It's too soon to bring back Big Brother – but a Best Bits special could be the start

In a tantalising tweet, E4 said: "Big Brother: Best Shows Ever Show will land on E4 this summer, celebrating 20 years since launch. BB icons Davina McCall and Rylan Clark-Neal will be revisiting some of the shows juiciest and most memorable episodes."

From the second this celebratory series was announced, Twitter positively erupted, but some fans weren't satisfied, demanding that Big Brother make a fully-fledged return to our screens.

There's no sign of that happening in the immediate future – Channel 4 boss Ian Katz even ruled out a proper comeback for Big Brother just last month – so for now, shouldn't we just accept the Best Bits as the first positive step towards the show making a bona-fide return?

Let's not forget why Big Brother ended in the first place - poor ratings, an awful lot of controversy and to be honest, exhaustion.

The final series aired in 2018 with an average of one million viewers, a far cry from season three in 2002 which got around 5.8 million.

Realistically, it's too soon to be brought back. The casual viewer is still fatigued. Sure, die-hard fans would flock in their dozens, but for Big Brother to make a splash, there needs to be the same hype for its return that there was 15 years ago.

That's why a Best Bits series isn't just a holdover, it's absolutely crucial. We need to relive Nikki Grahame's iconic rant on the golden Diary Room Chair, Glyn making an egg for the very first time and of course the did-they/didn't-they fiasco between Makosi and Anthony in the hot tub. And don't even get me started on Gemma Collins' remarkable turn in CBB 17.

Yes, a Best Bits to celebrate 20 years might not be the full series we fans are hungry for, but let's see this special for what it is – the first step.

As we all remember the glory days of Big Brother – a trailblazing and remarkable show in its heyday – with any luck, the response will be strong enough to start Channel 4 (or Channel 5) thinking about reviving the show properly in the future. Look at what Big Brother can be! Look at all the great and glorious episodes we've sat through in our lifetime!

Big Brother deserves a proper resurrection, but only if the show's able to get back to its 2002 roots and fully recapture the magic of the early days when, yes, we would happily sit about in our houses and watch a group of complete strangers do much the same.

When that time comes, given everything we've all experienced of late, our connection to those self-isolating housemates might feel stronger than ever.

If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide.