Celebrity Big Brother 'faces two-year disappearance from ITV'

Celebrity Big Brother has reportedly been 'plunged into a lengthy hiatus', with the reality show set to vanish from screens for almost two years amid 'ongoing difficulties securing big name housemates'.

The most recent celebrity series aired on ITV in April last year, with Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd emerging victorious.

However plans for its return have been repeatedly pushed back, with the show now thought to be off air until at least 2027.

Fronted by AJ Odudu and Will Best, the format had been announced it would shift to ITV2, with the move failing to ease casting concerns behind the scenes.

A source told The Sun: 'Despite announcing the programme was moving from ITV1 to sister channel ITV2, fans were still expecting another series this year.

'Executives also confirmed it wouldn't be returning to the March/April air date it's had for the last two seasons, and instead would have to go out in late 2026.'

They added: 'The latest development is likely to rock devotees when they realise it will be almost two years between series, which is relatively unusual for a big ITV show.'

The lengthy disappearance also fuelled speculation about the long-term future of the celebrity version.

The source said: 'It does also raise questions over CBB's long-term future'. 

It is thought the show has not been able to attract enough viewers, despite featuring the likes of JoJo Siwa, ex-Eastender Patsy Palmer, veteran actor Mickey Rourke, former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne and ex-Love Islander Chris Hughes.

The Daily Mail has contacted ITV for comment. 

Similar action has already been taken with Dancing on Ice, which was paused for this year as ratings declined while production costs - particularly celebrity fees - continued to climb.

In March 2025, ITV announced that the Sunday night staple hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern had been 'rested' with 'no current plans for another series'.

The decision meant the ice-skating competition, which started in 2006 won't celebrate it's 20th anniversary this year.

It's another blow for the channel who also axed the civilian Big Brother's Late & Live spin-off, just two years after its launch for failing to win over audiences. 

At the end of last year a source told The Sun: 'Big Brother in general has struggled this year due to fierce competition from the likes of Celebrity Traitors.

'Late & Live has really struggled due to the main show not doing as well as hoped.

'Over the past few weeks whispers have been rife that the show would be axed and then during the final week it was an open topic on the studio floor.' 

The insider revealed that those who worked on the show were 'quietly' informed of its demise. 

They said: 'Bosses have quietly told staff, many of whom are freelancers, not to expect the show to return.' 

The insider admitted that while the axing was 'a shame', every show must eventually come to an end. 

It's also been suggested that the show's live format has been part of the issue after so many fans switched to watching the show on ITVX. 

Big Brother first hit British TV screens way back in 2000, and the reality TV show based on George Orwell's surveillance novel 1984 initially went down a storm with viewers. 

At its peak in 2002, the finale attracted a whopping 10 million viewers.