When does Big Brother 2026 UK start? ITV episode schedule and the latest cast rumours

BIG Brother is back on the box in the very near future, and bosses are promising ITV’s biggest ever series. A fresh batch of strangers will move into the famous house for an extended series, with familiar faces tipped to drop in on them in a brand-new twist. The official launch date for Big Brother 2026 has been revealed by ITV Credit: ITV AJ Odudu and Will Best are back on hosting duties Credit: Sofi Adams When does Big Brother 2026 start? The Big Brother launch show airs on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm on Sunday, September 13. AJ Odudu and Will Best return to front the reality TV social experiment for a fourth civilian series. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! The series has been stretched to eight weeks, making it the longest run since ITV revived the format in 2023. Last year’s series began on September 28 and lasted 48 days, ending with 60-year-old music composer Richard Storry taking the £100,000 prize. ITV says for its “biggest series yet” the Big Brother house has been reimagined as a “house of surprises”. There will be “unexpected twists and game-changing moments around every corner”, plus ambitious tasks, high-stakes nominations and dramatic live evictions. When will new Big Brother 2026 episodes be available? Big Brother is traditionally broadcast every night apart from Saturdays, with episodes airing on ITV2 and streaming on ITVX. Companion show Late & Live is being replaced by a visualised podcast series called Big Brother: The Group Chat, hosted by Big Brother legend Kate Lawler and podcaster GK Barry. Most read in TV It airs Sunday to Thursday nights straight after the main show, with exclusive interviews with evicted housemates, celebrity fans and special guests. Kate said: “Big Brother has been a huge part of my life since I first stepped through those doors 24 years ago, so to now be returning in this role alongside the fantastic GK Barry feels like an exciting full-circle moment. “I can’t wait to get stuck into all the conversations, twists and talking points with the fans, while bringing a little of my own first-hand experience to the mix.” Who’s on the Big Brother cast? The identities of the housemates for the new series are being kept top secret until the launch show, but The Sun revealed show bosses have been lining up a shock new twist. Former BB stars are set to drop in and surprise the new housemates, with Chantelle Houghton, 42, among those in talks. In 2006, she won Series 4 of Celebrity Big Brother as a non-celebrity sent in to convince the famous housemates she was a pop star in a band called Kandy Floss. A source said: “ITV bosses have been tapping up famous Big Brother stars to return to the house from all of the series – and Chantelle was seen as their perfect Channel 4 signing. “She went into the celebrity house as a civilian, so to send her into the civilian series as a celeb seems like a fun twist. Chantelle is larger than life and game for anything. “Big Brother bosses are still securing famous names to go into the house as guests in residence – and they think it’ll be a brilliant twist.” While another insider said: “ITV are always thinking up new ways to inject even more fun into Big Brother. “When Sharon Osbourne came into CBB as a lodger a couple of years ago it worked really well. “The plan is to find big stars from all of the CBB series to come in and surprise the housemates. “Finer details are still being thrashed out, with the idea that some would come in as guest residents and some for specific tasks. “ITV are working hard on lining up their dream celebs to come on board and they think it could work a treat. “No celeb is off the table, their dream line-up would include people like Gemma Collins, Kerry Katona and JoJo Siwa, and they’re sure they can secure some amazing talent.” Comment now