Gary Lineker was in genuine talks to appear in the latest series of Celebrity Big Brother – but for an astonishing fee.
The former Match of the Day presenter, 64, abruptly left the BBC earlier this year after sharing a social media post about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat, unaware that historically it had been used as an antisemitic symbol.
He’s already lined up to present a new ITV gameshow, The Box, his first gig on the BBC’s rival channel, but was tempted to enter the CBB house back in March.
Big Brother executives Natalka Znak and Katy Manley joined former Big Brother producer Phil Edgar-Jones and recent Celebrity Big Brother housemate Angellica Bell for a panel talk celebrating 25 years of the show at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
Znak revealed that Gary Lineker was in serious talks to join the Celebrity Big Brother house this year—but his fee was eye-watering.
‘Gary Lineker, we tried to get last year, but he wanted £4,000,000,’ she told the audience, prompting shocked laughter from the crowd.
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Znak also revealed that she’s already been in meetings with an American celebrity lined up for Celebrity Big Brother 2026, following the explosive appearances of U.S. stars JoJo Siwa and Mickey Rourke earlier this year. Both left the house under vastly different circumstances—and levels of success.
With the next series already in the works, Znak was asked who her dream housemate would be.
She replied enthusiastically: ‘I’d love a royal. I’d love Kanye West and his wife.’
Next month, a documentary about Kanye West—now legally known as Ye—will be released in select cinemas.
The disgraced hip-hop star has been followed by filmmaker Nico Ballesteros for the past six years, a period that has seen a dramatic decline in his public image, deeply troubling behaviour, the breakdown of his marriage to Kim Kardashian, and his subsequent marriage to Bianca Censori.
In a recent trailer, West states, ‘I’m off my meds for five months now.’
His ex-wife, Kardashian, adds: ‘Your personality was not like this a few years ago.’
West insists: ‘I would rather be dead than be on medication… Either they destroy me, or I destroy it. I’m almost like a masochist… I write whatever I want, when I want! It’s words!’
After being one of the most successful musicians of all time, he’s now completely untouchable, reduced to making strange appearances on right-wing-leaning podcasts and Piers Morgan’s YouTube show.
An appearance on Celebrity Big Brother no longer seems beyond the realm of possibility – if ITV is prepared to house him.
Jack P. Shepherd was crowned the most recent winner of Celebrity Big Brother, in somewhat of a surprise result over Drag Race UK star Danny Beard.
It was a series filled with controversy, with Mickey Rourke being kicked out of the house after repeated use of inappropriate language and unacceptable behaviour toward fellow housemates. His reported £500,000 fee was subsequently slashed to just £50,000.
Celebrity Big Brother returns to ITV in 2026. Big Brother returns later this year.
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