Big Brother axe confirmed

After a drop in ratings, bosses have decided to call it a dayÂ…

10:21 26 August 2009

Channel 4 has confirmed that Big Brother has been given the axe from the station.

This series, the tenth in the show's history, has received the lowest viewer ratings to date averaging just two million a night.

At the broadcaster's autumn press launch, Channel 4's director of television Kevin Lygo said; "We will not be continuing with Big Brother."

"Next year will be the last series for Channel 4. There will be a celebrity version, plus the regular one. We've decided it's time to move on."

Big Brother production company Endemol is now expected to take the show to another broadcaster in 2011.

Channel 4 boss Julian Bellamy described Big Brother as "the voice of a generation", saying at the conference: "It will be sorely missed, [but] we're going to go out with a bang next year."

Lygo added that the broadcaster is now thinking about programmes to replace Big Brother in 2011.

Channel four also revealed that they will spend £20million of the £50million made available from axing Big Brother, on new "event" dramas such as 'Red Riding' and more "quirky series".