ITV plans guest celebrity residents for Celebrity Big Brother return

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, August 6, 2026

ITV will reintroduce former Celebrity Big Brother contestants as guest residents in the upcoming civilian Big Brother series starting September 13, aiming to surprise the housemates and invigorate the show's dynamics. This strategy expands the pool of potential guests to include stars from all past Celebrity Big Brother editions, enhancing viewer interest and blending nostalgia with new content.

ITV is preparing to reintroduce guest celebrity residents as part of the upcoming civilian series of Big Brother, set to begin its eight-week run on September 13. According to industry sources, the network plans to invite a range of former Celebrity Big Brother stars to enter the house as surprise guests, a move intended to add fresh excitement and dynamic interactions among contestants.

The concept draws inspiration from the 2024 series, during which Sharon Osbourne appeared as a lodger in the house, temporarily joining the cast. This time, however, ITV aims to expand the approach by selecting former participants from all previous Celebrity Big Brother editions, including those aired on Channel 4 and Channel 5, broadening the pool to include notable figures from the show’s entire history.

Those familiar with the plans indicate that some former celebrities will enter the Big Brother house as resident guests, potentially staying for an extended time, while others might be brought in for specific tasks or shorter appearances designed to surprise the civilian housemates. The details of these roles are still being finalized, with ITV negotiating with various past contestants to secure their participation.

A source close to the show said ITV is keen to leverage familiar faces to heighten viewer interest and bring new layers of entertainment to the series. “ITV are always thinking up new ways to inject even more fun into Big Brother,” the insider said, adding that the list of potential guest stars includes a wide range of personalities from previous series. “The plan is to find big stars from all of the CBB series to come in and surprise the housemates. The finer details are still being thrashed out... No celeb is off the table.”

While the production team remains cautious about involving individuals who might cause excessive disruption, the strategy underscores ITV’s intent to blend nostalgia with fresh content as it seeks to boost the show’s appeal following its hiatus. The civilian Big Brother series will air on ITV, marking another chapter for the long-running reality format in the UK television landscape.

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