Channel Seven predicts Big Brother WON’T reach a million viewers despite months of promotion – but the bookies reckon it will be a ratings smash
Channel Seven executives don’t appear to have high hopes for Big Brother Australia.
Despite the huge buzz surrounding the reboot, the network apparently predicted in May that the show would fail to attract the ‘golden figure’ of a million metro viewers.
According to The Australian, presentations made by Seven’s advertising team predicted ratings below the 1,000,000 mark for the entire season.
That’s awkward! Channel Seven ‘predicted in May that Big Brother won’t reach 1,000,000 viewers’ when the reboot premieres on Monday. Pictured: Host Sonia Kruger
The newspaper also claimed that Seven’s advertising staff had predicted similar numbers for cooking show Plate of Origin and the return of Farmer Wants a Wife.
Several entertainment shows on rival networks, including Married At First Sight, The Voice and MasterChef, have reached the ‘magic million’ so far this year.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for comment.
Modest: According to The Australian, presentations made by Seven’s advertising team predicted ratings below the million mark. Pictured: Housemate Allan Liang
Competition: Rival reality shows on Nine and Ten this year have mostly all hit the ‘magic million’, including Married At First Sight (pictured), The Voice and MasterChef: Back To Win
Despite these apparent doubts, leading bookmakers have more faith in Big Brother.
According to Sportsbet, the season premiere will most likely be watched by 1.25 million people in the five metro cities.
The odds of it attracting an audience of between 750,000 and 1,000,000 are considerably longer.
Fans: According to SportsBet, the Big Brother reboot is predicted to debut to over 1,250,000 people, with odds as little as $1.90, making the success seem almost certain
Big Brother Australia averaged 1.4 million metro viewers when it premiered in 2001.
It peaked during its fourth season in 2003, averaging 1.7 million viewers. When the show was cancelled in 2014, it averaged just 650,000 viewers.
Big Brother will premiere Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Seven
History: Big Brother Australia averaged 1,400,000 million viewers when it premiered in 2001. When the show was then cancelled in 2014, it averaged just 650,000 viewers