Luke Marsden: The return of Big Brother will need a Tracy from Tesco Wigan

But a significant event did occur that year: after 18 years, the king of reality TV shows Big Brother came to end.

The end was more like a terminal disease.

Channel 5 let it die and the format looked as old and tired as a drag act that has gone on for far too long.

Jump forward four years later, yes it is probably cheaper to own gold than petrol and inflation is literally higher than a kite, but if you haven’t heard the news, Big Brother is returning next year!

I’ll be the first to admit that I got goosebumps when I heard the iconic theme played during an ad break of the Love Island finale.

ITV have resuscitated the juggernaut of reality shows and have promised a back-to-basics approach.

I implore the big wigs of ITV to stick to their word, we don’t want any politician promises, the show means too much to so many people.

We need less Nikki, the 24-year-old social influencer from Essex, and more Tracy, the checkout supervisor from Tesco in Wigan.

A friend text me shortly after the internet broke at the news of Big Brother’s big return.

She said “maybe you’ll get another 15 minutes of fame from this”. At this rate I’ll be on an hour.

I’m proceeding with cautious optimism.

ITV have the funds and the ability to bring the show back to the glory days of the Channel 4 era but for a newer, more socially aware audience.

That will be the challenge – it needs to appeal to a viewing public that have a heightened appetite for what they perceive to be right and wrong.

Tricky waters lie ahead as the producers begin the search for the fresh batch of new generation housemates.

Oh, and they have to actually build a house from scratch.

If 2022 has taught us anything, it is never say never and Big Brother really is always watching!