Trending Now: ITV’s Celebrity Sabotage launches with chaotic ‘show within a show’ twist – Fans React

Joel Dommett, Judi Love and co secretly wreak havoc as contestants compete in fake reality formats

ITV is turning reality TV on its head with new entertainment format Celebrity Sabotage — a mischievous, high-concept series where the real game is happening behind the scenes.

Fronted by a team of celebrity saboteurs including Joel Dommett, Judi Love, Sam Thompson and GK Barry, the show sees unsuspecting contestants take part in what they believe are brand-new ITV reality competitions.

But there’s a twist: hidden away in a high-tech “Mission HQ”, the celebrities are secretly watching — and sabotaging — every move.

Each episode introduces a different fake show, from business challenges to cooking contests, complete with high-profile hosts like Sara Davies, Emma Willis, Matt Willis and Clare Balding to sell the illusion.

The goal for the saboteurs? Cause as much chaos as possible without getting caught — because every successful mission adds money to a prize pot worth up to £30,000, which is ultimately shared between the contestants.

The opening episode sees Sara Davies hosting The Applicant, a fake business competition, while secretly helping the saboteurs complete their missions. With guest saboteur Jo Brand joining the chaos, challenges include ruining wedding video shoots, deleting footage and turning a wellness activity into a green-coloured disaster.

According to Dommett, the show operates on a scale “like nothing I’ve ever been involved in before”, blending multiple formats into one: “It’s essentially a show within a show… but there are so many layers to it.”

That scale is part of the appeal, with elaborate disguises, hidden cameras and even secret entrances (including a bookcase lever leading to Mission HQ) all adding to the sense of playful anarchy.

Despite the chaos, there’s a surprisingly heartfelt edge. Because contestants have no idea they’re playing for money, the final reveal — where they’re handed thousands of pounds — often leads to emotional reactions from both players and celebrities alike.

Love described filming as “crazy but so much fun”, while Thompson called it his “dream show”, adding that it blends “fun, suspense, twists, turns and heartfelt moments” into one.

And while the sabotages range from subtle to outright ridiculous — including disguises as hay bales, bushes and even cupids — the real challenge is staying undetected. As the cast admit, getting caught can have major consequences.

Celebrity Sabotage, tonight at 8pm on ITV1, STV, STV Player and ITVX