Celebrity Big Brother to return to TV screens in 2024

Celebrity Big Brother will be returning to TV screens in 2024, ITV has announced.

When the show airs on ITV next year a cast of famous faces will take up residence in the Big Brother house to take part in weekly nominations and challenges as cameras capture their every move.

A spin-off show called Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live will follow, where contestants will be interviewed for the first time after their eviction.

In October a new series of Big Brother launched on the TV network, with the celebrity and “civilian” version of the reality show having last aired on Channel 5 in 2018.

After seven years producing the often controversial programme, Channel 5 said it would no longer continue with either versions of Big Brother.

It was confirmed in 2022 that ITV would be launching a new series of the “civilian” version of the programme when a promotional video aired during the Love Island series finale on ITV2.

Paul Mortimer, director of reality commissioning and acquisitions and controller, ITV2 and ITVBe said: “The reception from our viewers to Big Brother’s return has been fantastic.

“We’re therefore thrilled to announce that we’ll be bringing our very own celebrity edition to ITV1 and ITVX next year.

“Casting is under way to find a new batch of famous faces who are sure to provide more iconic and unmissable BB moments.”

Producer Natalka Znak, chief executive of Initial, Remarkable Entertainment and Znak TV added: “The launch series on ITV2 has been so much fun to make and we’re glad Big Brother has found a whole new audience on ITV2.

“It’s been a joy working with ITV and we’re excited to do it all over again and this time with celebrities and on ITV1.”

Soap star Ryan Thomas won the last series of Celebrity Big Brother and during his time on the show was embroiled in a scandal after actress Roxanne Pallett claimed he had deliberately hurt her with a punch.

Viewers defended this as play-fighting and Thomas was played the clip of the incident during his post-eviction interview, where he told host Emma Willis how scared he had been when the drama unfolded.

Other memorable and controversial moments from Celebrity Big Brother include when pantomime star Christopher Biggins was removed from the show in in 2016 for making a number of comments, including the suggestion that bisexual people were responsible for spreading Aids.

CBB commented at the time: “Since entering Big Brother, he has made a number of comments capable of causing great offence to housemates and the viewing public. Big Brother does not tolerate offensive language capable of causing widespread offence.”

Also in 2016, more than 200 people complained after Channel 5 aired scenes where American TV personality Tiffany Pollard mistakenly thought fellow contestant David Gest had died.

The reality star became hysterical when Angie Bowie confided in her that ”David’s dead”, referring to the demise of her former husband David Bowie from cancer.

Gest’s unfortunate timing for a nap led to a mix-up, but the producer sadly died three months later, with Pollard forced to pull David Is Dead slogan T-shirts from her website.

In 2017 television personality Kim Woodburn, one half of cleaning team Kim and Aggie, was removed from the main Celebrity Big Brother house by security after an explosive argument with several housemates.

As she was removed, the How Clean Is Your House? presenter called fellow housemates “chinless wonders”.

Alongside Celebrity Big Brother, other reality series commissioned by ITV for 2024 include Love Island: All Stars, a second series of My Mum, Your Dad and forthcoming The Fortune Hotel.

Published: 10/11/2023 by Radio NewsHub