Big Brother spin-off show Big Brother: Late and Live has been axed by ITV after two years on air. The show has seen a string of big-name stars make guest appearances to discuss the antics on the main show, but has still failed to capture the attention of viewers.
Now producers at ITV have admitted that ratings are too low for it to be brought back when Celebrity Big Brother returns in the new year, according to reports.
The poor performance of the series is not thought to have been blamed on presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best, and is instead being put down to a shift in viewing habits.
The show has been airing on ITV ever since they brought back Big Brother in 2023. An insider said: “Big Brother in general has struggled this year due to fierce competition from the likes of Celebrity Traitors. Late and Live has really struggled due to the main show not doing as well as hoped.
They added to The Sun: “Over the past few weeks, whispers have been rife that the show would be axed, and then during the final week, it was an open topic on the studio floor. Bosses have quietly told staff, many of whom are freelancers, not to expect the show to return.”
The source added that ITV still have no question that AJ and Will are the right hosts for the show. They shared, “It’s a shame, but no show lasts forever. ITV still loves Will and AJ and thinks they are the right people to host the main show. Big Brother remains a priority for ITV even without Late and Live.”
An ITV spokesperson said: “We will confirm plans for Big Brother’s forthcoming series in due course.” Big Brother recently hit over 150 million streams on ITV,X proving that it remains a popular viewing option.
Will, meanwhile, has been tipped to take part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special. He has been tipped to join stars such as The Only Way Is Essex icon Jess Wright on the BBC One special. The show will be Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly’s final run as presenters of the popular series.
The news comes after the winner of Big Brother 2025 was announced last week. A total of 17 housemates, including latecomers and surprise entrants, were narrowed down to a final six. Cameron, Elsa, Emily, Jenny, Richard and Tate were announced as this year’s Big Brother finalists.
The final rankings were: Tate in 6th, Emily in 5th, Cameron in 4th and Jenny in third. This left Richard and Elsa battling it out for the top two spots. Eventual winner Richard, declared to the group during the finale, “This experience has been without doubt the most bonkers, crazy, madcap, incredible, extraordinary thing I have ever done.
“It’s been great to meet all of you, it’s been a magnificent, magnificent ride and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. So, here’s to you, it’s been great!”.