Grande Fratello Vip returned to Italian television on the evening of Saturday, September 19, 2026, with its second episode of the season, according to Mediaset Infinity. The broadcast introduced a new group of contestants entering the house, with Corriere dello Sport naming Marina La Rosa and Valeria Marini among those making their entrance.
Style Magazine framed its coverage around the newcomers and surprises in store, while also raising the question of whether audience figures are already a concern for the program. The outlet did not provide specific numbers in the material available.
The show's return has drawn commentary beyond standard television coverage. Corriere.it published a piece arguing that Grande Fratello Vip serves a social function, describing it in terms that cast the program as a kind of safety net for people whose careers did not work out. La Repubblica, meanwhile, published a critical take under a headline referring to the show's inertia.
The season marks the ninth edition of the Vip format, which places celebrity and public-figure contestants in a monitored house. Mediaset Infinity's episode recap confirms the September 19 installment as the second of the run.
What to watch next: whether Mediaset addresses the ratings question directly, and how the newly introduced housemates shift the dynamics inside the house in the episodes ahead.