Channel 4 may also have to shell out £70 million for future Big Brother series, according to industry insiders.

The broadcaster currently pays around £40 million per year.

But the existing agreement runs out at the end of 2007 – after Big Brother 8 – and programme-makers Endemol could be planning a major price hike, according to the Mediaguardian website.

The £70 million sum would cover the rights to all Big Brother-related shows including the main series, Celebrity Big Brother and E4 spin-off Big Brother’s Little Brother.