The Circle season 6 line-up in full

The Circle season 6 will soon land on Netflix but new episodes of this popular reality show about competing social media influencers will come with a new techy twist.

Based on the UK original and debuting on the streamer back in 2020, The Circle sticks a group of social media lovers into small ‘apartments’ in a group house. Once there, they’re encouraged to chat and befriend their fellow players in any way they choose — be it through honesty or some form of Catfishing — in order to achieve the best group rating and avoid elimination.

Those who fail to impress and get low scores are ‘Blocked’ but as previous series have shown, those behind The Circle aren’t afraid of throwing in a few unexpected rule switch-ups to keep players on their toes. When all is said and done, each series’ lucky winner will walk away with a $100,000 cash prize.

The Circle season 6 promises more of the same alongside its biggest plot twist yet. Read on for all the information you’ll need ahead its return, including its release date, trailer, player details and more.

When will The Circle season 6 be released?

The Circle season 6 starts on Netflix on Wednesday, 17 April with the first four episodes available immediately. After you’ve binged through those, viewers can expect to find four new episodes arriving every Wednesday leading all the way to the series finale on Wednesday, 8 May.

If you blast your way through these and still find yourself craving more then you’re in luck. The Circle season 7 is officially on the way, so you won’t have to wait too long to get back in the game.

Is there a trailer for The Circle season 6?

The official trailer for The Circle season 6 can be found below, inviting viewers to step into “the ultimate social media challenge.”

What is the twist in The Circle season 6?

So we know the general rules and the show start date but what is the big twist The Circle season 6 has hiding up its sleeve? Well, strap in because this one looks set to shake things up in a big way.

For the first time, The Circle will introduce an AI ‘Bot’ player into the mix via Max, a fictional ‘Catfish’ that’s programmed to be as enticing as possible to its fellow influencers. Speaking of which, none of the other players in this season of The Circle will have any clue that an AI bot is lurking among their ranks.

“He’s a 26-year-old veterinary intern hailing from the Midwest,” says Netflix of their new digital player. “Why? Well, as the bot explains, choosing his age was all about being able to ‘leverage life experience and maturity’, while still playing youthful.”

His profession “highlights his caring and nurturing side” in order for him to appear “more likable to players.” Holding a dog in his profile picture is also part of the bot’s strategy, as photos with dogs “receive 38% more likes on social media.”

Max will have no added information about players other than the things they choose to share and he’ll play the game with zero input from producers or external sources.

Will The Circle’s real players find themselves at the mercy of Max? You’ll have to tune in to find out.

The Circle season 6 cast

In addition to AI newbie Max, The Circle season 6 will welcome 10 new players, each of whom is vying to make it as the most popular person on the show. Let’s see who they are.

Jordan | Age: 26

According to Jordan, he “gets easily mistaken as a douchebag” whenever he’s chatting to people online but this unfortunate fact hasn’t put him off from mixing things up. According to Netflix, Jordan is ready and willing to spread misinformation and do whatever it takes to win.

Autumn | Age: 21

The outdoorsy Autumn is entering the game with an “I don’t give a damn” attitude but don't let that fool you. She’s still got her eyes on the prize and will stop at nothing to get her hands on that cash prize - even if it means building fake friendships or getting a little flirty.

Steffi | Age: 35

Not every player brings their own emotional support skeleton but psychic medium Steffi does. This astrologer and lover of the fantastical hopes to use her natural (and maybe supernatural) intuition to guide her all the way to the finale.

Myles | Age: 29

Myles makes no qualms about his personal image — even going so far as to describe himself as giving off ‘f**kboy” vibes. He’s hoping to charm his way to the winners’ circle but admits that he’s definitely an acquired taste.

Caress | Age: 37

Not everyone has to play the game as themselves. Motivational speaker Caress is playing it as her younger brother Paul, someone who already has a whopping 300,000 followers thanks to his day job as a rapper and singer.

Lauren | Age: 29

Former Twitch streamer Lauren has no issue with talking to people via screens and she’s more than ready to be totally herself while playing this particular game. She’s newly single and describes her persona as a “naturally flirty” nerd.

Quori-Tyler | Age: 26

Quori-Tyler is a self-confessed The Circle superfan and has seen every single episode of every single season. “I’m here to play the game and be a mastermind at it,” she says, adding that she’s also open to any romance that might come her way.

Brandon | Age: 34

Brandon has described himself as an “adult Cabbage Patch Kid” and has decided to embrace his inner Catfish while playing the game. He’ll be playing as his friend Olivia and hopes her looks will help him win: “This is my opportunity to be hot because I’ve never gotten to do that before,” he says.

Cassie | Age: 29

Who better to win a game about fakers than someone who’s busted one before? Cassie made a fake profile to catch her — former — cheating hubby so she’s expertly placed to come out on top here. Despite this, she’ll be entering the game as herself and not a Catfish character.

Kyle | Age: 31

Married Kyle is joining the game as a singleton but he won’t be entirely alone — his dog is entering the house with him. He describes himself as very competitive, a trait that may help him go all the way.

The Circle season 6 starts on Wednesday, April 17 on Netflix with new episodes airing weekly.