The Celebrity Big Brother 2018 start date has been confirmed, airing before Big Brother this summer.

Typically, Big Brother kicks off the summer runs but that's all set to change for 2018.

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This year, Celebrity Big Brother will begin the season before Big Brother follows later in the summer/early autumn.

Channel 5 has officially confirmed today that Celebrity Big Brother will launch on Thursday, August 16.

The series will launch live at 9PM and then continue nightly as usual for around a month.

The Celebrity edition will be followed by the pushed back 'civilian' Big Brother series.

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It's claimed that this year's series was delayed in order to avoid a clash against Love Island.

The ITV2 reality show has proved a mega ratings hit, airing at 9PM nightly to over 3 million viewers.

"We delayed everything until Love Island is out of the way," a source told the Daily Star newspaper previously. "Then fans will be ready for us.

"We'd usually start with a regular series but we're launching with all guns blazing with celebrities."

Meanwhile, this summer's Celebrity Big Brother has an 'eye of the storm' theme.

Names linked to the Celebrity Big Brother 2018 cast already include headline grabbing footballer Jermaine Pennant and Kieran Hayler, the estranged husband of former Celebrity Big Brother winner herself Katie Price.

Another of the names rumoured is American porn actress Stormy Daniels, who is currently at the centre of controversy surrounding president Donald Trump.

More celebs rumoured for the Celebrity Big Brother 2018 line up this summer include Love Island's Gabby Allen, X Factor and Ex On The Beach's Casey Johnson plus Goggleboxer Sandra Martin.

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Also rumoured have been TOWIE's Dan Osbourne, Corrie's Ryan Thomas and TV presenter John Leslie.

This summer could well be Big Brother's last ever, with Channel 5 yet to confirm if they'll be renewing the show beyond the end of the year.

“I’m hoping it doesn’t go anywhere, but no one’s told me anything yet,” main show host Emma Willis said this year.

Bit On The Side host Rylan Clark-Neal confirmed that there "are changes coming", and suggested the show could go back to its roots.

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The former CBB winner explained: “I think it’s time to make Big Brother what it was.

“I’ve always had one­ ­million per cent faith in the format and that it can be the greatest show on telly.”

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