C4 signs Dreams as Celebrity Big Brother sponsor

Channel 4 has signed bed retailer Dreams to sponsor Celebrity Big Brother, which returns to the broadcaster next month for the first time since 2007. The series was “rested” last year following the Shilpa Shetty racism row a year earlier.

Dreams will sponsor the main show on Channel 4, which begins on January 2, streaming on E4, as well as spin-off shows such as Big Brother’s Little Brother and web and video-on-demand coverage.

It replaces Carphone Warehouse, which pulled its sponsorship of the celebrity show because of the bullying of Shetty (pictured) by fellow housemates. Virgin Media took over sponsorship of the Big Brother format but it has ended its association.

Channel 4 offered the sponsorship to the open market after it is understood to have failed to attract interest from “edgy” advertisers (MW December 4). It has been reported that both Heat magazine and 118 118 were approached over the sponsorship but turned the opportunity down.

Dreams will able to use the signature Big Brother “eye” motif across its store network as well as in its advertising. The sponsorship does not extend to next summer’s flaghsip Big Brother series.

The broadcaster and the bed company the tie-up is a natural fit because of the contestants’ scramble over the best beds and being associated with the most famous house in the UK.