Big Brother wins TV award after record-breaking ITVX success as viewers praise iconic reality show

Big Brother has been crowned Best Public Competition Series at the 2026 Where to Watch TV and Streaming Awards, beating Love Island, The Great British Bake Off and The Apprentice after thousands of viewers voted for their favourite programmes.

And that’s not all, because the series has also won our new Visualised Podcast award too, for Big Brother: The Group Chat.

The long-running reality show has enjoyed a remarkable year, with its return to a more stripped-back, back-to-basics approach winning over viewers and helping to turn the latest series into one of ITV’s biggest entertainment success stories.

The award recognises the programmes that have made the biggest impression on audiences over the past year, with the winners decided by a public vote. Big Brother came out on top in a competitive category that also included Love Island, The Great British Bake Off, The Apprentice, Hunted, Race Across the World and The Piano.

It is another significant achievement for the ITV2 and ITVX favourite, which has continued to attract viewers through its mix of larger-than-life personalities, unpredictable relationships, emotional moments and arguments that have kept audiences talking.

And the award comes at a particularly exciting time for the franchise, with ITV confirming that the current series and its companion programme have amassed an impressive 52.4 million streams on ITVX.

Big Brother beats Love Island and Bake Off to win public vote

The Best Public Competition Series category featured some of Britain’s best-known reality and entertainment formats.

Big Brother faced competition from Love Island, The Great British Bake Off, The Apprentice, Hunted, Race Across the World, The Piano, Portrait Artist of the Year and Marvellous Miniature Workshop.

However, it was the return of the famous Big Brother house that secured the support of viewers, with thousands of votes helping the programme claim the award.

The result is particularly notable given the strength of the competition. Love Island remains one of ITV’s biggest reality brands, while Bake Off and The Apprentice have built loyal audiences over many years. Race Across the World and Hunted have also established themselves as popular competition formats.

Big Brother’s victory underlines the continued affection audiences have for a programme that first became a television phenomenon more than two decades ago.

The 2026 Where to Watch TV and Streaming Awards are recognising programmes and performers across a range of categories, with more winners due to be announced throughout the week.

Big Brother enjoys record-breaking ITVX success

The award win follows a hugely successful run for Big Brother on ITV2 and ITVX.

ITV revealed on November 3 that Big Brother and its companion programme, Big Brother: The Group Chat, had accumulated 52.4 million streams on ITVX. That is an increase of 20 million streams compared with the same point last year.

The series has also generated an extraordinary 535 million digital views in total, while Big Brother’s digital Sneak Peek has passed 100 million views – 30 million more than last year.

The figures demonstrate how the programme has grown beyond its traditional television audience, with viewers watching episodes on demand, following clips online and keeping up with the latest developments through digital content.

The latest figures also show that the streaming success is being matched by stronger television audiences.

Overnight viewing for the current series is up 30% year-on-year, while viewing among 16–34-year-olds has increased by an impressive 88%.

That younger audience growth is especially important for ITV, demonstrating that the long-running format continues to attract a new generation of viewers while retaining its established fanbase.

The figures also underline the importance of the programme’s companion content, with Big Brother: The Group Chat helping to extend the conversation beyond the main show.

Why has this year’s Big Brother been such a success?

A major part of the latest series’ appeal has been its return to the ingredients that made Big Brother such a talking point in the first place.

Rather than relying solely on elaborate twists and celebrity appearances, the programme has put its housemates, personalities and relationships firmly at the centre of the action.

The result has been a series packed with everyday disagreements, unexpected friendships, shifting alliances and explosive confrontations.

The house has once again become a social experiment, bringing together people from different backgrounds and generations and watching what happens when they are forced to live together under constant observation.

That back-to-basics approach has provided plenty of memorable television, with viewers debating housemates’ behaviour, taking sides in arguments and speculating about who will be nominated or evicted next.

However, the producers have also introduced some bigger twists to keep the contestants guessing.

The 2026 series began on September 13, with presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best welcoming 16 housemates into a house reimagined as a place full of surprises.

One of the biggest early talking points was the introduction of the House of Chaos concept, with a different theme and unexpected developments designed to disrupt life in the house.

The launch also featured a secret mission involving content creator Tays, who was appointed the Chief Creator of Chaos and tasked with operating as Big Brother’s mole.

