The Box 2026 line-up: Meet the celebrity contestants

After plenty of teasers over the summer, ITV's The Box is finally making its way to TV screens and there are just hours to go before it begins!

Tonight (5 September), a group of celebrity contestants will find themselves placed inside yellow boxes before they are transported to mystery locations, where they must tackle surprise physical, mental and logical challenges with very little instruction.

Each episode will follow the famous faces as they are carried in their boxes to unknown spots and left to work out what to do on the spot. At the end of every episode, the two lowest performers face off in The Duel, with the loser eliminated and the winner staying in the competition.

The line-up is incredibly stacked, featuring names across the entertainment, music, sport and politics worlds.

Read on to find out more about the cast of The Box on ITV.

The Box cast: Full line-up of celebrity contestants

Below is a list of the contestants confirmed to be taking part in The Box 2026.

Read on to learn more about the contestants taking part.

Joey Essex.

Joey Essex is one of British reality television's most familiar faces, having risen to fame on The Only Way Is Essex before appearing across a long run of shows including I'm a Celebrity, Dancing on Ice and Love Island.

Before television, he famously worked at Billingsgate fish market. He has since branched out into professional boxing, having made his debut last year.

John Bercow wearing a shirt and trousers, posing with his arms folded and body turned to one side as he smiles ahead.

Former Speaker of the House of Commons

John Bercow served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 2009 to 2019, becoming known for his booming calls of "Order!" during Commons debates. Before entering politics he worked in banking and as a public affairs consultant.

Jenny Ryan stood smiling with one hand in her pocket.

Jenny Ryan is best known as The Vixen, one of the professional chasers on ITV's long-running quiz show The Chase, a role she has held since 2015. She studied at the University of Leeds, appearing on University Challenge in 2003 as part of a team that reached the semi-finals, and went on to compete on Mastermind in 2006, choosing Buffy the Vampire Slayer as her specialist subject.

She has since branched out into other TV projects, including Celebrity MasterChef, and also reached the final of Celebrity X Factor in 2019.

JB Gill wearing a white shirt and black trousers, smiling ahead.

JB Gill rose to fame as a member of boy band JLS, who found success after finishing as runners-up on The X Factor in 2008.

Since the group's initial split he has built a second career as a farmer and presenter, appearing on shows such as Countryfile, and he reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing in 2024.

Danny Aarons wearing a full grey tracksuit, smiling ahead, with one hand in his pocket.

Danny Aarons is a British content creator and online personality who has built a large following through gaming and social media.

Ranvir Singh.

Ranvir Singh is a journalist and presenter who has fronted Good Morning Britain since its 2014 launch, becoming the programme's Political Editor in 2017. She has also hosted ITV's quiz show Riddiculous and competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2020.

Sara Davies wearing a red tracksuit, smiling ahead with her arms folded.

Sara Davies is the entrepreneur behind crafting business Crafter's Companion, which she founded while at university. She joined Dragons' Den in 2019 as its youngest-ever Dragon at the time, before stepping away from the show in 2025 to focus on her business.

Graeme Souness.

Graeme Souness is a former midfielder who captained Liverpool during their most successful era before moving into football management. After retiring, he became one of the most recognisable pundits, and is known for his blunt, no-nonsense analysis on match days.

Ellie Taylor wearing a red pantsuit, smiling ahead.

Ellie Taylor is a comedian, writer and presenter best known internationally for playing Flo 'Sassy' Collins in Ted Lasso between 2020 and 2023. On UK television she has appeared on Mock the Week and Strictly Come Dancing, and has hosted programmes including Bake Off: The Professionals and The Great Pottery Throw Down.

She was recently announced as the new host of Strictly Come Dancing companion series It Takes Two.

Shakira Khan.

Shakira Khan became a breakout star on Love Island in 2025, having reached the final alongside boyfriend Harry Cooksley. Before television she worked in marketing and as a weekend children's entertainer.

This year, she returned to the world of Love Island as co-host of companion series The Debrief.

The Box begins on Saturday 5 September at 8:15pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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