Looking for the best reality TV shows to watch in 2026? You're in the right place! From villa romances and celebrity chaos to nail-biting competitions and addictive social experiments, this year's reality TV line-up is bigger than ever.
Whether you're catching up on the latest Love Island drama, getting totallyyyy invested in The Traitors, or discovering a brand-new obsession, we've rounded up the best reality shows streaming now on BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and more, plus the biggest reality TV premieres still to come in 2026.
Dating Shows and Relationship Drama
Love Island USA (Series 8)
Watch on ITV X
Strap in, we're not in Mallorca this time but Fiji! And the drama is universal. You can now watch alllll the goss from Love Island USA on ITV X! Hosted by Vanderpump Rules' very own Ariana Madix, a fresh group of singles swap ordinary life for sun-soaked dates, romantic twists and plenty of rivalry as they search for love in one of reality TV's hottest destinations. We're so here for it!
I Kissed a Girl (Series 2)
Watch on BBC iPlayer
It starts with a kiss... and we're obsessed already. Hosted by Dannii Minogue, this groundbreaking dating show brings together a group of single lesbian and bisexual women, who are matched through first kisses rather than first impressions. Living together in a luxury villa, they'll navigate instant attraction, unexpected connections and emotional relationship twists as they search for love. With new arrivals shaking things up along the way, expect romance, heartbreak and plenty of moments that'll have you fully invested.
Love Island (Series 13)
Watch on ITVX
This summer, the villa was officially open for business. A brand-new cast of singles headed to Mallorca for a summer packed with bombshells, surprise recouplings and the chance to win £50,000. The whole series is ready to watch on ITV X, this is the reality TV conversation everyone wants in on.
Virgin Island (Series 2)
Watch on Channel 4
Virgin Island is officially coming back on our screens! Following adult virgins who have travelled to a gorgeous Mediterranean retreat to take their very first steps in intimacy, all kindly guided through by specialists. It’s warm and super thought-provoking.
Love Island All stars (Series 3)
Stream on ITVX
Unless you’ve been living under a rock you can’t have missed allllll the drama from the latest series 3 drop of Love Island All Stars! We’re talking returning islanders Millie Court, Whitney Abebayo and the one and only Scott van-der-Sluis. Consider our heads fully turned by a cheeky American plot twist!! If you’re wanting a looot of drama and goss, this one’s for you!
Celebs Go Dating (Series 15)
Watch on Channel 4
Your fave agency doors are swinging open once again as Celebs Go Dating returns for its 15th series, and the hunt for the one is officially back on! This series star-studded line up features: James Haskell, Colleen Nolan (Loose Women), Lucinda Light (Married at First Sight Australia), Gabby Allen (Love Island), and David Potts (Big Brother, Ibiza Weekender). We’re soooo ready for heart-fluttering chaos.
First Dates Beach Club
Watch on Channel 4
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Dreaming of a holiday? Let First Dates Beach Club fly you away to sun-soaked Spain. Think beachside cocktails, cheeky flirting and blind dates that you’ll totally get invested in. But there’s a twist!? These singletons won’t just go on ONE date but stay at the resort and meet a whooole line up of daters. And of course, trusty Fred Sirieix and Merlin Griffiths will be close by playing Cupid.
Can’t stop thinking of the beautiful Spain scenery? Freely have curated an ultimate list of the best travel shows to inspire your wanderlust!
Mind Games and Reality Competitions
The Traitors Canada (Series 3)
Watch on BBC iPlayer
The mind games have crossed the Atlantic. Hosted by Karine Vanasse, this Canadian spin on the hit reality phenomenon brings a fresh cast to a historic manor where trust is in short supply and betrayal is always around the corner. If you thought the UK version was addictive, just wait until the accusations start flying.
The Piano (Series 6)
Watch on Channel 4
One of TV's most feel-good watches is back. Claudia Winkleman and Mika travel the country searching for extraordinary amateur pianists, uncovering remarkable stories and incredible talent along the way. Don't be surprised if this one leaves you reaching for the tissues.
Race Across the World (Series 6)
Catch up on BBC iPlayer
Race Across the World returns to iPlayer with its most ambitious journey yet, sending contestants on a breathtaking 12,000-kilometre trek winding through Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. Andddd the conditions are wilder than ever, shifting from balmy Mediterranean days at 30 degrees to bone‑chilling, subarctic lows of –20°C. It’s a race of grit and pure determination!!
Traitors (Series 4)
Watch now on BBC iPlayer
The Traitors returned to the Highlands at the start of this year, with trust in short supply and paranoia piled high. Claudia Winkleman is back in the castle, red cloak and all, as 22 hopefuls from across the UK scheme, swear and side-eye their way towards a £120k prize. With deadlier mind games, trickier missions and banishments that sting even more, expect secrets to spill and friendships to crumble at breakfast.
Celebrity Sabotage
Watch on ITVX
Step right up to ITV’s dazzling brand new reality game show where nothing is what it seems! Innocent contestants think they’ve signed up for a new TV show, we’re talking a wholesome cooking show or maybe a quirky dating series... but oh no. Behind the scenes, a gang of celebrities is secretly pulling the strings and causing absolute chaos from a hidden HQ to help the unsuspecting players rack up a whopping £30,000 prize pot!
