‘Too Difficult to Book Big Celebrities’: ITV Hints at Celebrity Big Brother’s Future

ITV is reportedly resting Celebrity Big Brother in 2026. Latest updates points to the success of BBC’s The Celebrity Traitors as a major factor in the network’s struggle to sign high-profile contestants.

The reality spin-off, revived in 2024 after a six-year hiatus, has aired two seasons on ITV1 but will not return to screens this year, according to sources.

An insider told The Sun: “Bosses face a huge challenge trying to sign up celebrities because so many of them are now pressing their agents to get them on The Celebrity Traitors.”

The source added that the competition is already creating problems for other big reality shows, including Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.

These shows now find themselves “second in the pecking order.” The insider noted that for Celebrity Big Brother, which airs on ITV, the need for a certain calibre of contestant makes recruitment especially difficult.

ITV’s Commitment and Scheduling Challenges

Despite the reports, ITV has publicly reaffirmed its commitment to the franchise. A spokesperson said: “We are committed to both Celebrity Big Brother and Big Brother beyond 2025.”

Scheduling for any new series will be confirmed in due course. The show remains a priority reality format for us, having recently hit 150 million streams on ITVX.”

Another ITV statement clarified: “Big Brother returns to ITVX and ITV2 later this year. No decisions have been made for 2027 as yet.”

ITV Director of Television Kevin Lygo said at the 2025 Edinburgh TV Festival: “Celebrity Big Brother we’re looking at. We’re thinking not on the main channel, that’s the answer.”

He added: “It’s so difficult now to book big celebrities, famous people, which is what we need on the main channel. Whereas you can go more interesting and niche on ITV2.”

Lygo also noted that the network is in a battle with production company Banijay over pricing, though the show performs well on ITVX.

Celebrity Big Brother’s Revival and Future

Celebrity Big Brother returned to ITV in 2024 after being off air since 2018. It last aired on Channel 5.

The revived series crowned David Potts as the first winner and Coronation Street actor Jack P. Shepherd as the second.

Other notable contestants across the two seasons included Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh, Fern Britton, Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, Patsy Palmer, and JoJo Siwa.

The civilian version of Big Brother, which has produced winners Jordan Sangha, Ali Bromley, and Richard Storry, is set to return later this year on ITV2 and ITVX.