the impact of the UK cancellation on the wider Big Brother brand – and the answer is a little disappointing.
"There was very little impact around the world," Salmon said.
"Because it's so successful [in] other places, whether that's the Philippines, where it's been on for 38 weeks or in Brazil, where it's had 200 million votes for an eviction or on CBS in America, where it's the number one summer show, it's not even been a story.
"The UK is really important but there’s no news about the UK and we're really enjoying the rest period. We're always constantly thinking about what's next in all of the key territories but it's having a real successful time in a number of territories and we're a global company and we embrace that."
Related: What's going on with a Big Brother reboot?
As for the show's future, it doesn't look like it's coming back to the UK any time soon – but never say never, and all that.
"There are constant conversations and exchanges of idea where we're thinking what's next," Salmon admitted, referring to all global iterations of Big Brother.
"There is no territory I can't see it coming back in."
If and when it does come back, it probably won't be on Channel 5, as the broadcaster's director of programming Ben Frow recently said it was "a liberation" to not air it anymore.
Also, whoever brings it back, please make sure Emma Willis is still involved.
Meanwhile, Channel 4 recently aired a harrowing documentary how BB's Jade Goody changed the face of celebrity, in good and bad ways.
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