The trouble-makers are: Joel Dommett, Sam Thompson, Judi Love and GK Barry.
The Traitors US (Series 4)
Watch on BBC iPlayer
Finally making it's appearance in the UK, The Traitors US is back with Series 4 and we are so here for it! Alan Cumming returns as host in the US version of the ultimate reality game of trust and treachery.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World (Season 3)
Stream now on BBC iPlayer
Sashay back into the werkroom because the world’s fiercest queens are going head-to-head once again! Fan-favourite Drag Race legends from across the globe return to compete for the ultimate crown – and bragging rights. Expect iconic runway looks, savage lip-syncs, shady one-liners and enough drama to make Mama Ru proud!
The Neighbourhood
Watch on ITVX
Hosted by the incomparable Graham Norton, this show throws real life households into a purpose-built mini-neighbourhood where the stakes are high, the challenges are street sized, and the drama is deliciously unavoidable! They live together 24/7 and thennn need to vote each other out! The game play is to outsmart your neighbours, and edge closer to the big ol’ cash prize by staying the most popular on the street! Welcome to the block party of the century!
Traitors Ireland
Watch on BBC iPlayer
Say hello to Traitors Ireland – and trust us, this one brings the chaos. Hosted by the iconic Siobhán McSweeney, the stakes are sky-high as secret alliances, late-night whispers and jaw-dropping betrayals take over the castle. Friendships will shatter, trust will be tested and nobody is safe.
The Summit
Watch on ITVX
Reality lovers and adventure junkies, brace yourselves… The Summit is ITV’s brand‑new series where 14 strangers from completely different walks of life face the challenge of a lifetime – conquering the breathtaking Alps of New Zealand’s South Island. With a £200,000 prize on the line, alliances will form fast… and crumble even faster. Because in this game, the higher they climb, the more the drama rises with them!
Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing
Watch now on Channel 4
Hosted by the legendary , this social experiment throws eight pairs of total strangers – with clashing beliefs, opinions and lifestyles – into the ultimate 24/7 endurance test: being handcuffed together. They’ll face challenges, disagreements and a lot of awkward moments, all in a bid to be in the running for the £100k jackpot!
The Hunt: Predator vs Prey
Watch on Channel 4
Imagine this: Hunger Games meets The Traitors. Dropped right into the deep, dark wilderness, this is a high-stake survival showdown between the predators who stalk the prey to try and snatch their money whilst prey scramble to stay hidden, allll for a massive £100,000 prize!
Celebrity Chaos and Big Personalities
Princess Diaries (Series 3)
Watch now on ITVX
We have been waiiiiiting for this series drop! Princess Andre is back with a sparkling new series of Princess Diaries. We saw her countdown to 18 in the previous series, and now we’re getting the VIP backstage pass to big-girl era and career moves. Consider us fully invested!
The Only Way is Essex (Series 38)
Watch on ITVX or on ITV2
TOWIE is backkkkkk for its 38th series, and we couldn't be more excited to see what this lot are up to on the town!
The Vardys
Watch on ITVX
ITV’s new reality show The Vardys follows Jamie and Rebekah Vardy as they ditch the UK for a fresh start in Italy, letting cameras in on all the chaos of moving their family and starting over (putting all the "Wagatha" drama behind her). Expect plenty of drama, from house-hunting disasters to emotional moments, as they juggle a big life change while Jamie tries to prove himself on the pitch again.
Celebrity Gogglebox (Series 8)
Watch on Channel 4
Everybody's favourite sofa critics are back. From Rylan and mum Linda to the Kemps, Rob Beckett and Mo Gilligan, a cast packed with familiar faces settles in to share their hilarious takes on the week's biggest TV moments.
Made in Chelsea (Series 31)
Catch up on Channel 4
Drama, heartbreaks and side-eyes are just a few of the antics you can expect from the socially elite 20-somethings living in some of London’s poshest postcodes. And of course we just can’t get enough of it…
Food and Escapist Entertainment
The Heat
Watch on ITVX
Hosted by the MVP that is Olivia Atwood, ITV dishes up a fiery cooking competition alongside Michelin Star chef Jean-Christophe Novelli. 10 chefs turn up the heat, in a super slick Barcelona kitchen, all trying to sauté their way to victory. Buttt, the twist is that even after someone gets the chop, the cameras keeeeep rolling. We’re following them long after service is finished. Expect dates, cocktails and messy nights out antics. It’s Masterchef meets Below Deck - and we’re eating it up.
Coming Soon:
Vanderpump Rules
Watch on Channel 4
The friendships change, but the chaos never does. One of reality TV's most iconic franchises returns with more relationship drama, workplace tension and headline-making moments.
Ru Paul's Drag Race UK
Watch on BBC iPlayer
Start your engines because a brand-new batch of queens is ready to enter the Werk Room. Expect fierce competition, iconic runway looks and enough charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to keep us entertained all season long.
Masterchef Australia
Watch on Channel 4
The cooking competition giant is back. Expect ambitious home cooks, impressive dishes and enough food inspiration to leave you immediately raiding the fridge.
The Box
Watch on ITV X
ITV's mysterious new reality format is already generating buzz, and we're ready to find out what's inside the box.
If you're loving the recommendations why not discover all the new dramas coming in 2026!
