Channel 5 is ready to sign a ÂĢ200million five-year Big Brother contract with Endemol following more delays in negotiations, MediaGuardian claims.
According to the broadsheet, the Richard Desmond-owned broadcaster was hoping to announce completion of the deal this week, but âlast-minute legal wranglesâ have caused setbacks to their plans.
This is despite a previous report from February which said both parties had âagreed commercial termsâ.
The issues are said to be so serious that Desmond â who also owns publications such as The Daily Star and OK! Magazine â is no longer on speaking terms with Endemolâs chief executive, Ynon Kreiz. Their fallout is said to be to blame for the collapse in talks last September.
Discussions only resumed when Michael Sherwood â vice chairman of investment bank Goldman Sachs, which owns a third of Endemol â intervened, and Desmond handed his responsibilites to Channel 5âēs director of programmes Jeff Ford.
Because of the delays, itâs thought Big Brother will now return in August at the earliest with a three-week Celebrity series, before a main version airs over Autumn and Winter.
It would then return to its normal schedule in 2012, with another Celebrity run in January followed the regular show in the summer. This would result in six months of almost continuous Big Brother programmes on Channel 5, between August and January.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Cheryl Cole has rubbished todayâs Daily Star rumour that Cheryl Cole would replace Davina McCall as host on the revived show.
They said: âCheryl has not been approached, and she has no interest in presenting Big Brother.â
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