04 March 2024 , 11:02
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Celebrity Big Brother was back with a bang last night with some of the biggest - and most controversial - names in showbiz stepping foot into the iconic house.
With AJ Odudu and Will Best steering at the helm after a medical emergency, the show aired live for the first time as this year's stars make their grand debut. It's certainly an eclectic mix of celebrities this year, which could prove to be both chaotic and dramatic.
From throwback names like Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne to newer faces like Heartstopper's Bradley Riches and presenter Zeze Millz and then Kate Middleton's uncle, it's unsurprising that ITV bosses have splurged over £2million to ensure that viewers will remain entertained over the weeks...
Sharon Osbourne
Sharon's stay inside the Big Brother house will be short and sweet (ITV)Celebrity Big Brother kicked off on ITV with hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best hosting the launch episode live. The pair began the broadcast announcing the first “celebrity lodger” as British TV star Sharon Osbourne. Osbourne, who walked onto the stage to chants of “icon”, described herself as the “original reality star”.
The 71-year-old continued: “I am good fun to live with, so my husband says. Chaos, I don’t cause it, it just seems to go on around me even though I do have a big spoon to mix it. I definitely say what is on my mind, I think at my age I have earned it. I am so excited to be involved with Celebrity Big Brother because it is going to be a bumpy ride.”
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After entering the house, Osbourne described the house as “sexy” before Big Brother told her about a secret mission. “You must decide which contestant will face eviction this week,” as she must choose three contestants to put into the danger zone, later choosing one to face the public vote. “How fabulous,” she said.
Louis Walsh
Louis has already amused ITV viewers thanks to his reunion with Sharon (ITV)Louis Walsh said Sharon Osbourne is “going to protect me” as he became the second contestant to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house. The former X Factor judge spoke about what he would be like as a housemate and told presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best: “I’m just going to be honest, I’m just going to be me, I can’t be anybody else.”
Upon entering the house, Big Brother asked Walsh if it was nice to be reunited with former X Factor panellist Osbourne. He said: “Absolutely, absolutely delighted to see her, we’ve loads to catch up on.” Speaking ahead of entering the house, Louis admitted "I'm not getting any younger" as he explained his reasons for doing the show.
"I don't cook, like at all," Louis confessed. "I can only just make a cup of tea and even then I use the microwave." In addition to revealing his worst potential housemate would be Donald Trump - "loud and in your face" - Louis mused: "I just want to have fun and meet some nice people."
What do you think of the CBB line-up? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.
Nikita Kuzmin
Nikita has swapped Strictly for the Big Brother house (ITV)The Strictly Come Dancing professional is joining the Celebrity Big Brother line-up following his success on the recent series with Layton Williams. However, his appearance on the show will set tongues wagging as question marks are raised over whether he will be returning to the BBC dancing show.
Most recently, he bid goodbye to his Strictlty co-stars after the tour ended, prompting speculation that he might be leaving. He wrote: "Missing all of these lovely people and happy moments. Last tour pics btw :(." In response, one fan wrote: "And we miss you too. If the rumours are to be believed, then please just be the beautiful human being you are, stay strong and see you on the other side."
While another commented: "@nikita__kuzmin is it true you could be quitting strictly to do CBB? Please can you just do both, don’t quit anything." Meanwhile, Layton was recently confirmed as one of the Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live Houseguests alongside Oti Mabuse and Jordan North.
Nikita Kuzmin become the third person to enter the Celebrity Big Brother House after Sharon and Louis. He told presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best that his ideal housemate would be chef Gordon Ramsay, whose daughter Tilly danced with him in 2021. He said: “He (Ramsay) promised me a (chicken) Kiev (on Strictly) and he never got me one.”
Gary Goldsmith
Gary described himself as a 'toddler on sugar' ahead of entering the house (ITV)Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary Goldsmith said the Princess of Wales could be watching ITV’s Celebrity Big Brother from “behind a sofa” as he entered the house. Presenter AJ Odudu asked him: “The nation needs to know, will Kate be watching?” He said: “If she is it will be behind a sofa, I guess.” In a video tape which aired before he entered the house, Goldsmith said: “She is simply perfect. “First time I met William, Catherine was cooking and William said, ‘Hi, do you want a cup of tea?’ Very normal.”
