Big Brother is returning later this year with a brand new crop of housemates to cause chaos – but there could be a major twist.
The hit reality series, which first aired on Channel 4 in 2000, was rebooted on ITV in 2023 with AJ Odudu and Will Best coming on board as the new presenters.
Over the past 26 years of the show, it has launched several careers, birthed brilliant TV and left viewers at home hooked to the drama in the house. Last year’s season launched to 1.4m viewers in total and was one of ITV2’s biggest shows.
No doubt, ITV will be hoping to replicate that once more with the upcoming season, and bring in even better numbers if it can.
And it appears as though it might be taking an unconventional approach that is already facing backlash from fans.
Reports have emerged that the network plans to introduce a shock new twist to surprise civilians.
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According to The Sun, ITV plans to bring in contestants from across 25 years of its famous-faced counterpart, Celebrity Big Brother, which first aired in 2001 and returned in 2024.
Insiders revealed that civilians will be surprised with the twist just days into the launch, which is expected to happen mid-September and run for an extended seven weeks.
The publication claims they’re in talks with housemates from not only their era of the show but from across the Channel 4 and Channel 5 reigns. This would be similar to the 2017 series where Gemma Collins, Nicola McLean, and Marnie Simpson were jetted in as guest residents.
The source explained: ‘ITV are always thinking up new ways to inject even more fun into Big Brother.z
‘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’s series to come in and surprise the housemates.’
The Osbourne matriarch was a show first, only entering the house for eight days where she stirred chaos and put people in danger of eviction before exiting stage left.
The insider shared that while ‘finer details’ were being decided, one idea is to have some celebrity housemates come in as ‘guest residents’ and others to take part in ‘specific tasks’.
They’re lining up ‘dream celebs’ with the hopes it will be a success.
‘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,’ the source concluded.
Certainly, there have been some truly iconic Celebrity Big Brother stars over the years, the above included. Who can forget when Tiffany Pollard and Angie Bowie had that epic moment of miscommunication over which ‘David’ was dead?
Or when Gemma Collins created the endlessly quotable phrase ‘I’m claustrophobic Darren’, or the late Kim Woodburn (need I say more).
Still, the idea hasn’t inspired much faith within fans who are already blasting the concept, especially since bringing back evicted housemates from the last season (Emily and Farida) did not go down well.
Not to mention, the future of Celebrity Big Brother is looking uncertain, with the latest reports claiming it is set to be axed after failing to reach the heights of rival show Celebrity Traitors.
‘I’m fed up with guest residence. Just give us normal non-influencer people,’ CullanG wrote on Reddit.
‘Just wish we had CBB tbh. BB now is mostly social media famous types. I don’t really want housemates with agents/agency and managers. I’d like “real people” as it were,’ LyingFacts shared.
‘They had multiple options: do a low-budget CBB again, do all-stars but they decide to go with celebrity houseguests?? I will never understand these producers,’ Direct-Future-5328 said.
‘This isn’t what we want for what could be the last series… It’s a no from me,’ wi99lywoo agreed.
Over on X, BB superfan declared: ‘Please do not do this ITV… we beg!’
There is currently no official release date for the new season of Big Brother and ITV is yet to confirm whether this concept will be going ahead.
Metro has reached out to ITV for comment.