Big Brother streaming coming to Freeview

Well, possibly.

Numerous sources this morning claim that Channel 4 are set to make the Big Brother live 24/7 streaming available free to millions of Freeview viewers this summer.

The move would also see digital channel E4 also made FTA at least for Freeview viewers.

This would mean that along with the live streams, more viewers will be able to watch E-Forum, Diary Room Uncut and Nominations Uncut - and with The Simpsons taking it's slot on C4, opens up the possibility of BBLB returning to E4. It's got upto a million viewers on E4 before - and with twice the potential number of viewers it could match it's C4 viewing figures of 1.5-2m viewers.

Along with this, Freeview viewers would also be able to watch Big Brother USA later this summer.

All rumours so far but C4 do have the space to launch this service and convert E4 to a FTA channel.

Finally a word of caution - not all Freeview viewers can get all channels. If it's held on the C4 mux, where E4 is currently located, there probably won't be many problems. However, C4's new slot is on Mux C, which doesn't have as wide as coverage as C4's own mux, Mux 2.

I used to watch the streaming on E4, but I now only have the basic Telewest package. Used to have the free staff package, until they caught up with me four years after I left the company! Perhaps I'll upgrade for a couple of months. Ho hum...

So, it's nearly May ... I was wondering, who is going to be the first to attempt to start the 'official' Big Brother 2005 thread?

Typing fingers at the ready, glory awaits he who posts first ...

Free Kleenex to the winner.

I'm sure you know by now but it's now confirmed that E4 and E4+1 will be available on Freeview by the time Big Brother starts on 27th May.

It's unclear what the hours will be - but I imagine if one of these is broadcast from the current E4 TUTV slot that E4+1 would use this restricted hours slot from 4pm, with E4 using the newly created 24 hour stream.