Gary Lineker is hosting ITV’s brand new game show The Box – and there are 10 celebrities lined up to take part. 

The former Match of the Day presenter will oversee the action as the famous faces are plunged into mystery locations in big yellow boxes and ordered to figure out tasks with little instruction.

ITV bosses have promised the show will be full of “shocking reveals and twists”. It certainly sounds like something we haven’t seen before!

Here is everything we know about The Box so far, including its celebrity contestants, how The Box works and its start date.

What is The Box?

The Box is a brand new game show to ITV. Ten celebrities will be dropped into big, bright yellow boxes and transported to unknown locations around the UK.

Once they have arrived, the stars have to take on a series of challenges. These can be physical, logical, funny… or all of the above. The stars will need to figure out what is expected of them with little guidance to stay in the game.

Each episode ends with The Duel. This is a high-stakes showdown between the last two contestants standing. The loser leaves the competition, while the winner continues their journey and gets the chance to be crowned the ultimate champion.

The show has been adapted for UK audiences from the popular Norwegian TV show, Boksen.

Who is hosting The Box?

Gary Lineker will be front and centre as the ITV gameshow’s host. The ex-England and Barcelona striker is a veteran broadcaster. He fronted Match of the Day for 26 years before leaving the BBC in May 2025.

Gary also previously fronted ITV’s general knowledge quiz show, Sitting on a Fortune between 2021 and 2023. On top of that, he is the co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts, which is the UK’s largest independent podcast company. The team at Goalhanger Podcasts are responsible for The Rest Is History, hosted by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook.

Gary says he is excited to be on the sidelines as the action unfolds. He shared: “I’ve always felt right at home in the box on a football pitch, and whilst this is a different proposition, the fundamentals are similar.

“The contestants will have to quickly and masterfully work out how each game works, whilst also trying to get ahead of the competition to take control. It’s going to be unpredictable and thrilling to watch, and I’m excited that I get to have a front row seat to all the action!”

ITV’s Katie Rawcliffe describs Gary as the “perfect fit” for the show. She calls The Box an “entertaining, exhilarating and immersive new format”.

The Box: The celebrities taking part

ITV has assembled an eclectic line-up of 10 celebrity figures for The Box from the worlds of entertainment, sport, music, and politics.

Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies is taking part. At 35, the businesswoman and entrepreneur became the youngest-ever Dragon when she joined the show in 2019.  Former footballer Graeme Souness will also be on The Box. Now a pundit, he played for Liverpool, Spurs and Middlesbrough during his career.

Comedian Ellie Taylor will be bringing a few laughs. She is known for 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week and Ted Lasso. Former Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, is also on the show. He left Parliament in 2019 and has embarked on a career in media.

Love Island’s Shakira Khan is in the line-up. She made it to the final of the dating show in 2025. JLS star JB Gill will also be on the show. These days, the singer and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant works as a turkey farmer and has appeared on BBC’s Countryfile.

Broadcaster Ranvir Singh will be trying her luck on The Box. Ranvir presents on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Lorraine. She also fronts her own ITV game show, Riddiculous.

Another contestant who is a dab hand at a quiz is Jenny Ryan. Jenny’s also known as ‘The Vixen’ on ITV’s The Chase. Joey Essex, who found fame in The Only Way Is Essex, is also taking part.

YouTuber and gamer, Danny Aarons, rounds off the cast. Danny is one of the world’s leading content creators for EA Sports FC.

Host Gary has spoken highly of the cast. He says: “From my experience, the most successful teams are built on a mix of strengths and abilities, and that’s exactly what we’ve got with this line-up.”

When does The Box start?

ITV bosses will film The Box in the UK later in 2025, with it airing in 2026. The broadcaster is yet to confirm the exact launch date.

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The Box will air on ITV in 2026.