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'Big Brother' Fans Blast Channel 5's Treatment Of Show After Final Is Revealed To Be Shortest Ever

"This is how you treat your highest rated show?"
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By 

Entertainment Editor, HuffPost UK

‘Big Brother’ viewers have blasted Channel 5’s half-hearted plans to say goodbye to the reality series.

The broadcaster has confirmed the show will draw to a close with its shortest ever final, despite being billed as a big farewell.

In a break from tradition, the last episode will also air in a graveyard 10pm slot on Monday 5 November, compared to previous finals which have aired at 9pm.

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Emma Willis will host the last ever 'Big Brother'
Mike Marsland via Getty Images

The 75-minute episode, which will see the winner of the 19th series crowned, will be followed by an extended edition of spin-off show ‘Bit On The Side’. 

The plans have caused uproar among fans, who have lambasted Channel 5 for letting ‘Big Brother’ go out with a whimper. 

Channel 5 announced the current series of ‘Big Brother’ would be the last on the day it launched last month.

Following the news, production company Endemol said they were “excited about future possibilities for ‘Big Brother’ in the UK”, with current reports suggesting Netflix are interested in buying the series. 

‘Big Brother’ began on Channel 4 in 2000 with Davina McCall as host, before moving to Channel 5 in 2011, when former housemate and ‘Ultimate Big Brother’ winner Brian Dowling took over.

Emma Willis took the reins in 2013, and recently revealed she would move with the show should it begin airing on another network, although admitted she had “no idea” where it could end up. 

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Davina McCall said goodbye to 'Big Brother' on Channel 4 in 2010
Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment

Davina has since told of how she believes it should take a break from the schedules before returning to find a new audience. 

In an interview with HuffPost UK, she said: “I definitely think it needs resting for a little bit. I think if you rest it, you can muck about with it a little bit and come back to a new audience. 

“It’s a new beginning, but don’t say it’s going forever, because I can’t imagine it will.”

‘Big Brother’ airs from Sunday to Friday on Channel 5 at 10pm.  

15 Times A 'Big Brother' Row Erupted Over Something Totally Mundane
Chocolates ('Celebrity Big Brother' 2014)(01 of15)
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Luisa Zissman vs. Lionel Blair

Aside from Lee Ryan's love triangle, Jim Davidson's wind-up and that weird task they all had to cavort around in PVC, we'll remember this series of 'CBB' for the blazing row between Lionel Blair and Luisa Zissman.

The two were forced to spend the night in a room where some forbidden chocolates and champagne were put just out of their reach, not that that stopped Luisa from grabbing them.

But when the rest of the group were punished, Lionel's story changed somewhat, which Luisa was having none of.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:E M Welch/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 5)
Oxo cubes ('Celebrity Big Brother', 2007)(02 of15)
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Jade Goody vs. Shilpa Shetty

It was the argument that sparked an international discussion about bullying and racism. Opinion pieces were written, news items were suddenly devoted to a three-week reality show, effigies were literally burned.

But what's often forgotten is that the whole thing erupted over an Oxo cube.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Sonny Meddle/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 4)
Porridge ('Big Brother', 2006)(03 of15)
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Nikki Grahame vs. Richard Newman

Any 'Big Brother' fan will tell you, Nikki Grahame is never more than the drop of a hat away from a meltdown about something or other.

During series seven, Nikki blew up over a broken mp3 player, the temperature, a mouth ulcer, bottled water, missing out on an award, the arrival of Susie Verrico... and porridge.

Yes, when Richard ate the last of the corn flakes, Nikki was not a happy bunny, raging in the Diary Room: "We're running out of sugar as well, because of him, and then he goes and finishes off a massive mountain of corn flakes.

"And it's like, 'oh look there's porridge oats, they're good for you they're healthy'... why don't you have some then, you fat ox?"

Wow.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Channel 4)
Shoes ('Celebrity Big Brother', 2016)(04 of15)
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Gemma Collins vs. Tiffany Pollard

Gemma Collins got right in Tiffany Pollard's good books at the beginning of 'CBB', but things took a turn around the middle of the series, when the HBIC discovered that the GC had already taken them back.

When she declared that she didn't want the shoes anyway because there "were stones missing", Gemma remarked that it was because Tiffany's "big feet had knocked them out".

We'll not get into her full response, but it ended in one of the most memorable and outrageous Diary Room entries in 'Big Brother' history.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Cris Faga/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 5)
A smudged painting ('Big Brother', 2008)(05 of15)
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The entire 'Big Brother' 9 house

It was dubbed Fight Night 2.0 when practically all the housemates became involved in a furious group row, ending in Dennis McHugh spitting in fellow contestant Mohamed Mohamed's face, and being swiftly escorted out the back door.

