Dec 29, 2007, 14:42 GMT
Belgrade - Three former residents of the ongoing Serbian Big Brother show were killed in a car crash late Friday night, local media reported Saturday.
Quoting eyewitnesses and police sources, it said that Stevan Zecevic, 23, Zorica Lazic, 24, and Elmir Kuduzovic, 25, who were voted out of the Big Brother home ahead of the finale on New Year's Eve, were killed when their car crashed into a river.
One person survived the accident on the road Belgrade-Sabac, 60 kilometres west of the capital. The car was apparently driven too quickly by Kuduzovic.
The company Emotion, which produces the franchise show, has announced that it would stop broadcasting the third season in Serbia just three days before the showdown vote was due to determine the winner among the 22 people who have spent time in the Big Brother's house.
The 100-day show, in which the residents are under non-stop surveillance, is broadcast by the B92 media house.
The final show of the season would be broadcast on Saturday evening, after which a winner would be chosen according to viewer votes.
Emotion and B92 have decided to split the 100,000 euro (some 147,000 dollars) award between all the remaining contestants.
'Emotion and B92 express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. The money garnered from this week's voting would be given to the campaign for improving traffic safety,' a statement from the company read.
Virtually all residents of the show became instant celebrities. Apart from lucrative job offers, many also receive invitations to boost parties all over Serbia.
The three killed residents were on their way to a party in Sabac, along with three other housemates who were in a different vehicle.
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