Hosting duo announced for ITV’s revival of Big Brother
The show is returning to TV screens later this year.
AJ Odudu and Will Best have been announced as the hosts of ITV’s revival of Big Brother.
They will follow in the footsteps of Davina McCall, Emma Willis and Brian Dowling when the reality TV series returns to screens later this year.
The programme aired for 18 years in the UK until it was axed in 2018.
ITV announced in August that it would be returning on ITV2 and streaming service ITVX with its famous house featuring a “contemporary new look”.
Odudu, who co-hosted the revival of The Big Breakfast and was a finalist on Strictly Come Dancing, and Best, known for fronting talent show Dance Dance Dance on ITV, will host the main show, presiding over weekly evictions and “quizzing” housemates on the events of the day.
They will also front an additional nightly live show debating the topics inside the house.
It comes after speculation Rylan Clark, who presented Big Brother’s Bit On The Side alongside Odudu, could return as a host following his departure from Strictly Come Dancing spin-off It Takes Two on the BBC.
Odudu said: “I’m so excited to finally be able to say that, yes: I’m hosting Big Brother! I couldn’t be happier.
“Following in the footsteps of some of my favourite broadcasting legends to front such an iconic show is an absolute honour – and to do it alongside my amazing friend Will is the icing on the cake.”
Best said: “I grew up with Big Brother so getting a chance to host it with my mate AJ is a dream come true.
“I can’t wait to tell some housemates not to swear.”
Best began his career presenting youth music programmes on channels including MTV and T4.
In 2017, he co-presented ITV’s Sunday night talent show Dance Dance Dance alongside Alesha Dixon and also explored the issue of consent in BBC Three show Is This Rape? Sex On Trial.
Paul Mortimer, director of reality commissioning for ITV2 and ITVX, said “AJ and Will really are our perfect pairing as we prepare to reintroduce Big Brother to the next generation.
“With a genuine chemistry, both of them will bring effortless wit, charm and heaps of character to their roles and we’re delighted to be working with them both again.”
The programme – which sees housemates live together in a custom-built home for weeks without access to the outside world in a bid to win a cash prize – started in 2000 on Channel 4 and Channel 5 took over in 2011.
However, it was axed by the broadcaster in 2018 amid a ratings slump.
Big Brother’s production company said at the time that there were “future possibilities” for more series on UK TV, prompting speculation another broadcaster or streaming service could pick up the show.
Channel 5 controller Ben Frow later said he had no regrets over the decision to end the series and the TV landscape had become “very crowded with reality shows”.
