Britain’s Channel 4 axes ‘Big Brother,’ show that spawned national obsession with reality TV

British TV cancels reality show ‘Big Brother’

LONDON — Britain doesn’t love “Big Brother” the way it used to.

Television station Channel 4 says it is canceling the show that sparked a national obsession with reality TV and next year’s 11th season will be the last.

“Big Brother” made its British debut in 2000 and quickly became a national talking point. The show confines a group of people to a house under the constant gaze of cameras and lets viewers vote to evict them one by one.

Several contestants became celebrities, including Jade Goody, the troubled star who died of cancer in March at age 27.

But the show has seen falling ratings in the past few years. Channel 4 director of television Kevin Lygo said the show had reached a “natural end.”