Michael Sheen starts busy BBC autumn as House of Games host

Michael Sheen is entering an unusually busy autumn on British television, taking over one of BBC Two's best-known quiz shows while also appearing in the second series of Celebrity Traitors.

The BBC has issued a first look at the Welsh actor in his new House of Games presenting role, with Sheen succeeding Richard Osman after Osman's final week on the programme. Sheen will host 100 episodes due to be broadcast this year.

House of Games new host Michael Sheen takes over from Richard Osman

PA Media reported on 29 September that Sheen is making his debut as a quiz show presenter with the move to House of Games, a change of guard arriving while ITV's rival teatime quiz The Chase weathers a row over repeats. Osman, who has fronted the programme for nine years, will present one final week before handing over.

The new series began on 28 September at 6pm on BBC Two. A TV guide tease said: "The quiz returns with Richard Osman taking charge for a final week before he hands over the baton to a new host."

House of Games brings together four celebrity contestants for a range of trivia games across a week. There are daily winners, before an overall champion is crowned on Friday. Osman has presented more than 800 episodes since the BBC Two quiz show launched in 2017.

Rob Unsworth, the BBC's head of daytime and early peak commissioning, said: "Richard Osman has established House of Games as one of our best-loved shows." Osman is leaving the programme to focus more on writing.

He revealed the change on his podcast, The Rest is Entertainment, saying: "It will no longer be Richard Osman's House of Games."

Michael Sheen steps into a new role on BBC Two

For Sheen, the job represents a different type of television work from the acting career for which he is best known. His House of Games role is his first as a quiz show presenter, placing him at the centre of a format built around recurring celebrity contestants and a week-long competition.

Sheen had already made clear that he knew the scale of the task. Speaking previously about taking over, he said: "Quite literally very large shoes to fill but as a huge fan of the show I'm incredibly excited to be able to move into the House and at long last see my silhouette on a fondue set."

The timing makes the handover particularly prominent for Sheen. His 100 House of Games episodes are due to be broadcast this year, while another major BBC appearance begins only days after the new quiz-show series gets under way.

Key date or figure	Detail
28 September 2026	New House of Games series began at 6pm on BBC Two
100 episodes	House of Games episodes Sheen will host due to be broadcast this year
More than 800 episodes	House of Games episodes hosted by Osman since the show launched in 2017
1 October 2026	Celebrity Traitors begins on BBC One and iPlayer
10 episodes	Hour-long episodes in the second celebrity series
£100,000	Prize for the winning celebrity's chosen charity
15.4 million	Peak audience for the first celebrity series finale
14.9 million	Average audience across the first celebrity series

Michael Sheen also joins Celebrity Traitors from 1 October

Sheen, 57, is also among the 21 presenters, comedians, actors and musicians taking part in the second series of Celebrity Traitors, BBC News reported on 29 September. The series begins on 1 October on BBC One and iPlayer and consists of 10 hour-long episodes.

The actor, who is from Port Talbot, said he wanted to take part because he is a "big fan" of the show. But he also believes his profession could immediately make other contestants suspicious.

"Well, I do think it's a disadvantage to be an actor because people immediately go, 'oh well, he pretends for a living'," Sheen said. "I don't think that is the case, because the whole point of acting is that you have to trick yourself into believing that what you're doing is true."

He added: "Just for me being an actor, I think that's a disadvantage because people are already suspicious of that. Beyond being an actor, just my persona, I don't really know what people think about me. So, I don't know if it'll help or not."

Celebrity Traitors is fronted by Claudia Winkleman and is set in a Scottish castle in the Highlands. Sheen said he knew the area and described it as "stunningly beautiful", adding that the game was "fascinating".

Richard Osman leaves after nine years of House of Games

Osman's departure closes a long run on the BBC Two format. He has been associated with House of Games since its launch in 2017 and has hosted more than 800 episodes. His final week comes before Sheen formally assumes the presenting role.

The reason for the change is also clear: Osman is leaving to focus more on writing, at a time when The Voice UK is also overhauling its on-screen line-up. His exit therefore creates a direct transition rather than an abrupt disappearance from the programme, with the new series beginning under his stewardship before Sheen takes over.

The BBC's first look at Sheen places emphasis on continuity as well as change. The format itself remains centred on four celebrity contestants, multiple trivia rounds during the week, daily winners and the crowning of an overall champion on Friday.

Celebrity Traitors returns after a huge first series

Sheen is joining a programme that attracted a large audience for its first celebrity series. BBC News said the finale reached a peak of 15.4 million viewers, while the series averaged 14.9 million viewers across its run, making it the biggest TV audience of 2025. Alan Carr won that first series.

The latest regular series was broadcast in January and attracted more than 12 million viewers per episode. Other celebrities taking part alongside Sheen in the new series include comedians Joe Lycett and Romesh Ranganathan, actors Miranda Hart and Richard E. Grant, and singer James Blunt.

The winner will receive £100,000 for their chosen charity, giving Sheen a second high-profile BBC commitment at the same time as his House of Games presenting debut.

Sheen's recent acting work includes playing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in the 2024 Prime Video series A Very Royal Scandal. His earlier credits include Frost/Nixon, The Damned United and The Special Relationship.

With House of Games already under way, Celebrity Traitors beginning on 1 October and a revamped Strictly already drawing Saturday audiences, viewers will see Sheen in two sharply different BBC roles this autumn: leading a weekday quiz format and competing inside the broadcaster's celebrity strategy game.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the House of Games new host?

Michael Sheen is taking over House of Games from Richard Osman. The Welsh actor is making his debut as a quiz show presenter and will host 100 episodes due to be broadcast this year. Osman is presenting one final week before the handover after nine years and more than 800 episodes on the BBC Two programme.

Why is Richard Osman leaving House of Games?

Richard Osman is leaving House of Games to focus more on writing. He has hosted the BBC Two quiz show since it launched in 2017, presenting more than 800 episodes over nine years. He is appearing for one final week before Michael Sheen takes over the presenting role for the new run.

When is Michael Sheen on Celebrity Traitors?

Michael Sheen appears in the second series of Celebrity Traitors, which begins on 1 October on BBC One and iPlayer. The series contains 10 hour-long episodes and features 21 presenters, comedians, actors and musicians. Claudia Winkleman fronts the programme, with the winning celebrity earning £100,000 for their chosen charity.