Celebrity Big Brother House reopens with Kellie Maloney as hot favourite
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Version 0 of 1. Former boxing promoter Kellie Maloney, Benefits Street's White Dee and Hollywood actor Gary Busey were among the figures who headed into the Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday night for the latest series of the long-running reality show. They feature in the lineup of 14 people taking part in the Channel 5 show over the coming weeks, the seventh celebrity version of the format since its switch from Channel 4 in 2011, and 14th overall. There have been 33 series of Big Brother in its various incarnations the UK altogether, including the non-celebrity version. Others entering the Big Brother house for the latest series including former British Olympic boxing champion Audley Harrison and George Gilbey, one of the stars of Channel 4's TV watching documentary series Gogglebox, in which he features with his mother and stepfather. Maloney – who is favourite to win the show, according to bookmaker William Hill, at 2/1 – had success handling the career of world heavyweight title holder Lennox Lewis among others, but withdrew from the sport last year. It emerged this month that she has been undergoing gender reassignment and now lives as a woman. Maloney, 61, drew broad support from the boxing world, including Lewis, after disclosing that she had undergone hormone therapy, hair removal electrolysis, voice coaching and specialist counselling for the past two years. Second favourite – at 4/1 – is Dee, real name Deirdre Kelly, who rose to prominence in the Channel 4 documentary series Benefits Street and has a burgeoning media career speaking about welfare issues, including a scheduled appearance at the Conservative party conference. Busey, 70, whose credits include Lethal Weapon, Big Wednesday and Point Break, has previously appeared in US reality shows Celebrity Wife Swap and The Celebrity Apprentice. He will be joined in the Channel 5 Celebrity Big Brother house by former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer James Jordan; Edele Lynch, who found fame in the Irish girl group B*Witched; and David McIntosh, who had a TV career as Tornado in the Sky1 revival of Gladiators. The series features an array of wannabes who have featured in reality-TV shows: Stephanie Pratt from reality shows The Hills and Made in Chelsea, Lauren Goodger who has featured in ITV2's The Only Way Is Essex and Ricci Guarnaccio from Geordie Shore. Also taking part are veteran US actor Leslie Jordan, who had a recurring role in sitcom Will & Grace, ex-Emmerdale actress Claire King – known for her role as Kim Tate, and Angélique "Frenchy" Morgan, who has appeared in a number of US reality shows. The previous series of Celebrity Big Brother – hosted by Emma Willis – was won by comedian Jim Davidson. The launch comes just three days after the most recent run of the normal Big Brother came to a close. |