ITV boss reveals why the channel is resurrecting Big Brother
Kevin Lygo, Director of Television at ITV, explains why the broadcaster is bringing back the "extraordinary" series.
ITV caused shockwaves during this year's Love Island finale, and not just with all the drama that led up to Ekin-Su and Davide's big win.
The broadcaster announced during the ad break that Big Brother would be returning and now, after weeks of speculation as to exactly what led to their decision, ITV's Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo, has explained their reasoning.
Speaking at the Edinburgh International TV Festival 2022, Lygo said that the decision to revive the iconic reality series was partly influenced by the upcoming launch of the broadcaster's new streaming service ITVX, as they hope to drive an audience to the new platform.
He explained: "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."
He continued: "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."
Lygo noted that Big Brother is unlikely to "skew as young as Love Island does" due to the former show's legacy, and called it "arguably the sort of best thing there’s ever been on television, or most extraordinary thing, that shaped most television afterwards".
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He also said that he didn't think the show was "that big a risk", explaining that people will watch because "they’ll want to know what we’re gonna do with it, is it gonna be any good and then if we do our jobs properly it will be good, and you’ll stick and you’ll think, 'Christ, I’ve got to watch this now every single night,' and it will ruin your lives."
Lygo's comments come as speculation around the revival continues to run riot, with fans desperate to know who will host the new series. Emma Willis has confirmed it won't be her, while narrator Marcus Bentley has said that Rylan Clark would be "perfect" for the role.
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
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
