Big Brother's first winner Craig Phillips says the show should be axed now

After rumours spread this week that Channel 5 will be axing Big Brother after the three series this year (which the channel has denied), there has been plenty of debate about whether the long-running reality behemoth should end.

One person who wouldn't mind seeing the closure of Britain's most famous house is the show's first ever winner, Craig Phillips.

Speaking to the Shropshire Star, Craig said: "On the one hand it massively changed my life, predominantly for the better, and it would be the end of an era if it was axed.

"On the other hand, from a viewer's point of view, I think it probably is time for it to come to an end... When Channel 5 took it on, I thought that might give it some fresh ideas, but it hasn't, it's just continued to decline.

"When we did it, nobody knew how big it was going to be, we were just ordinary people and it was all quite innocent.

"Now everything has been engineered, the layout of the house, the tasks, the contestants they select, everything is designed to make people clash.

"It's been on for 18 years, that's a long time, and it's probably run its course."

Earlier this week, Craig spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about his fondness for his time on the show and some of the amazing opportunities he had after he won.

The current series of Celebrity Big Brother airs nightly on Channel 5.

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