Emma Willis has finally addressed the news that Channel 5 is cancelling Big Brother – speaking to Rylan Clark during spin-off show Big Brother's Bit On The Side. Visibly upset, she said: "This should be a positive thing because we should just [explicit] show everybody how great this programme is, and we should love it and embrace it and give it the send off it deserves. I've also been here before when it finished, so I'm like, 'Oh yeah, we buried it and then it came back to life'. It was brilliant actually, with all the changes that the production team have made this series for Celebrity and the one we’re about to enter."
Image: Channel 5
Holding back tears, she added: "I think they’ve taken all the brilliant bits from the past and brought them back and mixed them with something different for the future, because it’s been on for a b****y long time and it has to be different. So I think they've made… I'm getting emotional now too… they've made a brilliant mix."
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Presenter Rylan Clark then replied, "I know, don't, please don't." It was announced just before the launch of Big Brother's new series that the show wouldn't be returning again, with a statement issued on Twitter. "The forthcoming series of Big Brother will be the last - of either celebrity or civilian versions - on Channel 5," it read.
Emma also hosted the main show, as usual
Following the news, Rylan took to his social media to pen his own emotional tribute to the reality show. "After 6 years working on one of the most iconic shows on television I'm saddened to hear the news Big Brother won’t be returning. It has been the biggest privilege being a housemate, a winner and a host on my favourite show on television," he wrote.
"To work with Emma, Marcus and the amazing team on BOTS every day and have made friends for life I’m truly the luckiest guy in the industry. I hope one day Big Brother will return but my focus now, as with the rest of the team is to make our last series the best yet," he continued. "I'd like to thank all of our guests, housemates and teams from over the years, Endemic and Channel 5 for having me and most of all the viewers for sharing this amazing journey. I learned how to host a show on the job here and I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity. R x."