Contestants revealed for Gary Lineker’s new celebrity game show

The 10 celebrities set to take part in Gary Lineker’s new ITV game show, The Box, have been confirmed.

JLS singer JB Gill, Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh, former Commons speaker John Bercow, and The Only Way is Essex star Joey Essex all make up the line-up.

They are joined by The Chase star Jenny Ryan, comedian Ellie Taylor, Love Island contestant Shakira Khan, Scottish footballer Graeme Souness, Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies and YouTuber Danny Aarons.

The celebrities will compete against each other after being placed in separate boxes and dumped into the middle of challenges that they know nothing about.

Each episode, the two worst-performing celebrities will battle to stay in the competition in a segment called The Duel, with the loser eliminated from the series.

The concept, which has already become a huge hit in Norway, is described as a cross between I’m A Celebrity and SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Lineker said: “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.”

The former Match of the Day presenter added: “I’m excited to be on the sideline with a front row seat to see all the action unfold!”

A release date for The Box is yet to be confirmed but the programme is expected to air on ITV sometime in 2026. The programme marks Lineker’s first major TV role since leaving Match of the Day earlier this year.

His departure from the corporation followed a controversial social media post about Zionism, which featured a depiction of a rat – an image historically used as an antisemitic insult. Lineker later apologised for the post, stating he stands “against all forms of racism”.

Speaking about his exit, Lineker said: “I made a mistake and I immediately took it down and apologised, which I thought should have been enough.”

The presenter will no longer host the BBC coverage of the 2026 World Cup or the FA Cup as had been intended. His last episode as Match of the Day host was broadcast on 25 May.

Away from TV, Lineker has experienced success with his Goalhanger Podcasts company that produces shows such as The Rest Is Football, The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics, and The Rest Is Entertainment.