Channel 4 axes The Big Breakfast reboot with AJ Odudu and Mo Gilligan as bosses cut costs in 'TV bloodbath'

Virgin Radio

19 Jun 2023, 12:00

A rebooted version of The Big Breakfast has been given the chop by Channel 4 bosses after just one series. The original show, first hosted by our Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin, followed by Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan, was fronted by AJ Odudu and Mo Gilligan last summer. 

The pair hosted a one-off special in 2021 for Channel 4’s Black To Front, but were later brought in permanently after fans urged for a regular TV slot.

Comedian Mo Gilligan's BAFTA-winning The Big Narstie Show has also been shelved after its fifth series as 'part of a period of growth'.

According to The Mail on Sunday, Channel 4 staff are calling it a 'bloodbath' after the axe of Scared Of The Dark, medical documentary Rescue: Extreme Medics, Four Weddings and The Big Blow Out.

A spokesperson confirmed: "The decision not to recommission a sixth series of The Big Narstie Show is not part of our response to challenges in the advertising market. 

"We are immensely proud of the five series we have made of this innovative Bafta-winning show but we have to look carefully at what we commission each year to make sure we continue to innovate and offer viewers a varied range of programming. 

"We look forward to working with Dice, Expectation and Big Narstie on other projects in the future."

The Last Leg, hosted by Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, will return for its 28th series, but for a shorter run of seven weeks instead of nine.

One insider said: "Everyone is calling it a Channel 4 bloodbath. At first everyone was in total shock when Four Weddings was cancelled.

"It's almost unheard of that a show that is going really well is decommissioned, but as news started to spread, other shows were falling down too.

"They were told that Ian Katz had been looking at the channel's entire output, and they were sorry but it had to happen because there was no money.

"They tried to lessen the blow to the show's freelance crew by saying they hope to make another series in December, but that doesn't help them now."

A representative for Channel 4 confirmed: "Naked Attraction has not been decommissioned and a new series will return to Channel 4 next year.

"Scared of the Dark enjoyed a celebrated first season with excellent linear and streaming performance.

"Channel 4 is in robust health – however like all commercial broadcasters we’re taking some precautionary measures - such as rephrasing some content and production - in response to a downturn in the ad-market.

"The vast majority of our shows have not been affected."

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