DeadBrain suspends sponsorship of Big Brother
18 Jan 2007
The news satire website 'DeadBrain' today suspended its sponsorship of Big Brother amid the growing row over whether the alleged television show is a load of mindless rubbish. Already this week, questions have been asked in Parliament, effigies have been burnt in India and millions of people have fallen asleep. Now, the website's editor-in-chief has announced that it no longer wants to be associated with the programme."We have sponsored Big Brother for a number of years, but in light of how crap this year's so-called celebrity version has been we can no longer support it," said Gregory T Mullet. "There are very few things that would make me want DeadBrain's name to be connected with Jade Goody – a range of voodoo dolls, perhaps, or a stone-throwing contest – and her shouting at a Bollywood actress isn't one of them."
Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan said that DeadBrain had to do what it felt was right for its brand, and was keen to defend Big Brother. "I admit that viewing has sometimes been uncomfortable, even unpleasant," he said. "Personally I've tried to watch as little as possible, but those phone votes really bring in the money."
"We cannot with certainty say that the programme has been crap. This morning I asked some people in the office if they thought it was crap and they said it wasn't. People have very different standards of crap," he added. "Robert Kilroy-Silk had a television career for many years and there weren't anywhere near as many complaints."
Since this series of Celebrity Big Brother began, television regulator Ofcom has received 1.5 billion complaints, Channel 4 has received over 4,000 complaints and DeadBrain has received three threatening letters and a mouldy cheese sandwich by second class post.
A replacement sponsor is now being sought. Potential candidates include the BNP and the remaining living members of the Jackson Five.
