ITV is calling time on one of its major channels that has been on the airwaves for over a decade, moving shows such as The Only Way Is Essex over to ITV2
ITV is shutting down one of its major channels.
The broadcaster is retiring ITVBe, which launched in 2014 and has been home to iconic reality shows such as The Only Way Is Essex and The Real Housewives of Cheshire. These shows will now be moved to ITV2, which airs Love Islandand shows such as Big Brother.
TOWIE has been on ITVBe for over a decade and The Real Housewives of Cheshire is returning with its 18th series to mark ten years on air. ITV confirmed that ITV2 will become the “linear home of all ITV’s best-known reality series.”
An ITV press release read: “ITV2 will now officially become the linear home of all of ITV’s best-known reality series, as The Only Way is Essex, The Real Housewives of Cheshire and Real Housewives franchises from around the world move from ITVBe to the UK’s most successful digital channel for 16-34s, in June 2025.
“TOWIE and RHOCH join a rich schedule of returning formats, including Love Island and Big Brother, and exciting new commissions which are lined up throughout the remainder of 2025 on ITV2, and will continue to stream on ITVX.
“The supercharged ITV2 offering also includes animated comedies (Family Guy) original commissions (G’Wed and Transaction) blockbuster movies and younger skewing factual entertainment, like Olivia Attwood’s Price of Perfection, which are all also strong performers on ITVX.”
The channel confirmed that Love Island will return in the summer and Big Brother in the Autumn, as well as a second series of Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends. ITV also explained that TOWIE will return with its fifteenth series in Autumn.
They said: “The Only Way Is Essex will turn 15 meanwhile with a celebratory Autumn series. The move to ITV2 marks a homecoming for TOWIE as part of its 15th anniversary year, having initially debuted its first 12 series on ITV2.”
ITVBe will be shut down in June 2025. The channel said: “As the flagship commissions move across to their ITV2 broadcast home, ITV will retire the ITVBe brand from its portfolio in June 2025.
“ITV plans to use the channel slot as ITV Quiz, drawing on ITV’s popular, market-leading UK quiz and game shows, and the success and learnings of ITVX FAST channels.”
ITV said that Love and all of its spin offs have racked up 2.2billion streams, and Big Brother in all of its forms has been streamed over 100million times since arriving on ITV in 2023. TOWIE has reached 66million streams over the last year.
It added that Sam Faiers and Billie Shepherd’s new show will air on ITV2. “Forthcoming new commissions include a reunion for siblings Sam Faiers and Billie Shepherd in Sam & Billie: Sister Act (produced by Potato, part of ITV Studios)” said ITV.
“The series marks Sam’s return to TV for the first time since 2021 when she stepped away from the hit ITVBe series Sam & Billie: The Mummy Diaries. Following which, Billie continued the franchise with Billie & Greg: The Family Diaries from 2021 to 2024.
“Now, the sisters reunite to showcase their personal and professional lives as they navigate the next phase of their careers, relationships and motherhood.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
