For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Everyone remembers the first time their favourite TV show got the axe. Mine was Sugar Rush, Channel 4’s mid-Noughties teen lesbian drama starring Lenora Crichlow and a pre-fame Andrew Garfield. When it was cancelled in 2006, allegedly due to Channel 4 having to offset the £180m they’d paid for the rights to four more years of Big Brother, I was furious. I’m sure I made regrettable posts about Jade Goody and Brian Dowling on the Digital Spy forums. That said, I was also about 14, and grieving the abrupt end of a TV show is a modern rite of passage.

Today, though, the cancellation of a new series tends to be met by illogical screaming from people who really ought to know better. Take Kaos, Netflix’s satirical spin on Greek mythology, which launched in August. No matter that it received largely positive reviews – and the presence of stars including Jeff Goldblum, Janet McTeer and David Thewlis – it was this week brought to a close after just one season. Understandably, its fans were upset. “Are you f***ing kidding me?” one asked in a viral tweet. “This show was brilliant and ended on a huge cliffhanger.” Petitions have been launched to rescue it, while others have pledged to halt their Netflix subscriptions in protest.

But despite the noise, viewership figures released this week also suggest too few people were actually watching Kaos. A total of 825 million minutes of the show were watched in its first week of release, a figure that sank by 52 per cent in its second week. Compare that, if you will, to the viewership for Nicole Kidman’s mystery series The Perfect Couple, which was released concurrently with Kaos: 1.91 billion minutes watched in its first week, followed by 1.97 billion in its second. See what I mean?

There are lots of issues with this particular outcome. Kaos was inventive and endearingly goofy, with plenty of room to creatively grow. The Perfect Couple was full of bad wigs, indecipherable accents and an inexplicable amount of Meghan Trainor on the soundtrack. That it did significantly better in terms of numbers is depressing. Series can get away with having barely anyone watch them – just look at the ratings-challenged likes of Mad Men or Succession – but require substantial media goodwill and a litany of awards to make up for it. Kaos didn’t receive enormous traction in the press beyond a review or interview or two, and never quite seemed like it’d get any Emmy love, either. What it needed more than anything were eyes on it.

open image in gallery

Fundamentally, the show’s cancellation points to how little online buzz tends to translate to actual success, and that a loud if not particularly vast fanbase can mask what is, actually, a non-starter of a TV show. This confusion may, simply, come down to how long it takes for data to be gathered in the streaming age. Since its inception, Netflix has dumped entire seasons of scripted television at once, accelerating the act of viewer consumption. If a series gets released on a Friday, chances are you’ve made it through much of the season by Monday morning, and by then decided whether or not you’re a fan.

Netflix viewership figures, though, take time to collate – Kaos’s were released a month after the show arrived on the streamer – leaving actual audiences in a kind of hermetically sealed TV bubble. You might see people talk about the show on social media. You might even chat about it with others in reality. But there’s little sense of how well it’s been received outside of your own purview.

This is something particularly unique to streaming. Traditional television figures – of the BBC or ITV variety – come through a day after a show has been broadcast. Album sales take about six days to be counted. A film is marked a hit or a flop the weekend it’s out. Just last week, in fact, the risible comic-book sequel Joker: Folie à Deux was declared – via daily box office receipts – shaky on Thursday evening, in trouble by Friday night, and all but dead by Sunday afternoon. With traditional forms of entertainment, you quickly know where people stand.

But with a series like Kaos, everything but the numbers are on fast-forward: the show is watched speedily, a fanbase comes together speedily, and cancellation is announced speedily. And because unhinged paranoia is society’s current default response to any slight disruption of the status quo – from tornadoes to Diddy to the shrinking of Freddos – conspiracy theories abound. Did Netflix not have faith in Kaos from day one? Did they want to cancel it? Did they deliberately do nothing to promote it?

But, no: it was just because not enough people watched it. Just as, for a suite of Netflix execs, it’s financially wiser to produce eight seasons of point-and-shoot reality TV like Selling Sunset than an expansive, starry sci-fi extravaganza. And just as the reason Laura Dern’s new, Under the Tuscan Sun-style romcom Lonely Planet isn’t being promoted on my Netflix homepage is because I’m, demographically speaking, a thirtysomething male and not a middle-aged mum. I merely have the taste of one.

Sometimes a pipe is just a pipe, an elaborate conspiracy is not at work, and a curtailed TV show is just a curtailed TV show. Except Sugar Rush, of course. That was different and I stand by it.

BIG Brother fans have been left feeling “sick” after one housemate confessed to having a grim habit.

Viewers found their tummies turning after listening to the female contestant confess to carrying out the “disgusting” act.

