Little Brother's Big Kidney

I was approached late yesterday afternoon by a contestant on this year’s Big Brother – civilians that is, not celebrities.  I cannot even remember which series this is; it has been going for so long.  After all the race row shenanigans, I hope the new series has a change of zest; its reputation is finely balanced and it certainly requires a new dimension. I am confident that C4 will have pressurized Endemol into culturally tuning it’s offering to ignite the Great British unwashed. How much more can be written about BB? Surely the new depths of programming depravity are more engaging. I am more interested in Endemol’s Dutch game show that gives away a kidney at the end of it!  That’s what I want to see.  More upsetting, more soul destroying, more valid, more political and much more cultural to have such a show, than wheel out Big Brother fully equipped with its half witted Little Brother as well.

With headlines like “Fury Over Kidney Give Away”, we really can’t go wrong. It’s looking good for the The Big Donor Show, which features a terminally ill woman who must choose a recipient for her kidneys.  It has already caused outrage among health campaigners and politicians but Endemol refute claims that reality TV has hit an all time low, by insisting that it’s meant to highlight just how difficult it is to get a transplant.  On the show, apparently three contestants vie to get the kidney, making their chances of a transplant 33.3 % rather than the 1% or 2% under normal waiting list chances. There are good points and bad and yes, you could say people’s lives are being made a lottery out of, and to watch this on prime TV is unacceptable, but, go on, be honest, you think it’s genius.