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Gary landed a huge deal to take part in the reality TV show, but this is not the first time Gary, who is Carole Middleton's brother, has been keen to be in the spotlight as he wanted to take part in I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! - but was rejected. Bosses thought his inclusion could embarrass both Prince William and Kate but their decision was made at the final stages.
Gary has vowed to discuss all topics while in the house which has pleased show bosses. Aside from being related to royalty, Gary is an IT technician. The royal relative was spotted doing some last minute shopping on Friday, before going into hiding ahead of Monday night's launch.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Gary admitted: "We all like to be liked, this is a great opportunity to show anyone who cares the “real me”, the fun, caring and devilish “me”, not the villain I'm often portrayed in the press. Also as I fast approach 60 I want to say “YES” to most things put in front of me!" He added: "I don’t scare easily and I love a challenge but this is so far out of my comfort zone I am nervous about the unknown and if I’m honest I’m nervous about myself. I don’t take instruction or being controlled very well."
David Potts
David is looking for love in the Celebrity Big Brother house (ITV)Ibiza Weekender favourite David Potts has swapped boozing on the Spanish island for weeks locked away in a house in north London. The reality TV star, 30, who has also graced the screens of Celebs Go Dating and Celebrity Ghost Trip, appeared on the Spain-based ITV2 series from 2016 to 2020.
David, who went on a health kick in 2020 and lost nearly three stone, is a big fan of the Big Brother franchise and has even appeared on its spin-off show before. The Bolton-born star rocked up on our screens as a guest on Big Brother's sister show Late & Live as he gave his views on the latest drama on non-celebrity version of the show.
Quizzed about what he hopes to gain from the experience before he entered the Big Brother house, David joked: "Well if I don’t get a husband, then just a good time is enough for me!" Revealing why he really signed up for the show, he added: "I just feel like it’s the right time for me. I wanted to do something different, I love throwing myself into new things and I just think I’ll have a ball with it. I’m also a massive fan of the show so how could I possibly turn down the opportunity to be part of the first Celebrity Big Brother on ITV1!"
Fern Britton
Fern says she will miss her three cats while she's in the famous house (ITV)Former This Morning star Fern Britton's appearance on Celebrity Big Brother could prove to be explosive and is believed to be set to lift the lid on her well-known feud with her former co-host Phillip Schofield. She had presented the ITV show for six years alongside Phil before she was replaced by Holly Willoughby in 2009.
After Fern dramatically quit, she had initially claimed that it was because she wanted to spend more time with her family. However, it was later reported that Phil was being paid £250,000 more than her. Friends of the TV star revealed that she felt "undervalued" by ITV bosses and was "living in Phil's shadow". The pair had also been hosting Mr & Mrs together at the time, and it was reported that he was earning three times her salary on the show. Yet, in 2016 Fern denied leaving due to the pay gap but failed to turn up for This Morning's 25th anniversary celebrations.
Things got awkward in 2018 when Fern was interviewed via video link for the show's 30th anniversary celebrations, saying to Phil: "Congrats on the BAFTA. That was absolutely wonderful and brilliant. I would have loved to have been there but I didn't get an invitation." The rows rolled onto Twitter, with Phil making a cruel jibe at Fern. However, one of Fern's agents later admitted that they made a mistake and that they'd declined the invite on her behalf.
In 2020, Phil said that Fern hadn't reached out when he came out as gay on This Morning, but that she had messaged his wife. Just three years later, when Phil's "unwise, but not illegal" extramarital affair with a younger male member of the This Morning crew was exposed, Fern made a loaded comment about her ex co-star as she met up with his biggest critic Eamonn Holmes and said she had the "loveliest catch-up".
Having signed up for her first reality show in over a decade, who knows what stories Fern could tell about what really went on behind the scenes... Fern said she was “very excited” as she became the last person to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house. Speaking to hosts AJ and Will, the former This Morning presenter said: “I’m very excited for an adventure, for sure, so let’s have an adventure.” Louis Walsh called her “lovely” as he watched from his lair with Sharon Osbourne.
"I think it would be lovely to make a friend or two. That would be nice," Fern admitted before making her Celebrity Big Brother debut. "But mostly I think, when you get to this age, it’s nice to learn new things about yourself. What you can stick, what you can’t stick, what you like and don’t like, and I think that would be a very good test for me. I’ve been sitting in Cornwall for so long, you know life has been good to me, it’s been very easy and I think I need a bit of sand in my life. A bit of grit."
