The Circle on Hulu: Tinx Hosts and Fans Vote on TikTok Before the Nov 17 Premiere
The Circle on Hulu premieres Tuesday, November 17, 2026, and its fans can already vote on TikTok. According to Banijay, the production company’s group behind the format, the first fan vote of the season opened on November 11 at 6 a.m. PT “on TikTok at @TheCircleHulu and via text.”
This article sets out what Banijay, ABC7 Los Angeles, a press release published on EuropaWire and Net Influencer have reported about The Circle on Hulu, including the TikTok voting, the host, the cast and the weekly schedule. Every detail is attributed, and the open questions are listed near the end.
What to know:
- Premiere: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S., and on Disney+ in select international markets.
- Schedule: three new episodes weekly at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET, Tuesdays through Thursdays, for five weeks.
- The TikTok link: fans can vote at @TheCircleHulu on TikTok and by text, with live voting each Thursday.
- Host: Tinx, who replaces Michelle Buteau, host of the show’s seven Netflix seasons, per Net Influencer.
- The twist: celebrities play alongside civilians, and viewers vote live to influence the following week’s episodes.
In this article
What The Circle on Hulu Is
The Circle on Hulu is a reality competition in which players compete on popularity and strategy. Banijay’s logline says it “is back with a brand-new home on Hulu, reimagined as a fast-turnaround interactive event.” It adds: “For the first time celebrities enter the ultimate game of popularity, playing alongside civilians, raising the stakes and the strategy like never before.”
The logline continues: “Some players compete as themselves, while others are catfishing and doing whatever it takes to win. This time, America isn’t just watching. Viewers have the power to stir the pot and influence the game in real time.” Net Influencer reports that Hulu’s own logline calls the season “a fast-turnaround social experiment” that is “filmed in real time,” with “audience votes shaping the game.”
ABC7 says the winner takes home “a $100,000 grand prize.” The show is a Banijay Entertainment format, and Net Influencer says it ran for seven seasons on Netflix before moving to Hulu.
How Fans Vote on The Circle on Hulu via TikTok
Banijay’s post says “the competition kicks off tomorrow, November 11, with the first fan vote of the season! For the first time, fans will have the power to vote and directly influence what happens inside The Circle. Voting opens at 6 a.m. PT on TikTok at @TheCircleHulu and via text.” It points to an FAQ at bit.ly/TheCircleFAQs for how to cast a vote.
ABC7’s report of November 11 on The Circle on Hulu says “the first fan vote is open now.” It explains the first question: “Layla Taylor from ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ and her friend Kate Racker are entering ‘The Circle’ to catfish as a single guy, and fans get to pick their profile. Viewers can vote on TikTok or via text to decide whether they play as the persona of Doug or Steven.”
After the first vote, Banijay says “viewers will have the opportunity to vote live each Thursday and influence the following week’s episodes.” The EuropaWire release repeats this, and Net Influencer calls it “the first time viewers will vote in the U.S. version.”
TikTok’s own profile for the account lists it as “The Circle on Hulu,” and its bio reads “The Circle is back Nov 17 on @hulu!” with the hashtag #TheCircleHulu. This site could not confirm from the sources what the TikTok voting screen looks like.
The Circle on Hulu Premiere Date and Schedule
According to Banijay, the series is “premiering November 17 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ in select international markets. The series will debut three new episodes weekly at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET, airing Tuesdays through Thursdays for five weeks.” ABC7 gives the premiere time as 9/8c.
Net Influencer reports that the finale airs Friday, December 18. The Banijay post and the EuropaWire release do not name a finale date, so the date rests on Net Influencer’s report.
The weekly pattern matters for the voting on The Circle on Hulu. With new episodes arriving Tuesday to Thursday and a live vote on Thursdays, the vote that follows each Thursday episode is meant to shape the next week, according to the sources.
Tinx as Host
Net Influencer reports that Hulu named “creator, author, and SiriusXM host Tinx” as host of the revival. It gives her real name as Christina Najjar and says she replaces comedian Michelle Buteau, who hosted the show’s seven seasons on Netflix.
The outlet describes her background: she hosts the live SiriusXM call-in show It’s Me, Tinx, which premiered in 2022, and her 2023 book The Shift: Change Your Perspective, Not Yourself reached the New York Times bestseller list. It says she released the novel Hotter in the Hamptons in 2025, and that both books are in development as TV adaptations with Tinx attached as an executive producer.
