Celebrity Big Brother set for a second series on ITV

Celebrity Big Brother is poised to return for a second series on ITV, with the network planning to approve a sequel even before the current series concludes.

The current series has seen big viewing figures, fuelled by captivating revelations from Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh.

The launch episode drew in an impressive 3.8 million viewers across all platforms, according to the 7-day consolidated figures. This marks a significant increase from the last launch episode aired by Channel 5 in 2018, with a surge of 1.3 million viewers.

A television insider shared to The Sun: “They were already looking forward to series two of the civilian series in the autumn and have now added a second series of the CBB to the pot.”

They added: “The buzz has also been massive, with conversations about the show dominating social media just like the old days.”

The current series has seen the departure of Gary Goldsmith, Real Housewives’ Lauren Simon, Levi Roots, and Ekin-Su Culculoglu from the spy-themed house.

Sharon Osbourne also made an exit after a seven-day stint as a celebrity lodger.

Ekin-Su’s departure has been particularly controversial, pulling out of planned exit interviews.

Remaining in the house are Louis, Fern Britton, Coronation Street’s Colson Smith, and Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin.

Two will depart in Tuesday’s next eviction ahead of the live final on Friday.

Meanwhile applications for Big Brother are open now if you want to head into the house.