The twist was linked to The Bov Boys, the online content creator group whose 24-hour takeover of the house ahead of the launch gave viewers an unusual glimpse behind the scenes before the contestants arrived.

It was a bold way to begin the series, setting the tone for a run in which the housemates could never be entirely certain what Big Brother had planned next.

And then there’s celeb housemates that nobody knew they needed – beginning with the iconic Jedward and also featuring the legend that is the GC.

Meet the Big Brother 2026 housemates

This year’s original line-up brought together contestants from a wide range of backgrounds, ages and professions.

The 16 housemates included teacher Yasmin, online fitness coach Harry, social worker Chelsey, content creator Philip, property developer Lynx and student Charlotte.

They were joined by carer Pauline, streamer and content creator Tays, housewife Rochelle, bartender Millie, marketing manager Frankie, administrative apprentice Samuel, radio presenter Rob, stay-at-home daughter Rhianna, jewellery seller Omar and online marketing professional Johanne.

The mix of personalities was central to the show’s appeal, with contestants bringing very different experiences and expectations into the famous house.

Some entered hoping to make new friends, while others had ambitions for the £100,000 prize. For many, simply taking part in the social experiment was a major motivation.

The casting also helped create some of the series’ most talked-about moments, as housemates discovered that living together was rather different from simply getting along during a launch-night introduction.

As the weeks progressed, friendships were tested, disagreements developed and the public became increasingly invested in the contestants’ individual journeys.

Arguments, twists and moments that got viewers talking

As ever, it has been the unpredictable nature of life inside the house that has kept Big Brother in the headlines.

The Tays mole twist provided an early talking point, while the House of Chaos theme promised to keep contestants on their toes.

The series has also generated plenty of discussion around the housemates’ relationships, with disagreements and personality clashes becoming major talking points among fans.

The arrival of familiar faces has added another dimension. Jedward made a surprise appearance in the house, bringing their distinctive personalities and history with the franchise into the competition.

Their visit provided a fresh source of entertainment and gave the remaining contestants another unexpected situation to navigate.

The programme’s willingness to let housemates’ personalities drive the drama has been central to its renewed appeal. Viewers have been able to follow the small moments as well as the big confrontations, making the house feel like a constantly evolving environment.

And, as the latest viewing figures demonstrate, audiences have been keen to keep watching.

Big Brother: The Group Chat adds to the success

The main programme has also benefited from the launch of its new companion show, Big Brother: The Group Chat.

Hosted by former Big Brother winner Kate Lawler and podcaster GK Barry, the programme gives fans an additional opportunity to discuss the biggest developments inside the house.

Featuring interviews with evicted housemates, celebrity fans and special guests, it takes viewers beyond the main episode and provides further insight into the contestants and their relationships.

The companion show has become an important part of the wider Big Brother offering, helping to keep the conversation going after the main programme has finished.

Its contribution is reflected in ITV’s combined streaming figure, which includes both the main series and The Group Chat.

Big Brother heads towards its final with momentum behind it

The award win and latest streaming figures provide a timely boost as the 2026 series approaches its conclusion.

With overnight viewing up 30% and younger audiences showing particularly strong growth, Big Brother has demonstrated that it can still deliver major results for ITV more than 20 years after its original launch.

The franchise has now passed 200 million streams on ITVX across its wider library, while the current series has delivered a substantial increase on last year’s performance.

There is also more Big Brother to come after the competition finishes. ITV has announced a special reunion programme, bringing the 2026 housemates back together to revisit the friendships, fallouts and moments that defined their time in the house.

And of course, The Group Chat with Kate Lawler and GK Barry has also smashed the ratings this year and won over legions of viewers, after ITV completely revamped BBUK’s sister show. Again, thousands of you voted, and this show wins our Visualised Podcast award, beating shows like The Traitors: Uncloaked and Bake Off: Second Helpings.

The public vote at the wheretowatch.tv provide another reason for the Big Brother team and its fans to celebrate.

Beating Love Island, Bake Off, The Apprentice and a strong collection of other competition programmes is no small achievement.

With 52.4 million ITVX streams, 535 million digital views and a significant rise in overnight audiences, this year’s series has proved that the Big Brother phenomenon is very much alive.

And with more winners still to be announced at this year’s Where to Watch TV and Streaming Awards, there are further results for television fans to look forward to throughout the week.

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