Many people dismiss the reality format as rubbish, but the shows and the social media discussion they promote are an important indicator of public opinion on vital issues, writes Su HolmesSo, we’re told that the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother and Big Brother franchise may disappear from our screens, at least for a while. Picture courtesy of Channel 5I’m a professor of TV Studies, and I’m proud to say I don’t think I’ve missed an episode of Celebrity Big Brother (CBB) since it began in 2001. Given that the format – and its close sibling Big Brother – have pretty much become synonymous with “trash television” in the UK, this statement may seem contradictory. In fact, I can think of few documentaries, dramas or TV discussion shows which have ignited such discussions in such a bold and explicit way. To the Big Brother franchise I’d like to say thank you, so long, it’s been eye-opening (and please let’s keep the discussion going).

Source: Irish Examiner September 13, 2018 20:15 UTC