Big Brother viewers are steadily ebbing away. The show has sprung a leak, through which any real interest appears to be relentlessly escaping. No matter how many wide boys, glamour girls or sociopaths Endemol plug it up with, they seem no more able to stop this deluge of discontent than a piece of kitchen towel would be able to block a power shower.

Tired of the gimmicks? Tired of the stunts? Tired of the being promised genuine characters and then tuning in to find of bunch of twenty somethings sitting round in their pants and debating the merits of mayonnaise?