Davina McCall has revealed she put herself forward to host the revived version of Big Brother on ITV but was rejected by bosses who wanted a fresh start. The 58-year-old, who fronted the original Channel 4 series from 2000 to 2010, admitted she reached out to ITV but was turned down.
Davina's Bid to Return
Speaking on the Business Growth Secrets podcast, McCall told host Adam Scott: "I've got a secret to tell you actually. When they started Big Brother on ITV, I put myself forward to present it and they went with new presenters." She added: "But I was like, 'Look, can I please just be pre-titles and just go "Fancy another one?"' But they didn't want me to do that, and I was like: 'F***.'"
Change in the Show
McCall acknowledged the show has evolved significantly since her tenure. "I love that show so much, it was in my DNA and, interestingly, it's changed now and it will never be what it was at the beginning, because people know what it is," she explained. "They know what to expect, they know what's going to happen after. They always kind of semi-know they are being watched. Whereas people at the beginning, it really was an extraordinary human experiment. It was incredible at the time."
ITV's Choice and Fan Reaction
ITV opted for AJ Odudu and Will Best as the new hosts. McCall initially expressed "fomo" but backed the decision as "quite a good idea." However, fans have reacted negatively to the news. One fan said: "Diabolical decision from Big Brother there." Another wrote: "Part of me can't believe ITV passed on Davina McCall, but another part thinks she may have had a lucky escape. As disappointing as it sounds, at least she's not tied to the much softer, watered-down version of the show we ended up with." A third added: "As much as AJ and Will have grown on me and I like them as a duo, Davina would have been (and still would be) the best host for BBUK. She *is* Big Brother. I understand ITV needed their own stamp on the new era, but Davina and maybe even Emma [Willis] as a duo."
ITV's Response
The Daily Star has reached out to ITV for comment.
