Big Brother UK 2010

So the rumours have started already.

Apparently Channel 4 want to put some ex housemates into the house this year with a VERY deceiving poll on The Sun website, practically claiming Sun readers get to decide who goes in

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/big_brother/2929581/Vote-your-favourite-Big-Brother-housemate-back-in-for-the-last-series.html#ixzz0kySTQXWJ

Internet rumours are also suggesting a traditional May launch this year (are C4 actually THAT stupid?!).

C4 want to go out with a bang, Celebrity BB7 was very successful as far as the latter years of Big Brother are concerned. Can BB11 follow suit? And can it be enough to save the franchise in some form?

Well it could go two ways. if they play up on the nostalgic factor with including Ex-Housemates then it will look like the end so a pick up from another broadcaster is very unlikely. However if they just play it as a normal series then it could mean they already know they have some interest in the franchise.

what date is it starting this year?

The most speculated date is 30th May, meaning the vital first week would be in the same week as BGT semi finals week. Even Channel 4 aren't that stupid. Even if they avoid a scheduling clash (e.g. BB at 8pm on Monday & Friday and 10pm Tuesday-Thursday), BB is still going to be completely drowned out in the tabloids and any social effect will be completely lost.

Their best bet is launching mid-May and just bearing with the brunt of BGT like they did in 2007, or just holding off until 6th June.

The 6th June isn't ideal either as it's a few days before the start of the World Cup which is bound to be filling the tabloids at around that time, with the big England v USA match on the 12th. There's also an England match on Friday 18th with an 8.30pm kick-off, so that Friday eviction's is going to have to be shifted to a different day.

The match is at 6.30pm though, so it should be over by 9pm, or it gives them an excuse not to bother with a first week eviction which is always pointless after a few days anyway. No date is ideal really, they have very limited windows this year because of everything that is going on. Personally I'd opt for the Mid-May scenario and then it will be over in the summer too. It has never felt right ending in September.

BB and World Cup will fill up different parts of the tabloids whilst BB will clearly be in the shadow of BGT on the z list/wannabe/showbiz/TV pages.

Actually we were both wrong about kick-off time, both of the England matches on 12th and 18th are at 7.30pm (I got the 8.30pm off the FIFA website before I remembered the time difference), so I'd say those two evenings are totally scuppered - whatever the scorelines, there's going to be loads of post-match 'buzz' all night, and many people will stay out in the pub for the rest of the night.

And then of course there's the quarter final on Fri 2nd July at 7.30pm which England may well be in.

C4 haven''t scheduled the series that sensibly for the last few years so I'm not expecting anything different for the final series.

For the past 2 years they've shoved it out of the way of BGT after the disaster in 2007 and its been at 9pm on certain days with 10pm on others. The scheduling during BB9 and 10 was fine. The only problem was in BB10 when they did the pointless eviction on about day 3 or something, when they had a schedule of Big Brother (9pm), Alan Carr (10pm) and Big Brother (10.50pm) but ended up having to scrap it in favour of a mammoth show starting at 10pm because of The Apprentice.

It was only CBB7 where it became a bit erratic, but CBB has always been that way. I can remember a twist in Chantelles year airing close to midnight, and another one in last years ill fated series too!

About the matches- they could just get away with scrapping the first week eviction and then develop a twist for the 2nd July, thats normally when new housemates enter anyway. For BGT week, they could air at 8pm on Monday and Friday, with 10pm Tuesday-Thursday. But whats quite laughable is the ITV2 show poses a bit of a threat ...

I highly doubt it'll air Britain's Got Talent week - there's always rumours it'll return to it's earlier date, but they always stay well clear.

Id prefer it to start airing at the start of June and finish by early to Mid August. I think 13 weeks is too long.

According to 'insiders', Channel 4 are airing a BB special of Come Dine With Me

http://www.insidebigbrother.net/news/come-dine-with-me-bb-special-to-air.ibb

In fairness, the insiders used on that site are fairly reliable.