July 14, 2008

AFTER eight series, 162 housemates and guests, and a viewer slide of almost 1.8 million, Channel 10 has admitted that not even Kyle Sandilands and Pamela Anderson could save Big Brother.

Last night the network announced that next Monday's show - during which the series winner will be announced at the Gold Coast compound - will be the ground-breaking reality show's last.

Revealed: Why it's time to go, Big Brother

The series which attracted up to 2.8 million viewers back in 2001 is now averaging little more than one million viewers per episode.

Ten chose to forge ahead this year with the ageing format, spiced up with appearances by party boy Corey Worthington, gay style guru Carson Kressley and Pamela Anderson, a former Baywatch babe.

But falling 2008 ratings and the need for new fresh programs this year saw Ten programmers make the decision late last week - with the backing of Ten's board.

Producers Endemol Southern Star were then informed, but the news was kept secret over the weekend before the final seven episodes roll out from tonight. It follows last week's appearance by a skimpily-clad Anderson, who was reportedly paid $500,000 to appear on the flagging show.

The decision backfired when Anderson publicly voiced her protest at Big Brother major sponsor KFC's treatment of chickens.

The show's axing will free up what is estimated to be an annual $30 million in production funds which will be spent on a range of new, as yet unannounced, programs.

Most will be local shows, Ten's programming chief David Mott said last night.

"This decision has been going back and forth for sometime and we have been having a very close look at it," he said. "But it has still been a tough call, and while the numbers are still working it is now time for us to move forward."

Nationally, the 2008 series has had the lowest ratings ever. For the most part it failed to reach the one million mark and slipped in the 7pm weeknight time slot to run fourth behind the ABC news.

The recruitment of new hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O did help save the Sydney-based pair's hometown audience.

The series attracted more than 40 per cent of such viewers when it aired last year, but has dropped to 30.8 per cent in 2008.

"The 18-49s are now a broader target for us than when we launched Big Brother in 2001 (when the target was 16-39-year-olds)," Mott said.