Banijay’s post lists the host simply as Tinx. ABC7 describes the trailer as previewing “a high-stakes mix of celebrities, civilians, catfish and live audience voting,” hosted by Tinx.
The Cast
ABC7 published the season’s cast. The celebrity players are:
- Hannah Brown: Bachelor Nation personality, season 15 The Bachelorette star and author, playing as herself.
- Dominic ‘Chef Dom’ DeAngelis: Vanderpump Villa star, catfishing as Lisa Vanderpump.
- Sasha Farber: Dancing with the Stars professional dancer, playing as himself.
- Layla Taylor and Kate Racker: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars, catfishing as a player determined by the fan vote.
The civilian players listed by ABC7 are:
- Cyrus: software engineer from New York City.
- Gina and Yanis: content creator Gina and tech sales husband Yanis from Austin, Texas, catfishing as single Gina.
- Justin: entrepreneur from Los Angeles.
- Suave: dog dad from Columbia, South Carolina.
- Alyssa: finance professional from Cooper City, Florida.
What Is New This Season
For The Circle on Hulu, Net Influencer says the revival “keeps that structure and adds two elements: celebrity players and live audience voting.” ABC7 describes the voting as letting viewers do so “directly deciding who stays, who goes and how the game plays out,” and says “viewers at home can now influence the game in real time through live voting.”
The Banijay post says fans “will be encouraged to watch, follow, share, debate and, most importantly, help shape the game as it unfolds.” The note about TikTok and text voting is the only platform detail the production company gives.
Banijay’s logline calls it “the biggest season of The Circle yet,” and the release frames the move to Hulu as “a new era for the groundbreaking competition, where fame, strategy, and popularity collide.” Those are the producers’ own descriptions of the show.
Who Makes the Show
For The Circle on Hulu, Banijay’s credits say “The Circle is produced by Studio Lambert, together with Omaha Productions, Motion Entertainment, and in partnership with Turnkey Studio Services, a division of Banijay America.” Executive producers for Studio Lambert include Tim Harcourt, Jack Burgess, Niall O’Driscoll and Stephen Lambert.
Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz and Colin Campbell executive produce for Omaha Productions, and Martin Oxley and Chet Fenster for Motion Entertainment, “a WPP Media company.” Susan House is the showrunner. The Circle is a Banijay Entertainment format.
What Has Not Been Reported
- How many votes a viewer can cast in each voting window.
- Whether the TikTok vote and the text vote carry equal weight in the outcome.
- The result of the first Doug or Steven vote on The Circle on Hulu and when it was announced.
- The exact timing of each Thursday vote.
- Any arrangement between TikTok and The Circle on Hulu beyond the use of the @TheCircleHulu account for voting.
- The Voice TikTok LIVE show
- Creatorverse Incubator: Tubi and TikTok creators
- TikTok micro-series: Made By Us deal
- Hogwarts in the Snow TikTok LIVE
Frequently Asked Questions
When does The Circle on Hulu premiere?
Tuesday, November 17, 2026, with three new episodes weekly at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET, Tuesday to Thursday, for five weeks, per Banijay.
How do fans vote on The Circle on Hulu?
Through TikTok at @TheCircleHulu and by text, with live voting each Thursday to influence the following week’s episodes, according to Banijay and ABC7.
Who hosts The Circle on Hulu?
Tinx, per Banijay, Hulu’s trailer coverage and Net Influencer. She replaces Michelle Buteau, who hosted the Netflix seasons.
Who is in the celebrity cast of The Circle on Hulu?
Hannah Brown, Dominic ‘Chef Dom’ DeAngelis, Sasha Farber, and Layla Taylor with Kate Racker, per ABC7.
What is the grand prize on The Circle on Hulu?
ABC7 reports a $100,000 grand prize for the winner.
Sources: Banijay, November 11, 2026, ABC7 Los Angeles, November 11, 2026, EuropaWire, November 12, 2026 and Net Influencer, November 13, 2026. The Circle, Hulu, Netflix, TikTok and the named people and shows belong to their owners; this site is independent and not affiliated with any of them. ABC7 notes The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Hulu and that station.