6

Advertisement

6

6

Lily, who works in a Chinese takeaway, also managed to revolt one of her fellow housemates while admitting to her bad habit.

Forensic scientist Ali, 35, was visibly horrified after learning the 20-year-old picks bogeys out of her nose and eats them.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one fan complained: “Nahhhh it’s knocking me sick them talking about bogeys.”

Another added: “I’ve gone off Lily. She really needs to grow up, and she’s getting babied. Admitting to picking her nose is disgusting.”

A third said: “I am Ali in this scenario, that is disgusting Lily.”

And someone else even asked: “Do you think Lily picks her nose when she’s working at the Chinese takeaway?”

Lily’s grim admission came after she sniffed her slippers while talking to Ali and Daze.

“Do we need to have a little conversation about shoe hygiene?” Ali asked her.

Lily replied: “I think hygiene in general, maybe? I picked my nose and I showed it…”

Daze told Ali: “She picks her nose – like a big bogey, a big one, chunky. And she goes…”

The activist then demonstrated how Lily puts her bogey-covered finger in her mouth.

Daze continued: “She eats the whole thing.” Looking revolted, Ali replied: “Stop that.”

Lily then turned the tables and asked Ali what she does with her bogeys.

She flatly replied: “Blow my nose. I try to clean my nose quite regularly so they don’t build up.”

This is the second time in 24 hours that fans have found themselves feeling queasy while watching the show.

Nathan King, a pork salesman and one time butler to the King, got stomaches churning on Thursday night’s episode.

Big Brother 2024 cast

A brand new batch of Big Brother housemates are living it up in the famous compound.

Meet the cast of the 2024 series:

Advertisement

• Rosie, 29, dental assistant from Cornwall.
• Emma, 53, aesthetics business owner from Altrincham.
• Segun, 25, charity videographer from Watford.
• Nathan, 24, pork salesman from Dumfries.
• Daze, 24, climate activist from London.
• Khaled, 23, sales manager from Manchester.
• Martha, 26, NHS administrator from Scarborough.
• Lily, 20, Chinese takeaway server from Warrington.
• Ali, 30, Forensic psychologist from London.
• Thomas, 20 amputee footballer from Carlisle.
• Ryan, 28, marketing and events from Stockport.
• Hannah, 24, HR consultant from West London.
• Izaaz, 29, sales consultant from London.
• Sarah, 27, spa account manager from Shrewsbury.
• Marcello, 34, youth mentor from East London.
• Dean, 35, barber from East London

During a talent show segment, where Helen performed a rap to the other housemates, Nathan was seen sticking his tongue out.

However, his tongue appeared to be yellow.

“Nathan put that dirtyyyy tongue away!” one viewer commented.

Meanwhile, the first housemate of the series has now been evicted from the show.

Ryan was given the boot during Friday night’s eviction show after finding himself up against Dean, Baked Potato and Nathan.

6

6

6

BIG Brother was thrown into chaos during Friday’s live eviction, with a technical blunder pulling spin-off show Late & Live off the air.

ITV2 viewers were left perplexed when the audio cut out from the feed, before historic clips from the programme were shown.

5

Advertisement

5

The broadcast went awry after one audience member had said into the microphone: “I want Lily to go cos she’s annoying.”

Shortly afterwards, the following message was shown: “We’re currently experiencing a technical issue. Whilst we try to get it fixed, enjoy some of Big Brother‘s greatest ever moments. We hope to be back with tonight’s live show very soon.”

After five minutes, hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best were beamed back into fans’ homes – but then the transmission ended 10 minutes before the scheduled time.

Will said: “Guys, we’re sorry about that, we had a few technical issues but we’re back now,” before saying his goodbyes with AJ.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, fans shared their confusion, with some using humour.

One wrote: “Cackling that Big Brother has lost its sound due to technical difficulties. Then it says enjoy best bits whilst they sort it out but the best bits also has no sound! Somebody’s getting fired.”

Another added: “Will & AJ: Welcome back goodbye.”

Someone else shared: “Wow, the technical difficulties really caused Late and Live to end 10 minutes early than expected.”

A fourth said: “Well, you wouldn’t get this on Love Island…sort it out Big Brother,” with a fifth quipping: “Everything’s going well at ITV2 HQ tonight.”

One more posted: “I love the fact that someone in the L&L audience dissed Lily and the show immediately went off air.”

During the main show, Ryan Bradshaw became the first housemate to be evicted.

Ryan, 28, was given the boot after just six days during tonight’s live show, admitting he was “gutted to be leaving”.

The Blackpool lad, who lives in Stockport, received a heavy boo-ing from the crowd during his live entrance into the Big Brother house.

In his introduction VT, Ryan had described himself as a “working class northern lad” with “strong opinions”.

