Desmond 'on verge of' bringing Big Brother to Channel 5

Agreement expected to be signed with show's producer Endemol within days

Richard Desmond is understood to be on the verge of signing a deal with Endemol to bring Big Brother to Channel 5.

It is understood that the commercial terms have been agreed leaving just the official final sign-off by both parties, which is expected within days barring any 11th hour hiccups, to seal the deal. Big Brother came to an end after 10 years on Channel 4 in September.

The Channel 5 owner resumed negotiations with the show's producer, Endemol UK, after they ground to an acrimonious halt last autumn.

Final details relating to the fine tuning of how the format will return to the screen are currently being hammered out. According to one source the new version will be on a smaller scale than the Channel 4 hit, but will have a longer run. On Channel 4 the series ran for up to 13 weeks each year.

"Endemol need the money, which is why they've done the deal, having broken it off before," said one source. "Executives are now down to final details but broadly they are there."

Channel 5 and Endemol declined to comment.

There has been speculation that Davina McCall, the show's Channel 4 host, will return to the Channel 5 version.McCall has since stated she will not. Big Brother saw its popularity fade in recent years from its peak in 2002, when it was watched by an average of 5.3 million viewers and a record 9.2 million for the final, won by Kate Lawler. The final of last year's edition of the show, won by Josie Gibson, was watched by 4 million.

On Channel 4 the show's image never really recovered from the damage done by the Shilpa Shetty race row, which engulfed Celebrity Big Brother in January 2007, and declining audience numbers sealed its fate on the network.

However, the franchise could get a new lease of life on Channel 5. The amount of programming airtime that Big Brother delivers, with spin-offs including Celebrity Big Brother, and the viewing numbers – even at the reduced level of its final years on Channel 4 – would boost Channel 5's viewing share.

"Channel 5's ratings are not great and Big Brother will really help them deliver, particularly given there is nothing on the schedule or seemingly in the works to produce such numbers," said a second source.

News of the agreement comes ahead of a relaunch of the channel on Monday that will include new on-air branding, a fresh look for 5 News, presented by new signing Emma Crosby, and celebrity magazine spin-off show OK! TV fronted by former Big Breakfast presenter Denise Van Outen replacing Live at Studio Five.

Big Brother can expect to receive blanket coverage in Desmond's newspaper and magazine empire, but it remains to be seen how much attention it will get elsewhere in the tabloid press, which has gone cold on the show in recent years.
(Denise Van Outen has since declined the offer and Kate Walsh will be her replacement)