The Box (2026 game show)
| The Box | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Game show |
| Created by | Aleksander Herresthal |
| Presented by | Gary Lineker |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| Production | |
| Production company | Twofour |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
The Box is an upcoming British game show that will air on ITV from 5 September 2026. It will be presented by Gary Lineker.
Background
The Box was created by Aleksander Herresthal of Norwegian company Seefood TV, and was first presented at the MIPCOM trade show in Cannes in October 2024.[1] It was first broadcast on 9 January 2025 on Norway's TV 2 Direkte.[1] Unusually for a game show, the concept was sold to other countries before its initial broadcast; Herresthal said that it had been sold to five countries and negotiations existed in 20 others by that point.[1] In February 2025, ITV acquired the British rights and sought out a production company.[2] The tender was won by Twofour in April 2025.[3]
In August 2025, it was announced that The Box in the UK would be presented by Gary Lineker in his first role since leaving the BBC's Match of the Day in May 2025.[4] In September 2025, the ten contestants were announced: Joey Essex, John Bercow, Jenny Ryan, JB Gill, Danny Aarons, Ranvir Singh, Sara Davies, Graeme Souness, Ellie Taylor and Shakira Khan.[5]
The show was filmed in the UK in late 2025 and was announced to be broadcast the following year.[6] It was scheduled for April to June 2026, alongside Britain's Got Talent and prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but this slot was instead taken by Celebrity Sabotage, and The Box was delayed.[7] Lineker made a surprise appearance at ITV's coverage of the World Cup to promote the series.[8] On 14 August, the debut date was set for 5 September.[9]
Format
Celebrities are packed in yellow boxes and sent to different locations, where they face physical and mental challenges. The two who do the worst play off against each other in a duel at the end of the episode, with the loser being eliminated.[10]
Contestants
| Celebrity | Notability | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Danny Aarons | YouTuber | Participating |
| Ellie Taylor | Comedian, actress & television presenter | Participating |
| Graeme Souness | Former Scotland football player | Participating |
| Jenny Ryan | The Chase quizzer | Participating |
| Joey Essex | The Only Way Is Essex television personality | Participating |
| John Bercow | Former Speaker of the House of Commons | Participating |
| JB Gill | JLS singer & television presenter | Participating |
| Ranvir Singh | Good Morning Britain presenter & journalist | Participating |
| Sara Davies | Dragons' Den investor & businesswoman | Participating |
| Shakira Khan | Love Island finalist | Participating |
References
- 1 2 3 Whittock, Jesse (7 January 2025). "Buzzy Norwegian Competition Format 'The Box' Opened In Europe Ahead Of Launch". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ↑ Fallon, Heather (11 February 2026). "ITV takes Norwegian hit The Box to tender". Broadcast Now. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ↑ "The Box: New celebrity reality adventure series announced for ITV". TV Zone UK. 2 April 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ↑ Craig, David (8 August 2025). "Gary Lineker confirmed by ITV as "perfect fit" host for The Box – and here's when we can expect to see it". Radio Times. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ↑ Wallace, Megan (22 September 2025). "Gary Lineker's The Box cast: Verdict on confirmed line-up and who is most likely to win". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ↑ Court, Molly (21 September 2025). "ITV show The Box hosted by Gary Lineker - celebrity line-up". The National (Scotland). Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ↑ "The Box: Launch of new entertainment series hosted by Gary Lineker pushed back by ITV". TV Zone. 21 April 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ↑ Dielhenn, James (20 June 2026). "Gary Lineker makes ITV appearance at World Cup after BBC exit". ESPN. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "The Box: Launch date confirmed for new ITV entertainment series hosted by Gary Lineker". TV Zone. 14 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ Holmes, Ned (21 September 2025). "Gary Lineker's new game show The Box confirms celebrity line-up - including Dragon's Den favourite". Radio Times. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
External links
- The Box at IMDb
- The Box at UKGameshows.com