The northerner ruffled some feathers after going on to make a dig at those who self-identify.

He said: “There’s a lot of woke people out there.

“It’s all well and good if you want to use certain pronouns, and I get that, but it gets a bit confusing sometimes with people identifying as a spoon or whatnot.”

5

5

Advertisement

5

A SECRET Big Brother feud has been revealed after one show star was left ranting about one of her fellow housemates.

38-year-old Ali did not hold back as she shared her thoughts on Manchester lad Khaled, 23, in a conversation in the bedroom.

3

Advertisement

3

Fans of the ITV2 reality series have seen little interactions between Ali and Khaled but is seems that he has been rubbing her up the wrong way as she slammed him in a series of scathing comments.

In a chat with Nathan and Lily, Ali was quick to share her thoughts about Khaled that left the pair stunned.

At first, she said: “I know there is people in here that dislike me, but they say enough to my face to look like on camera that they are being nice to me.”

Lily then suggested that Khaled might be “too nice” based on first impressions but Ali quickly interrupted in order to quickly have her say.

In a surprise admission, Ali then said: “He’s not nice.

“I think what he shows is genuinely part of him but I think there is more that he has not shown which is maybe not as nice.”

Lily looked stunned as Ali did not hold back as she spilled all on hers and Khaled’s secret bubbling ‘feud’.

Reacting to the surprise house feud online, one fan said: “Clock it Ali, Khaled is hiding something.”

Another added: “Ali forming alliance with Nathan but coming for Khaled hmmmm I know what you are…..”

A third then wrote: “Pretty sure Khaled has done naff all to Ali or anyone else.”

Before a fourth commented: “I mean Ali, people can just be nice to you and dont like you? that is called respect! he is just being Khaled.”

After airing her thoughts on Khaled – Ali, Nathan and Lily decided to form an “alliance” in order to keep each other safe in the house.

It comes as Ali called off another ‘secret feud’ with co-star Emma after the pair opened up on they’re simmering tensions.

After seeing Emma was in floods of tears, Ali decided to confront her about a secret tension between them

3

Advertisement

Ali said to her: “Can I ask you a question?

“What did you think of me when you first met me?”

Responding whilst wiping away her tears, Emma said: “I just didn’t think you liked me!”

Finally addressing the underlying elephant in the room, Ali quipped back: “I thought that of you for me.”

After seeing Emma upset over the situation, Ali decided to take the opportunity to apologise.

She said to Emma: “But I have to say, I feel maybe that I got it wrong.

Surprised, Emma questioned back: “Really?”

As the warring women came to an understanding they shared a hug in front of a shocked Baked Potato who appeared unaware of the secret housemate feud.

Big Brother 2024 cast

A brand new batch of Big Brother housemates are living it up in the famous compound.

Meet the cast of the 2024 series:

• Rosie, 29, dental assistant from Cornwall.
• Emma, 53, aesthetics business owner from Altrincham.
• Segun, 25, charity videographer from Watford.
• Nathan, 24, pork salesman from Dumfries.
• Daze, 24, climate activist from London.
• Khaled, 23, sales manager from Manchester.
• Martha, 26, NHS administrator from Scarborough.
• Lily, 20, Chinese takeaway server from Warrington.
• Ali, 30, Forensic psychologist from London.
• Thomas, 20 amputee footballer from Carlisle.
• Ryan, 28, marketing and events from Stockport.
• Hannah, 24, HR consultant from West London.
• Izaaz, 29, sales consultant from London.
• Sarah, 27, spa account manager from Shrewsbury.
• Marcello, 34, youth mentor from East London.
• Dean, 35, barber from East London

BIG Brother is springing a brand new twist on the housemates in a bid to spice up the drama for fans.

The shake-up will see one person handed the role of Head Of House – and they will be able to make up new rules for everyone.

5

Advertisement

5

Big Brother host AJ Odudu announced the twist following the first eviction show of the series, which saw Ryan being given the boot.

Dropping the bombshell on spin-off show Big Brother: Late & Live, AJ said: “Big Brother has a new trick up his sleeve.

“Next week, one housemate will become the first Head Of House and with this role is a whole load of power and privileges.”

She added: “Whoever has the Head Of House role will have immunity from that week’s eviction. That’s a big one.”

After AJ had revealed the twist, she asked Celebrity Big Brother winner David Potts – who was a panelist on the show – what he thought.

David declared: “If Lily is not the Head Of House, I’m going to be furious.

“Imagine the rules that she would make!”

Evictee Ryan, who had just been interviewed about his brief spell on Big Brother, was then asked if he would have liked the role.

The rule-breaker, who contributed to the housemates losing their first shopping task by stealing a sausage, admitted: “Yeah, I’d have messed it up and gone hard with it.”