Zeze Millz
Zeze says not knowing what the time is inside the house if going to 'freak her out' (ITV)British TV presenter Zeze Millz will be making her reality TV debut with her appearance in the CBB house on Monday evening. Over the years, she's interviewed huge names like Big Narstie, Wiley, N-Dubz and Fireboy DML via her YouTube series The Zeze Millz Show. She also began hosting a weekly late-night topic show from November 2021 on Channel 4 called Unapologetic, which sees black guests talk about issues of the day.
Not afraid to voice her opinion, Zeze has appeared on Good Morning Britain, produced a feature for Channel 4 in 2022 called Young, Black and Right-Wing, and was the host of this year's MOBO Awards. And with over 180,000 followers on Instagram - among which include Alesha Dixon, Kate Ferdinand and Kerry Katona - and nearly 30,000 subscribers on YouTube, Zeze has a big following which could bring a new type of audience to the ITV show.
"I know that it sounds cliché but I hope to just have fun," Zeze confessed when revealing what she hopes to get from the experience before entering the house. "To have fun and to realise if I’m as clued up as I think I am. As I said before, I’ve watched a lot of reality TV and I think I know how I’d be. I think that I’m emotionally intelligent enough to know how to react “correctly” and now I can’t wait to see how I react and how I behave in there."
Bradley Riches
Bradley wants to represent the neurodiversity and the queer community on the ITV show (ITV)A Netflix heartthrob will be making his way into the house in the form of Heartstopper actor Bradley Riches. Known best as lovable character James McEwan in the worldwide hit show about LGBTQ+ school kids finding their way through life and love, Bradley will be switching it up by starring in the ITV reality show.
Bradley, 24, who is gay and autistic, hopes his participation will boost representation of minority groups. Since being diagnosed with autism at nine years old, he has become passionate about becoming an advocate for his community. He has also helped campaign for the NHS' Every Mind Matters to help raise awareness of support for loneliness and recently spoke with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at No 10. Sharing his experience on Instagram, he wrote: "Loneliness. It’s a part of life, let’s talk about it."
Bradley has needed to make time in his busy schedule to appear on CBB as he was last month filming season two of BBC Three's WRECK. ITV bosses are clearly looking to hook in Gen Z with his signing following Heartstopper's popularity with younger viewers. "From this experience I would love to have a positive experience first of all, as well as making friends. Just have a good, fun, positive experience," Bradley admitted before the Celebrity Big Brother launch.
Colson Smith
Colson shocked soap fans as he swore minutes after entering the Big Brother house (ITV)Soap fans will be delighted to see Coronation Street legend Colson Smith, better known by his character Craig Tinker, will be stepping off the cobbles and into the house. Loveable police officer Craig has become a staple in Weatherfield during his 13-year run as Beth Tinker's son. Over the years he's enjoyed a number of huge storylines, from his OCD struggles and Kylie's stabbing horror to his heartbreaking bullying plot as a teen.
Away from Corrie, Colson has spoken openly about his weightloss journey, which he kickstarted in 2020 during Covid when he was unable to work as filming was halted. He went on to release a YouTube documentary, Bored of Being the Fat Kid, and loost an incredible 10 stone over the years.
He's much loved among his co-stars on the ITV soap, appearing on Sofa Cinema Club podcast alongside his Coronation Street co-stars Ben Price and Jack P. Shepherd, so will be the perfect person for any struggling housemates to confide in. But that doesn't mean Colson isn't nervous. "My biggest fear is me being that Housemate that nobody likes ha," he admitted ahead of entering the house. "I think for me as long as everyone is there for a fun time and gets stuck in we’ll all have a great experience."
Lauren Simon
Lauren describes herself as 'messy, unfiltered and wild' (ITV)The Real Housewives of Cheshire star isn't a stranger to having her name splashed across the headlines following her bitter divorce becoming one of the main storylines of the reality TV show. She had been married to property tycoon Paul Simon for 13 years but the couple split in 2018 after which Lauren received a £ 3 million settlement.
