Mumbai/Calcutta, Sept. 4: Amitabh Bachchan will make a comeback on television screens after three years as the host of reality show Bigg Boss on the channel Colors.

Shilpa Shetty had anchored the show in its first season on the channel.

A spokesperson for Colors said: “We expect to hit the jackpot with Big B, he is the Big Boss of Bollywood. And his presence itself will give the show a huge boost. He will be the link between the participants and the audience.”

Bachchan, 66, will be called the Pop Philosopher.

“He is too big a personality to be labelled just a host. He will talk a lot about his philosophies of life and try to analyse how the housemates of Bigg Boss are thinking,” the channel said.

Last year, Shilpa had met the contestants outside the house as they got eliminated one by one. “Bachchan will also be doing that besides playing Pop Philosopher and he too will be going on air once a week,” it added.

The channel refused to reveal the telecast date of the new season but did say that it would premiere before the end of the year.

“Signing on Mr Bachchan for Bigg Boss is part of the channel’s overall strategy to reclaim the number one slot,” said a channel source.

Colors, which beat STAR Plus to the number one slot soon after its launch last year, has slipped in the ratings since.

“The first promos of the show with Mr Bachchan are ready and they will be aired from Monday,” said the Colors official.

Shilpa says in her blog: “Amitji will host the next season of BIGG BOSS and people want to know how I feel…

“So here it is… This piece of news didn’t come as a surprise as I was told before by the creative head of the channel, and I feel happy that they’ve got him to say yes. I know he will do a fantastic job. I will definitely be watching it. The channel has the right to do what’s best for the show so that’s that.

She goes on to say that with a series of shoots scheduled in the UK around October and November, her hands would be full. There’s also the matter of her forthcoming wedding to beau and business partner Raj Kundra.

Unlike the previous series, which began with Arshad Warsi on Sony, the new season of Bigg Boss will see Bachchan invite viewers to send their choices of housemates and the channel will attempt to get some of the people chosen by viewers.

Bachchan’s last television appearance was on the hugely popular show Kaun Banega Crorepati that Shah Rukh Khan later hosted.