Reality TV
Shilpa Shetty
Bellamy cited a process of "creative renewal" as the reason behind the decision, noting that it will free up close to 30 hours of 9pm programming for "the new and the exciting". He characterised the decision as being of a "public service" nature in order to make room for "genuinely educational and informative television in the guise of entertainment."
"If we wanted to take the easy path we'd recommission all of these shows and we'd probably do two series of Celebrity Big Brother if ratings were all we were after. These are the decisions of a public service broadcaster in search of the new and the exciting."
Channel 4 is currently in discussions with Endemol regarding an "experimental" version of Big Brother for E4 in January.
Kevin Lygo, the channel's director of television and content told DS that it was time to "rest" Big Brother on Channel 4 in between the summer series in order "to build anticipation."
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