But it didn't end there as Paul won an appeal after claiming they only had £ 2 million in assets between them and no cash of his own. In February last year, a consent order was approved and Lauren was given the right to live in a £1.8 million mansion in Altrincham for life but only if she agreed to drop all other bids to get Paul's money.
While she's remained off Twitter since 2020, Lauren still regularly posts on Instagram to show off her glam makeovers and star-studded nights out. Considering her loud, no-nonsense attitude, Lauren could make an interesting housemate. Speaking before the 2024 Celebrity Big Brother launch show, Lauren revealed Adam Sandler would be the worst housemate and confessed Bradley Cooper would be her dream man inside the house.
Marisha Wallace
(ITV)It couldn't be a Celebrity Big Brother line-up without an American star, right?
Having earned her stripes on Broadway shows Aladdin and Something Rotten, she went on to star as Effie White in Dreamgirls and appeared in Hairspray and Waitress on the West End. Marisha frequently posts on Instagram to show fans what life as a musicals star, most recently enjoying a boozy night out with Katherine Jenkins and pals on St David's Day. She wrote: "Happy St David’s Day! I was an honorary Welshie last night thanks to my sister @katherinejenkinsobe ! We celebrated St. David’s Day in style. We had loads of incredible cocktails with Kat’s new gin @cygnet_gin which looks and tastes sensational.
"I loved hearing what being Welsh means to my incredible friends. The language and the traditions. The pride! I loved it. I have so many Welsh friends who have been a huge support for me. They are always up for a laugh and boy can they sing. When I took my life in the UK test I learned about daffodils as the flower of Wales. It was beautiful to see them laid out on the table last night with my UK family sitting all around."
Last week, she finished her stint on Guys And Dolls and was visibly emotional to see her parents in the audience, writing: "Fin…it was amazing to have my Mom and Mike and my niece at the last show. What an unforgettable night. My Mom has not been to see a show in London since Dreamgirls. So it was a very special moment to be at this point in the journey to show her how far I have come. I cried like a baby in her arms after the curtain call. You can have thousands of fans but nothing beats your Mom watching you perform."
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu
Big Brother is newly-single Ekin-Su's latest reality TV adventure (ITV)Love Island winner Ekin-Su has just finished one reality show and is ready to hop right into another one.
Having won fans over with her fiery romance with Davide Saclimenti in 2022, Ekin-Su went on to secure a number of brand deals before starring on American version of The Traitors alongside US TV royalty Phaedra Parks, Lara Pippen and boxer Deontay Wilder, but she was brutally killed off in the fourth episode.
Boasting over 3.5million followers on Instagram, Ekin-Su already has a legion of fans ready to support her and considering her passionate and confident personality, she could prove to be a very interesting housemate. No stranger to reality TV, Ekin-Su explained her reasons for signing up for a stint in the Big Brother house before the launch show.
She revealed: "I have watched Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother since I was a kid. It’s very entertaining, and I feel like the timing for me to go in now couldn’t be more perfect. 2024, empowering strong Ekin-Su, you know, I can’t wait to bring a lot of things into Big Brother. There is a side to me the audience hasn’t seen yet and I can’t wait to bring it. I’d say I’m like a starter, main course and a dessert. I’m going to bring it all."
Levi Roots
Levi wants to 'learn a lot about himself' inside the Big Brother house (ITV)He's not just a Dragons' Den legend, he's the Dragons' Den legend.
If anyone's ever watched a single episode of the hit BBC show, they'll remember the moment Levi Roots shot to fame in 2007 with his Reggae Reggae sauce, which is now a staple in many kitchens across the UK and world. At the time, Levi wanted a £50,000 investment for a 40 per cent stake in his business selling his sauce.
He's now considered one of the biggest success stories of the show ever, he is now believed to have an estimated net worth of around £35million. A source told the Mirror: "Levi will be great for the Celebrity Big Brother house. He's got a few exciting projects coming up and he's such a fun character." They added: "He's self-made and is an inspiration to a new generation."
"I don’t like annoying people. I don’t like arguments. I don’t like it if I know it’s coming towards me. I tend to backtrack rather than respond. I don’t like people who have no understanding of others," Levi said before entering the house. "As a black Caribbean there will be other people in the House who are different, who dress differently, we will all be different and if I’m not the typical archetype of what people think I should be, I think people have the right to be different and so I don’t like people who challenge that. People who criticise others and don’t want them to be themselves."