What sparked it all off, though? Why, Rex Newmark smudging some pizza on a painting, of course. (credit:Channel 4)
Rihanna's age ('Big Brother', 2007)(06 of15)
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Charley Uchea vs. Chanelle Hayes

Listen, we all love showing off how much we know about celebrities, but how do you go from a disagreement about how old Rihanna is one minute to a full-blown screaming match the next?

Sample lines of this row - which literally started over a celeb's age - include "you and your big shitting mouth, what comes out of is constant shit", "you wanna dye your roots and take a good look in the mirror because you're a state" and, of course, "I wanna be Posh Spice, you look fuck all like her, darling".

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Rex/Shutterstock/Channel 4)
Bran flakes ('Big Brother', 2017)(07 of15)
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Sukhvinder Javeed vs. Kayleigh Morris

There was a lot more to this argument than just bran flakes, of course. There was also hair-brushing. More specifically, the fact Kayleigh wanted to brush her hair in the kitchen, which Sukhvinder was less than pleased about.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Rex/Shutterstock/Channel 5)
Kosher wine ('Celebrity Big Brother' 2015)(08 of15)
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Janice Dickinson vs. Jenna Jameson

Self-professed original supermodel Janice Dickinson rubbed pretty much all her housemates up the wrong way at some point or another, usually by failing to respect boundaries and putting herself first.

When she drank Jenna's Kosher wine, however, things took a turn pretty quickly, and the adult film actress was quick to put Janice in her place.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Design Pics Inc/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 5)
Underwear ('Celebrity Big Brother', 2007)(09 of15)
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Leo Sayer vs. Big Brother

In 2007, 'CBB' was rather overshadowed by the racism scandal sparked by Jade Goody and co., meaning Leo Sayer's explosive exit is oft-overlooked.

But for those who have forgotten all about the disco star's exit, it began with him swearing at producers, breaking out via the fire exit and getting into a tussle with security, who he promptly told to "fuck off".

All that... and it turned out the underwear he was accusing them of withholding was in his suitcase all along.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Rex/Shutterstock)
CGI ('Celebrity Big Brother' 2014)(10 of15)
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Leslie Jordan vs. Gary Busey

Gary Busey drove all his housemates to the edge during his stint in the house, including 'American Horror Story' Leslie Jordan, simply by getting the acronym CGI confused.

While Gary insisted the G stood for "graphics", an exasperated Leslie was insistent it was short for "generated".

For what it's worth, Leslie was right, but it was Gary who wound up winning the whole show.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Artur Cupak/imageBROKER/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 5)
A cream pie ('Celebrity Big Brother', 2013)(11 of15)
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Julie Goodyear vs. Coleen Nolan

"You should have felt the impact of that pie in my fucking face", Julie Goodyear claimed. Iconic.

Click here to briefly relive their argument in Julie's 'Best Bits' montage. (credit:Channel 5)
A verruca ('Big Brother' 2002)(12 of15)
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Jade Goody vs. the rest of the house

15 years later, still one of the most memorable arguments in 'Big Brother' history, a verruca provided plenty of controversy way back in the show's early years, with Jade's cries of "am I minging?" becoming synonymous with the third series.

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:Burger/Phanie/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 4)
Bananas ('Celebrity Big Brother', 2015)(13 of15)
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Alicia Douvall vs. Katie Hopkins

Alicia Douvall was already far from the most popular star in the 'CBB' compound when it was revealed she'd been hiding bananas from the rest of the house.

Revealed, we should add, because she did it in full view of everyone.

Chastised by her housemates, Katie Hopkins told her bluntly: "That's not gonna work, babes. You can't be putting bananas aside. This isn't the war years."

Click here to relive the argument. (credit:WestEnd61/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 5)
Bananas ('Big Brother' 2007)(14 of15)
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Shabnam Paryani vs. Charley Uchea

Banana-hiding is nothing new, though, and eight years before it was Alicia Douvall who was caught red-handed (or should it be yellow-handed) sneaking bananas.

The clip of their row isn't available, regrettably, but quick here to relive the cover of 'Shout' released by Shabnam after leaving the house. Why not, eh? (credit:WestEnd61/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 4)
Bananas ('Big Brother' 2011)(15 of15)
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Harry Blake vs. the rest of the house

Seriously - what is it with bananas?

Harry faced the wrath of his housemates when he deliberately sabotaged the shopping task as part of a prank, ordering 500 bananas, 50 bottles of ketchup and a lot of food dye.

Relive the ensuing argument here. (credit:WestEnd61/REX/Shutterstock/Channel 5)
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