Fewer viewers tune in for 'Big Brother' launch

As the Big Brother contestants adjusted to life in a house stripped of all creature comforts today, Channel 4 was given an unwelcome surprise of its own: viewing figures for launch night were down for the second year in a row.

The average audience for the start of the 10th series of BB was 5.1 million, the broadcaster said, a fall of 300,000 from last year.

Viewing figures for last night’s show peaked at 5.4 million, also down on last year, when a high of 6.1 million tuned in.

BB10 launch night attracted 23% of the available audience, again down on last year, when the show earned 25% audience share.

Channel 4 kept a positive outlook despite the fall in viewer numbers, pointing out that 43% of 16 to 34-year-olds watching TV at the time were tuned in to BB.

A spokeswoman said: “Last night’s launch was the second highest audience so far this year on Channel 4. We are very pleased with the viewing figures.”

In 2006 a peak of 8 million tuned in for the start of BB7, the series which thrust the whining and histrionics of contestant Nikki Grahame upon an unsuspecting public and was eventually won by Tourette’s syndrome sufferer Pete Bennett.

Overnight viewing figures do not take account of people who may have recorded the show to watch later, Channel 4 said.