Channel 4 boss on Big Brother return: 'Reviving old shows is depressing'
Ian Katz, Channel 4's Chief Content Officer, says he's not envious of ITV acquiring Big Brother.
Channel 4 boss Ian Katz has addressed Big Brother's return to our screens, suggesting that resurrecting old TV formats is "depressing".
The groundbreaking reality series is being revived on ITV, having originally launched on Channel 4 in 2000 and later being resurrected by Channel 5 in 2011.
Speaking at this year's Edinburgh International TV Festival, Katz said: "It's a wonderful, wonderful show – it did wonderful things for Channel 4 for a decade, it did a great job for Channel 5 for seven years. I'm sure it will bring an audience to ITV."
However, he then added: "I do think there's something depressing about this microwave moment that we're in in television, with so many old dishes being reheated."
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Though Katz acknowledged that Channel 4 is revisiting old formats itself, mentioning the recent Changing Rooms revival, he suggested that "if Channel 4 is about anything, it has to be about looking for that new dish, looking for the new recipe, and that's what we need to keep our focus on."
Speaking yesterday (24th August) at the Festival, ITV boss Kevin Lygo revealed that the success of Love Island was in part responsible for the channel reviving Big Brother.
"We look at Love Island and we see this extraordinarily successful show that defies all current logic and goes against what people say, that young people don’t watch terrestrial television," Lygo said.
"And you think, every single night at nine o’clock on ITV2 and the Hub is this show for eight weeks, that more young people watch than they watch anything else. And we should all take great joy in the fact that if you get the right show, they’re going to come and watch it."
Read more coverage from the Edinburgh International TV Festival 2022:
- Armando Iannucci dismisses Doctor Who "woke" criticism, backs "colourblind" casting
- Emily Maitlis reflects on Newsnight career and impartiality in impassioned speech
- Help writer Jack Thorne says rising costs threaten "distinctively British" dramas
- ITV boss backs Emmerdale and Coronation Street schedule changes
- ITV boss reveals why the channel is resurrecting Big Brother
- Walk the Line and The Games both cancelled at ITV
- BBC Chairman says Netflix’s platform is “5 to 10 per cent better” than iPlayer
- BBC is “reviewing all alternatives” to the licence fee, says Chairman
- Amazon boss gives update on “amazing” Clarkson’s Farm season 2
- Amazon boss gives new details for “epic” Martin Compston show The Rig
The Big Brother revival will air on ITV2 in 2023. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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Authors
Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across the brand's digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.
