‘Celebrity Big Brother’ is officially stepping back for 2026. ITV has confirmed the long-running reality series will be “rested” this year, with a return now expected in Spring 2027.
The hiatus does not impact the show’s hosting lineup. AJ Odudu and Will Best are both set to remain at the helm when the celebrity edition returns, continuing their joint duties across the wider ‘Big Brother’ franchise.
When it does come back, ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ will air on ITV2 rather than ITV1.
The move follows ITV’s crowded reality schedule for early 2026, which includes ‘I’m A Celebrity: South Africa,’ ‘The Summit,’ ‘Nobody’s Fool,’ and ‘The Neighbourhood.’
The traditional civilian edition of ‘Big Brother,’ meanwhile, is locked in to return this Autumn for its fourth season since the 2023 reboot.
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, ITV controller Kevin Lygo explained the shift in strategy:
“It’s so difficult now to book big celebrities for the main channel. Whereas you can go more interesting and niche on ITV2.”
Despite reports that spin-off ‘Late & Live’ has been dropped, the ‘Big Brother’ brand remains a priority for ITV, having surpassed 150 million streams on ITVX since its return.