Big Brother will be axed next year, broadcaster Channel 4 has confirmed.

A final edition of the reality TV series will be held next summer, while a Celebrity edition will be broadcast in January.

The decision to scrap the programme follows a dramatic fall in ratings in recent years.

Channel 4's director of television Kevin Lygo said the programme had “reached a natural end point” and that it was “time to move on”.

But the show could remain on British TV screens if creators Endemol secure a new deal with another broadcaster.

Big Brother, which began in 2000, was credited with transforming ordinary members of the public into overnight celebrities.

Some of the show's most memorable former contestants include Nick 'Nasty' Bateman, Kate Lawler and the late Jade Goody.