Lavish Big Brother 9 house revealed

Pictures of the biggest-yet Big Brother house have been released ahead of the ninth series of the reality show.

TV bosses hope the new brightly-coloured purpose built complex will provide the backdrop for must-see viewing after audience figures dropped to their lowest ever last year.

The programme - which began in 2000 - has spawned the likes of Jade Goody and Kate Lawler, as well as short-lived moments of fame for numerous wannabes.

But it suffered a drop in popularity last year, when Big Brother 8 attracted an average of 3.8 million viewers compared with the previous low of 4.5 million for the sixth series.

It marked another setback for Channel 4 - who decided to axe this year's Celebrity Big Brother in the wake of the race row involving Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty.

The first glimpse inside the Big Brother house reveals a marble sumptuous bathroom featuring an ostentatious swan tap attached to a huge bath surrounded by flowers, greenery, gold statues and blue velvet sofas.

There is a large living area with comfy sofas and plush coverings as well as an ultra-modern separate kitchen area with a red theme.

Housemates are again treated to a swimming pool, this time set in a garden with more greenery than ever before.

Sharon Powers, creative director of Big Brother, said: "We've got a really exciting group of housemates ready to go into the Big Brother house.

"But they need to remember that the Big Brother rules are there for a reason - Big Brother will not tolerate rule breaks and will be tougher than ever on housemates. It's going to be really exciting to see how they rise to the challenge of life in the house.

"For the housemates, and the viewers, it's going to be a summer to remember."

Davina McCall will host the show - which starts with the new housemates arriving on Thursday, June 5.

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