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Q+A

Celebrity Sabotage is the all-out comedy gameshow where the celebs are undercover, the shows are fake and the contestants have no idea they’re part of the ruse.

Producer: Lifted Entertainment (part of ITV Studios)

Distributor: ITV Studios

Broadcaster: ITV1

Run time: 6×60’

TX: March 21, 2026

Mike Beale, MD of the global creative network at ITV Studios, on why recently launched gameshow Celebrity Sabotage has already reached 2.6 million viewers and ranked as the number one primetime show for 16-24s for two consecutive weeks.

What is Celebrity Sabotage?

At its heart, Celebrity Sabotage is a show where the real game is happening behind the scenes. Each episode starts with what looks like a completely believable competition format; it could be a cook-off, a business challenge, a dating show. The contestants think they know the rules. They think they’re playing to win.

But what they don’t know is that hidden away in Mission HQ, a group of celebrities are watching and waiting to sabotage.

That’s because they’re set sabotage missions to disrupt the game, derail the contestants, and create chaos without getting caught. And the better they do it, the more money is added to the prize pot which the contestants will share.

So you’ve got two shows running at once: the show the contestants think they’re in and the one the audience is really watching.

What makes it unique?

The big hook is that the contestants are completely in the dark. We’re not just playing with gameplay, we’re playing with perception. The audience is in on the joke from the start, which creates a really fun, mischievous dynamic as everything begins to unravel.

The second thing is how we use celebrities. They’re not hosting or judging, they’re active players. They’re undercover, in disguise, sometimes right in front of the contestants causing problems in plain sight. And what we love is that they’re doing it for a reason, because the better they sabotage without getting caught, the more money they’re adding to the contestants’ prize pot.

The fake show hosts are in on it too, and often become part of the sabotage themselves, whether that’s subtly steering the action or getting directly involved. We’ve had moments where they’re right at the centre of it, like Matt and Emma Willis arguing in a hot tub, all while the contestants remain completely unaware.

Structurally, the show reinvents itself every episode. Each week is built around a different ‘fake show’, so you get constant variety – new worlds, new rules, new ways to play. It’s playful, unpredictable and has real scale.

How do the sabotage missions actually work?

Celebrities are given a series of missions from Mission HQ that are tailored to the world of that episode. Some are small, subtle bits of mischief designed to throw contestants off. Others are big, bold set pieces that can completely derail the challenge.

There is only one rule: don’t get caught. The goal is to create chaos while convincing the contestants that any failure is their own fault, and do it while evading the contestants And those missions escalate as the episode goes on – they get bigger, riskier and more valuable. So the tension builds all the way through.

What are the key twists in the format?

One of our favourite twists is what happens when a contestant catches a celebrity in the act of sabotage. If they call it out, they’re removed from the game and brought into Mission HQ, where they’re given a choice. They can take a sum of money and leave or they can join the celebrities and become an insider for the celebrities, helping them to successfully sabotage for the rest of the show. themselves.

So the game is constantly evolving. It can recruit from within, which adds another layer of unpredictability and keeps both the contestants and the audience on their toes.

What are the auspices for the show, including key talent and producers?

The show is produced by Lifted Entertainment, who have an incredible track record in big, bold reality formats and know exactly how to handle scale, casting and entertainment.

It’s a very talent-led format. Each episode features guest celebrity saboteurs who bring their own style of mischief, comedy and chaos to the missions. That rotating cast helps keep the show feeling fresh and gives each episode its own identity.

Behind the scenes, it’s a team that really understands how to balance structure with spontaneity, but you need a strong format engine, and you also need to leave room for the unexpected, because that’s where the magic happens.

What do you see as the audience for the show?

It’s a broad, family-friendly entertainment show at its core, but it’s already proving particularly strong with younger audiences. Since launching on March 21, Celebrity Sabotage has reached 2.6 million viewers and ranked as the number one primetime show for 16-24s for two consecutive weeks.

There’s something very universal about being in on the joke, the audience has more information than the contestants, and that creates a really engaging viewing experience.

It skews younger because of the pace, the humour and the celebrity involvement, but it absolutely works as co-viewing. You can watch it as a big, fun entertainment show, or you can lean into the strategy and try to spot the sabotage yourself. It’s very accessible, very playful and designed to bring people in.

Why does the format travel?

It’s incredibly adaptable. At its core, it’s a plug-and-play format. Each episode is built around a different ‘fake show’ and those worlds can be fully localised – you can create formats that feel completely native to each market.

The celebrity element is also key. You can cast locally relevant talent, which instantly gives it scale and connection with audiences.

And structurally, it’s very scalable. It works as a big primetime event series, but it can also be stripped across the week because of that repeatable engine, whether that’s a new show each episode, or one ‘fake show’ playing out across multiple episodes.

That combination of flexibility, volume and constant freshness makes it a very strong proposition for both broadcasters and streamers.

How does it fit within your catalogue?

It sits in that space where big entertainment meets smart format design. We’re always looking for ideas that feel simple to understand but have real depth once you get into them. This has a very clear hook, but there are multiple layers to how it plays out.

It also complements our broader slate of entertainment formats by offering something that feels genuinely different, it’s mischievous, it’s playful, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously, while still being very structured underneath.

What is your ambition for the format?

We see this as a format with real franchise potential. The beauty of it is that it can keep reinventing itself, new shows, new celebrities, new ways to play. It’s designed to evolve.

Ultimately, it’s about creating a format where the audience feels one step ahead, where they’re in on something the contestants aren’t. And that’s a very powerful place to be.