Bbuk: Dermot And Russell Quit For Bb8?

[Brekkie Boy]

Reports suggest that Davina McCall, the host of the main live eviction shows, will be the only Big Brother presenter returning for BB8 as the other hosts move on to pastures new.

In the days after Celebrity Big Brother it was reported that Russell Brand had quit discussion show "Big Mouth" as his career took off, including his own radio show, TV chat show and stand-up gigs. Though this still hasn't been confirmed or denied, he did actually announce on his final show it was the "end of an era" - it's just nobody realised what he meant at the time!

Meanwhile tonight it's being reported that Dermot O'Leary, who has fronted spin-off fanzine show Big Brother's Little Brother since BB2 in 2001, has been signed up as the new presenter of The X Factor - the Simon Cowell talent show which replaced Pop Idol here in the UK. Original presenter Kate Thornton was surprisingly axed after three series in the role.

Although The X Factor won't air until the Autumn, the audition process clashes with Big Brother in the summer - and as Dermot currently hosts BBLB six days a week, it's impossible to see how he could do both.

Therefore, it's highly likely Davina will be joined by two new co-hosts for BB8, while narrator Marcus Bentley will almost certainly still be on board.

It should be noted that these events shouldn't be seen as a fall-out of the (non) racism-row. Russell Brand's career has sky rocketed in the last year and it was inevitable he would move on, while Dermot has been looking for a big show of his own for years and revealed last year he wouldn't do the show much longer unless he landed Davina's role.

[Brekkie Boy]

Following speculation in the last week that Russell Brand had been tempted back with a big-money payrise and a promotion of his show to C4, it has now been confirmed that he has quit Big Mouth.

In a statement he released today he said:

"The three years have been a joy and I am grateful to both Channel 4 and Endemol for boldly taking the risk and employing an ex-junkie twerp to front such a show."

"Big Mouth has afforded me opportunities that are too exciting to turn down, so alas I can do it no more,"

"And whilst I recognise this isn't as significant as the resignation of Beckham or the Cuban Missile Crisis, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone."

There has still been no confirmation either way over Dermot's future with the show, with conflicting reports from various sources saying he's staying/going.