With the latest civilian Big Brother winner set to be crowned soon, viewers are already looking ahead to the next star-studded edition of the franchise. The celebrity version—known for packing a dozen well-known personalities into Britain’s most notorious reality TV house—made headlines earlier this year during its successful revival. The 2024 series featured a diverse cast including drag performer Danny Beard, singer Chesney Hawkes, and actress Patsy Palmer.

Across 19 days of confinement, drama quickly became the defining element of the season. Actor Mickey Rourke was removed following inappropriate behaviour, creating one of the biggest talking points of the show. Meanwhile, an unexpected love story emerged between pop star JoJo Siwa and former Love Island contestant Chris Hughes, who confirmed they began dating after leaving the house. Ultimately, it was Coronation Street actor Jack P. Shepherd who walked away with the win, adding another memorable chapter to the rebooted franchise.

Now, anticipation is building for Celebrity Big Brother 2026 — expected to return sometime next year. While ITV has not released many concrete details, there are already strong signals about potential air dates, format adjustments, and rumoured contestants.

When will Celebrity Big Brother 2026 begin?

ITV has not yet confirmed the official launch date, but industry expectations suggest an early-year release. Based on the scheduling of the most recent celebrity season, fans may see the new series premiere in April 2026, running for just under three weeks. This would align with ITV’s current programming strategy and the proven performance window of earlier seasons.

A major shift, however, appears to be underway regarding where the show will air. Historically, the celebrity edition has been shown on ITV1, but the broadcaster is planning to move it to ITV2. This mirrors the approach used for the civilian version which recently found strong success on the digital-first channel and ITV’s streaming platform, ITVX.

During the Edinburgh TV Festival, ITV’s Managing Director of Media & Entertainment, Kevin Lygo, explained the strategic change. “Celebrity Big Brother — we’re looking at not putting it on the main channel,” he said. He noted that ITV1 requires extremely high-profile names, whereas ITV2 allows for “more interesting and niche” casting choices. Lygo emphasised that the show remains a valuable part of ITV’s lineup: “It does really well for us on ITVX… It’s a crucial show, and yes, it’s coming back.”

Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd was crowned the winner(ITV)

Potential line-up for Celebrity Big Brother 2026

As with most seasons, the official lineup remains unannounced, but rumours are already circulating widely.

Closer Magazine has reported that The Only Way Is Essex personality Junaid Ahmed and Real Housewives of London original cast member Amanda Cronin are both in early talks to join. Meanwhile, bookmakers have listed several notable figures with competitive odds:

• Ben Price (actor, Coronation Street): 6/4 favourite to appear. Price also co-hosts a podcast with last year’s champion, Jack P. Shepherd, strengthening speculation.

• Alan Carr (comedian and The Traitors 2024 winner): 2/1.

• Rebekah Vardy (media personality): 4/1.

• Gary Lineker (football pundit and former England striker): 4/1.

• Tommy Fury (boxer and reality TV personality): 5/1 — frequently linked to both Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
  
  There was romance on the last series(ITV)
  

While nothing is confirmed, the rumoured mix suggests that ITV is pursuing a blend of household names, reality TV stars, and unexpected wild-cards—consistent with the show’s formula for dramatic television.

In the meantime, fans can catch up on Celebrity Big Brother 2025, which is currently streaming on ITVX, as excitement continues to build for the next celebrity-filled season of Britain’s iconic reality franchise.

( Sources: BBC Entertainment, ITV News, The Guardian, The Independent )