Celebrity Big Brother rates for ITV

The old Channel 4 show has proved a hit for ITV1 and STV…

Celebrity Big Brother launched on ITV1 last night with a peak of 3.2 million viewers (average 2.8 million) across devices, its highest launch since 2016. From 9 pm-10:30 pm last night ITV1 had more than double the audience of any other channel. The new series also secured the highest 16-34 audience of the night, with 463k and a 42.5% share across devices.

The show has met with controversy with Women’s Aid criticising the inclusion of a person who had been found guilty of punching his wife. The first Celeb series to air on ITV1 (England, Wales, CI and Northern Ireland) and STV (Scotland) saw some well-known personalities and some not-so-well-known faces enter the CBB house.

Hosted by AJ Odudu and Will Best, Celebrity Big Brother: Live Launch revealed the new cast as they embarked on the ultimate social experiment and became isolated from the outside world.

This year there is a lodger, not in for the full run, but will certainly leave a lasting impression, former X Factor judge and Talk TV regular Sharon Osbourne was first into the house. She was followed by music producer and fellow X Factor judge Louis Walsh.

Other celebs taking part are actor and author Bradley Riches, Coronation Street performer Colson Smith, Ibiza Weekender stalwart David Potts, Love Island contestant Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, former This Morning host Fern Britton, wife thumper Gary Goldsmith, Lauren Simon of The Real Housewives of Cheshire fame (or lack of it), businessman and celebrity chef Levi Roots, west end and broadway actor Marisha Wallace, Strictly Come Dancing pro dancer Nikita Kuzmin and TV presenter Zeze Millz.

The Celebrity Big Brother: Live Stream has returned to screens, airing seven nights a week on ITVX, giving fans the opportunity to watch live footage in the small hours after Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live on ITV2. Celebrity Big Brother continues tomorrow at 9 pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player