Celebrity Big Brother is reportedly set to be axed for good amid ITV's budget cuts and increasing competition from rival shows. The celebrity edition of the reality series, revived in 2024 with hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best, will not return for a third outing despite the civilian version continuing later this year.
Competition from The Celebrity Traitors
A source told The Sun that ITV bosses face a huge challenge signing up celebrities because many are now pressing their agents to get them on The Celebrity Traitors on the BBC. The source said: "That is already causing problems for other big shows, like Strictly and I'm A Celebrity, which rely on star contestants because they now find themselves as second in the pecking order. So that is an even greater issue for a show like Celebrity Big Brother because now it's on ITV, it needs a certain calibre of contestant which are very hard to sign up now."
Previous Winners and Contestants
Celebrity Big Brother's two-series run saw winners including reality star David Potts and Coronation Street actor Jack P Shepherd. Other notable contestants included EastEnders icon Patsy Palmer, X Factor judges Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, and former This Morning presenter Fern Britton.
ITV Budget Cuts and Scheduling Clash
ITV has faced major budget cuts over the past year, with soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale each reducing episodes. Daytime brands Lorraine and Loose Women now air only 30 weeks a year instead of 52. Additionally, a potential scheduling clash with ITV's new I'm A Celebrity spin-off The Wild Frontier, set to air at the same time as Celebrity Big Brother, has further complicated matters.
ITV's Stance and Future of Big Brother
An ITV spokesperson said: "Big Brother returns to ITVX and ITV2 later this year. No decisions have been made for 2027 as yet." Insiders noted that the civilian version is "far cheaper to produce than celebrity so the return on investment is worth the while." ITV boss Kevin Lygo previously explained at the Edinburgh TV festival that the show might move to ITV2 due to difficulty booking big celebrities for the main channel. He said: "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." The Late And Live spin-off hosted by AJ and Will has also been axed.
