diff --git a/changelog/6637.breaking.rst b/changelog/6637.breaking.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d88282ae39d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/6637.breaking.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Removed the long-deprecated ``pytest_itemstart`` hook.
+
+This hook has been marked as deprecated and not been even called by pytest for over 10 years now.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/hookspec.py b/src/_pytest/hookspec.py
index 74dff1e82c3..57d31d93b90 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/hookspec.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/hookspec.py
@@ -307,10 +307,6 @@ def pytest_runtestloop(session):
     """
 
 
-def pytest_itemstart(item, node):
-    """(**Deprecated**) use pytest_runtest_logstart. """
-
-
 @hookspec(firstresult=True)
 def pytest_runtest_protocol(item, nextitem):
     """ implements the runtest_setup/call/teardown protocol for