Gretel said it to over 100 housemates over the years, but who thought we'd be saying "it's time to go" to Gretel before Big Brother?
This is the first announcement we got about the new series, and it came only shortly after the end of the 2007 series. What better way for the producers to prove that the series is being refreshed than getting rid of the show's 7-year host?
Let's not pretend Gretel loved working on the series. It has been evident on screen that since 2004 when Kris Noble took over from Peter Abbott as Executive Producer that Gretel has been unhappy hosting the series.
How much clearer could it be when she took on the role of schoolmarm while hosting Uncut in 2005? After 4 years she suddenly started introducing segments by making the audience feel perverted for watching them! Was she told to do it? Was it supposed to be a good idea? This is when it became obvious that Gretel was over Big Brother.
It went on the last couple of years with her taking the side of most of the female housemates and publicly humiliating the more dominant males-- Glenn (BB05), Michael (BB06, though he deserved it). She even seemed to battle for the hosting role with Mike Goldman in BB06's FNL: The Prize Fight.
It was also perfectly obvious too that her hosting role had become nothing more than a 2-day-a-week job to her. While during the first years she knew all there was to know about housemates and events in the house, for the last few years she seemed to have little knowledge of what had been happening, even events that were covered in the Daily Show. Mike Goldman was obviously there long days, researching, rehearsing, and watching, but it seemed Gretel showed up on Sunday night to host her shows and had little other exposure to the series.
Things turned around in BB07 and Gretel seemed more relaxed in her role. She fired her old dresser and was decked out in more suitable threads. From the beginning it seemed she had convinced herself she was going to enjoy things more. Her interviews were better. She knew when to speak up and when to hold back. She laughed more and stopped treating the live audiences like a primary school class.
And then we were told she was gone. No one will know the real story. Of course the press release says it was a mutual decision between her and the producers. Did she resign? Was she dumped? Just how long ago had it been decided?
People say the show won't be the same without her. Of course it won't. In some ways it will be better, and in some ways it will be worse. But it will be different. And different is what they are going for this year. A fresh look to draw in viewers-- the fans will be back, viewers who gave up on the show will return, fans of Kyle and Jackie will join, the media will definitely be watching, and with good promotion the rest will be drawn in by curiosity. With new hosts we can not possibly expect the same old format.