Ryan had been up for eviction alongside Baked Potato – aka Rosie, Nathan and Dean.

The audience audibly booed when his name was called out by AJ and her co-host Will Best.

Once out of the house, Ryan said he had no regrets about stealing the sausage during Big Brother’s Coconut Eye-land task.

Meanwhile, fans were left baffled during Friday night’s episode of Late & Live following a major technical issue.

Seconds after revealing the twist, AJ and Will went to the studio audience to ask who they think should be Head Of House.

Instead of giving an answer to the question, one man said that Lily “should go because she’s annoying”.

The sound then immediately cut out, followed by the visual, and they were only restored in time for AJ and Will to sign off for the night.

5

5

5

Advertisement

BIG Brother fans demanded producers step in tonight and remove Marcello from the house as they aired secret footage of him and Ali.

Normally the ITV2 show does not air any scenes of the housemates in the smoking area, but tonight bosses broke that rule to show the context of a conversation between the pair.

6

Advertisement

6

6

6

He offered her his vape, suggesting she try the grape flavour.

After taking a toke, she handed it back to him, and he told her: “We just vape kissed.”

“Marcello!” a shock Ali scolded.

“It’s a thing!” he responded, flirtily.

“It’s not a thing,” she shot back, laughing awkwardly. “It;s definitely not a thing.”

While Marcello then reassured her he was joking, when they went back to join the group, he let the joke continue.

“We just kissed innit,” he told Sarah, Segun and Hanah, before quickly adding: “No, I’m joking.”

After Sarah scolded him, Ali went inside and confessed to her fellow housemates that she was concerned the smoking scene would not be shown – therefore her girlfriend watching at home might believe Marcello that they kissed.

Marcello then came inside in an attempt to smooth things over.

“I have people watching [at home],” Ali told him.

“Yeah, I know, me too,” he responded. “Honestly, beyond the jokes I am a gentleman.”

The pair then shook hands but Marcello couldn’t resist getting another gag in.

After Ali gently told him he was trying to “ruin my life”, he responded: “You came in the smokers’ room! You know what you were doing!”

6

6

Needless to say, fans watching at home were not impressed and urged producers to remove him from the house.

One raged on X: “Marcello is vile, get him out. Predatory vibes, completely disrespecting Ali & her relationship.”

A second added: “Ali is clearly uncomfortable about what Marcello did.”

A third chimed: “Eject Marcello now, Ali nor any of the other women should have to deal with that absolutely disgusting creature.”

“Sorry marcello is disgusting! Poor Ali that’s so uncomfortable of a situation,” echoed a fourth.

A fifth fumed: “Marcello literally PREYING on Ali like that is so vile I need him out of that house NOW.”

And a sixth agreed: “Marcello’s persistence with Sarah and Ali is really weird. They’ve both told him to stop and yet he continues. Someone for the love of god step in.”

Big Brother 2024 cast

A brand new batch of Big Brother housemates are living it up in the famous compound.

Meet the cast of the 2024 series:

• Rosie, 29, dental assistant from Cornwall.
• Emma, 53, aesthetics business owner from Altrincham.
• Segun, 25, charity videographer from Watford.
• Nathan, 24, pork salesman from Dumfries.
• Daze, 24, climate activist from London.
• Khaled, 23, sales manager from Manchester.
• Martha, 26, NHS administrator from Scarborough.
• Lily, 20, Chinese takeaway server from Warrington.
• Ali, 30, Forensic psychologist from London.
• Thomas, 20 amputee footballer from Carlisle.
• Ryan, 28, marketing and events from Stockport.
• Hannah, 24, HR consultant from West London.
• Izaaz, 29, sales consultant from London.
• Sarah, 27, spa account manager from Shrewsbury.
• Marcello, 34, youth mentor from East London.
• Dean, 35, barber from East London

It comes as some viewers also branded Marcello a “pig” last night following an exchange between him and Sarah.

Sarah was complimenting Marcello as he worked in the kitchen as part of the shopping task.

“You are so funny Marcello, when I first met you, you are not someone that I would think I would get on with so well,” Sarah told him.

Looking taken aback, he replied: “I’m a nice person.”

“I know you are, but on first impression…” she added.

Everyone always judges me,” Marcello responded.

Sarah went on to explain: “Yeah because you sound like the way you sound, the accent, the city, the way you dress, you are just someone that in public I probably wouldn’t gravitate towards because I would be a bit intimidated.”

Marcello then flirtily shot back: “Oh honey, I would gravitate towards you, don’t worry about that.

While Hanah, who was watching on, screamed at his comment, Sarah looked unimpressed and said: “Please don’t”

Big Brother continues at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.