News Release:

'Cantankerousness, senility and innuendo' - Big Biddy gives big boost to flagging Reality ratings.

Here's news of a development of the Big Brother 'Reality' TV show which seems set to revitalise what has for some become a rather tired format. Rebranded 'Big Biddy' the new programme features a group of senior citizens, carefully selected to provide an entertaining and highly volatile mix of cantankerousness, senility and innuendo.

Steering away from the 18-30 age contestants favoured by the original BB show, the new format is poised to appeal to a much wider demographic with young and old tuning in to watch the antics of senior citizens acting out their second childhood in a controlled environment. With potential sponsorship from Stennar (Stair-lifts) and product placement opportunities for performance enhancing drugs, physical aids, hair restoration products and other grey-market goods, the show is likely to attract a good deal of interest from advertisers.

The presence of Security Guards featured in the last series of Big Brother will be on hand to diffuse acts of aggression from contestants, augmented by a team of para-medics specially trained to deal with medical emergencies such as strokes or cardiac arrest. The prospect of a contestant actually dying during the course of the show is likely to boost ratings and media interest in the programme though raises serious issues about what is acceptable as TV entertainment.

One element that will revolt some and titilate others is the possibility of over 60's engaging in sex acts on live television. The sexual tension, jealousy and bickering that made this year's Big Brother so popular will be no less powerful in this programme, driven by the TV producers ability to cultivate paranoia and distrust amongst the contestants. Big Biddy is 'Reality TV' with a distinctly 'Carry On' flavour and looks certain to become the Channel 4 success of 2005.

Paul Fillingham.