The Circle is coming back, but it is going to look a little different. Hulu has confirmed that the popular social media reality competition series is being rebooted, with longtime host Michelle Buteau not returning for the new version. The Disney-owned streaming service has not yet announced who will host the revamped show or when it will premiere.
Deadline confirmed the reboot, describing it as a fresh take on the format. The original run of The Circle aired on Netflix beginning in 2020 before Hulu picked up the format after Netflix declined to renew it past its seventh season, with Buteau serving as host across all seven seasons and becoming closely identified with the show’s distinctive comedic tone. Her absence marks a significant change for the franchise. Buteau addressed the news on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, saying of the new team, “I hope you have fun putting a square in a circle.”
What Is The Circle?
The Circle is a social media-themed reality competition in which contestants live in separate apartments in the same building and can only communicate with each other through a purpose-built social media platform. Players create profiles, form alliances, and vote to block others, with the goal of becoming the most popular player and winning a cash prize. The format rewards social strategy, likability, and occasionally deception, as players can choose to catfish their competitors by using a different identity.
The show became a cult hit during the early streaming wars era, particularly popular with younger audiences who found its premise both familiar and satirical given their own relationship with social media. Buteau’s dry, warm hosting style became one of its signature elements, making her departure a notable change in direction for the reboot.
Hulu’s Reality TV Push
The Circle reboot is part of a broader investment by Hulu in unscripted and reality content. Unlike the original, the Hulu version will bring civilian and celebrity contestants together for the first time, introduce audience voting to the U.S. version for the first time, and be produced in a real-time, fast-turnaround format. The reboot also involves Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions alongside original producer Studio Lambert. The Disney-owned service has leaned into competition formats and docuseries as a way to generate the kind of ongoing cultural conversation that keeps subscribers engaged between prestige drama seasons. Reality content is also significantly cheaper to produce than scripted programming, making it an attractive category for a streamer still working toward profitability.
Full casting and premiere details for the Hulu reboot of The Circle have not yet been announced. For more on other recent Hulu shakeups, check out our coverage of King of the Hill Season 15’s new trailer.
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