ITV has revealed the names of the ten celebrities who will star in the upcoming TV show, The Box. The personalities, who range from actors to former footballers and politicians, will join Gary Lineker, who is to host the upcoming show.
Lineker was previously the presenter of the BBC’s football show Match of the Day. In August 2025, ITV confirmed that the broadcaster would be the face of the upcoming celebrity game show.
Below is everything to know about The Box celebrity contestants and what to expect from the upcoming game show.
The celebrity cast members of The Box
ITV has named a star-studded line-up who will be the first set of contestants for The Box. These celebrities include: Danny Aarons, Ellie Taylor, Graeme Souness, JB Gill, Jenny Ryan, Joey Essex, John Bercow, Ranvir Singh, Sara Davies, and Shakira Khan.
Danny Aarons (internet celebrity)
Danny Aarons is one of the celebrity contestants of The Box. He is an internet celebrity with a massive following across multiple platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok.
He became famous by posting EA FC and FIFA gaming content on social media.
Ellie Taylor (actress and comedian)
Ellie Taylor is a British stand-up comedian, actress, and writer.
She also has a host of experience as a TV show contestant, having appeared on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Now!, Strictly Come Dancing, Show Me Funny, Celebrity Gladiators, and Celebrity Chase.
Graeme Souness (former footballer)
Graeme Souness is a former Scottish international footballer who played for clubs like Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Rangers.
He also served as a football manager before becoming a pundit for various UK and Irish broadcasters.
JB Gill (singer)
Jonathan Benjaming “JB” Gill is a British singer. He is primarily famous as a member of the JLS boy band, which competed on The X Factor.
Gill is no stranger to appearing as a contestant on TV shows, having taken part in Celebrity MasterChef, The Chase: Celebrities, The Jump, Dance Dance Dance, and Strictly Come Dancing.
Jenny Ryan (singer)
Jenny Ryan is another musician scheduled to appear as a contestant on The Box. She is also a TV personality, best known for her role as “The Vixen” on the ITV quiz show The Chase.
Ryan has also appeared as a contestant in shows like University Challenge, Mastermind, Are You an Egghead?, Celebrity MasterChef, Supermarket Sweep, and Catchphrase Celebrity Special.
Joey Essex (reality TV star)
Joey Essex is a British reality TV personality. He is best known for his appearance on the ITV reality TV show The Only Way is Essex.
Joe has also appeared as a contestant on other TV shows, including “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, The Jump (Series 2 winner), Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity EX On the Beach, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Love Island, Dancing on Ice, and All Star Shore.
John Bercow (former politician)
The cast of The Box is very diverse, with John Bercow, a former politician, among the contestants. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Buckingham and later as the Speaker of the House of Commons.
Since retiring from politics, he has appeared in celebrity reality TV shows, including Celebrities’ Antiques Road Trip, The Traitors, The Weakest Link, and The Wheel.
Ranvir Singh (TV presenter)
Ranvir Singh is a British journalist and TV presenter. She is famous for presenting ITV shows like Good Morning Britain, Ridiculous, and Lorraine.
She also has some experience on reality TV shows, having appeared as a contestant on Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow, Rolling in It: Christmas Special, Catchphrase Celebrity Special, Strictly Come Dancing, The Chase, University Challenge, and All Star Family Fortunes.
Sara Davies (entrepreneur)
Sara Davies is a British businesswoman, entrepreneur, and TV personality. She is best known for appearing as an investor on the panel of BBC’s Dragons’ Den during its 17th Series.
Davies has also appeared in other TV shows, including Ultimate Wedding Planner, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Richard Osman’s House of Games, Strictly Come Dancing, The Wheel, Would I Lie to You?, and Celebrity Bridge of Lies.
Shakira Khan (reality TV star)
Shakira Khan is another reality TV star in The Box’s celebrity line-up. She is famous for appearing as a contestant on Love Island’s 12th Series, where she finished as the runner-up.
Khan has also appeared as a guest on ITV’s shows Loose Women, Lorraine, and This Morning.
Gary Lineker is happy with the celebrity line-up, as reported by The Sun:
“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. I’m excited to be on the sideline with a front row seat to see all the action unfold!”
His sentiments have also been echoed by ITV bosses, with Katie Rawclife, ITV’s Director of Entertainment, stating:
“We’re delighted to welcome this impressive line-up of celebrities to The Box. They will each bring a unique perspective and approach to the varying challenges they will face…”
What to expect from The Box?
The Box is a reality TV game show. The celebrity contestants of The Box will be enclosed in yellow boxes (hence the show’s name), then transported to unknown locations.
Contestants will then have to complete various challenges, which could be Physical, logical, mental, funny, daunting, or all of the above. At the end of each episode, the two contestants with the lowest rankings will reportedly face off in a duel, with the loser being eliminated.
The Box is based on the Norwegian reality TV show Boksen (meaning “The Box”), which aired earlier this year. It has been described as a cross between the reality TV shows “SAS: Who Dares Wins” and “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.”
A source reportedly told The Sun that several celebrities had turned down offers to appear on the show due to its rumored grueling nature.
“Casting for The Box is under, but it sounds like a number of stars have turned it down as they don’t fancy how hard it sounds.”
The exact release date of The Box has not been announced yet. However, filming has already begun, and the show is expected to air in early 2026.