Big Brother Australia: Gretel Killeen comments on reboot rumours - NEWS.com.au

As rumours swirl that Big Brother could return to our screens next year, former host Gretel Killeen has revealed how she feels about a potential reboot.

The rumours were sparked by TV writer Colin Vickery who tweeted on September 24 that he had heard Channel 7 was chasing the rights to the reality show in an attempt to “woo younger viewers in 2020”.

During an interview on KIIS FM this morning, Killen was asked if she thinks the show that she hosted from 2001-2007 should come back to TV.

“I think the essence of Big Brother is brilliant because when we first started that show it was about just watching humans interact without interference, just seeing what humans do,” Killeen told radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O.

“It wasn’t ‘Who’s going to win?’ It was: Let’s just see what relationships form and how people pass their time and converse.

“I think watching ourselves is something we could actually learn from now. I think this is a time of analysis and introspection and redefining our values, so I think it would be a hoot.”

Killeen’s only concern about a Big Brother reboot would be what kind of people the show would attract as potential housemates.

“Reality TV can attract a different kind of person now who wants to be famous, so perhaps that level of purity, maybe the time has passed,” she said. “But maybe that’s a matter of casting.”

Killeen hosted the first seven seasons of Big Brother before being replaced by Kyle and Jackie O for Season 8 in 2008.

Last year Jackie O opened up to news.com.au about her time as host and recalled that Kyle wasn’t exactly invested in the show’s success.

“He was keen to do it for the money but he didn’t want to do the work,” Jackie laughed. “Every time he’d have to fly to the Gold Coast he’d think, ‘Why am I doing this show?’

“He never watched it (past seasons of Big Brother). He didn’t even watch our own series so every week he’d be like, ‘Who’s that person again?’ I’d have to fill him in on everything.

“I literally was … going above and beyond because I love the show that much and he was the complete opposite, couldn’t care less,” she said.

During the season Kyle called in sick for two live eviction shows reportedly because he was suffering bronchitis. But he revealed on KIIS FM last year that he actually chucked a couple of sickies because he had a serious drug addiction at the time.

“The divorce had happened and life wasn’t great back then so I buried my face into a big pile of cocaine to try and get over it,” he said on air. “It didn’t work.

“I was a bit depressed,” Kyle continued. “Well, I didn’t even know if I was depressed or not. Just was self-medicating, bumping back dozens of lines.”

His confession shocked Jackie O who replied: “I wasn’t sure what was going on at that time. I thought you just couldn’t be arsed … you weren’t that keen to do Big Brother as much as I was.”

“No, I was too munted to do it,” Kyle said.

Channel 10 announced during Season 8 that Big Brother wouldn’t be renewed the following year due to “audience erosion”.

Four years later Big Brother was given a new lease of life by Channel 9 with Sonia Kruger as host. It lasted three seasons before once again getting the chop.

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