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Virgin Media is new sponsor of Big Brother
Last updated at 12:08pm on 21.03.07
New deal: Virgin Media will sponsor Big Brother
Storm: The Big Brother race row between Shilpa, Jo, Jade and Danielle led to Carphone Warehouse axeing sponsorship
Virgin Media is the new sponsor of Big Brother, it was confirmed today.
The company has signed an exclusive deal with Channel 4 to sponsor the eighth series this summer and will have first refusal on the next Celebrity Big Brother.
"We're a pioneering and innovative company so it made sense to create an alliance with a show that has genuinely changed the face of TV," said James Kydd, Virgin Media's managing director of marketing.
Carphone Warehouse pulled out of its £3 million sponsorship deal following the Celebrity Big Brother race row.
Kydd said: "Big Brother has always come under the spotlight and courted a lot of attention.
"Virgin is known for facing challenges head on and we know that our customers enjoy Big Brother because it's the most unpredictable and exciting TV programme there is."
The Virgin Mobile brand will be at the heart of the sponsorship deal.
Channel 4's head of sponsorship, David Charlesworth, said: "We share so much with Virgin in both brand and business so look forward to pooling our expertise to create a ground-breaking sponsorship."
Reader views (1)
As a Virgin customer I can assure you I do not enjoy Big Brother. It is a pile of tosh where a bunch of untalented losers desperate to be famous will do anything for their 15 mins of fame. I can't believe after failing to secure us the Sky channels they are wasting cash on BB. I for one will definitely be moving my custom elsewhere!
- Pa, London
