Major Netflix Series Finds a New Home After Cancellation
Netflix subscribers may soon have to look elsewhere for one of the streamer's longest-running reality competition series.
According to Deadline, The Circle is officially moving to Hulu after spending seven seasons on Netflix. The outlet reported on June 10 that Hulu has ordered a new version of the social experiment series after Netflix declined to renew it following season 7, which concluded in October 2024.
The move marks a surprising win for Hulu, which is reportedly making a bigger push into competition-based unscripted programming. The new version of The Circle will come from Studio Lambert, the production company behind both the Netflix series and The Traitors.
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For those unfamiliar with the format, contestants live in separate apartments and communicate only through a social media-style platform. Players can compete as themselves or create entirely different personas, leading to strategic alliances, catfishing and plenty of surprises.
The Hulu version will feature a major twist. In addition to everyday contestants, celebrities will also join the game, and viewers will be able to vote and influence the competition for the first time in the U.S.
Deadline reports that the new series is being reimagined as a "fast-turnaround" social experiment filmed in real time, allowing audience participation as player rankings and twists unfold. Other than singing and dancing competition shows where fans vote each week, most reality shows do not air in real time. Shows like Survivor and The Traitors are filmed months in advance of airing. Big Brother is the only one that comes to mind, so this would be quite the departure for The Circle.
Originally launched in the United Kingdom in 2018, The Circle became one of Netflix's earliest reality competition successes after the U.S. version debuted in 2020. The franchise later expanded internationally, with local editions in countries including France and Brazil.
The news arrives amid another major development at Netflix. Deadline also reported on June 10 that Jeff Gaspin, the streamer's vice president of unscripted series, is leaving the company after two years overseeing reality and competition programming.
While Netflix continues to invest heavily in unscripted content, The Circle's move to Hulu represents one of the more notable reality TV shifts in recent memory, giving the long-running franchise a fresh start on a new platform.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 11:36 AM.