Mecca Bingo Celeb Column – Celebrity Big Brother

The mother of all reality shows returned this month, as Big Brother once again hit our screens with its celebrity version. We love finding out about all the goings-on of celebs here at Mecca Bingo Community and so what could be better than seeing them crammed into a house together with cameras monitoring their every move!

With the arrival of the latest edition of Celeb BB hitting our screens this month, we thought we would take a look back at previous series and see how the show has benefited its former celebrity contestants, if at all… Read on to find out how previous celeb contestants fared after the show and then play online bingo here at Mecca Bingo for your chance to feel like a star!

Celebrity Big Brother Series 1

This year’s Celeb Big Bro is the fifth in the series of this version of the show, which started back in 2001 in aid of comic relief and lasted a mere eight days – not much compared to the three months that participants now potentially have to endure in regular BB. Emerging victorious from series one was comic Jack Dee, although other celebs had the show to thank for significantly boosting their careers; former Brookie star Claire Sweeney in particular. Before the show she was known by soap fans for her role in the now defunct C4 soap Brookside, but after the show Claire went on to various fruitful presenting jobs and musical performances in the West End. Anthea Turner cashed in on her fastidious cleanliness in the house and is now fronting a show called Perfect Housewife.

Former Boyzone member Keith Duffy went on to land a role in Coronation Street and was highly convincing as Ciaran McCarthy, only leaving after two and a half years because the commute from Ireland meant he didn’t see enough of his family. Vanessa Feltz will always be remembered for the original series of CBB for her manic scribblings on the kitchen table… She had not long since been shattered by the break-up of her marriage. Vanessa gained public sympathy in the house and has gone on to continue her successful TV and writing career, just last month announcing her engagement to partner Ben Ofoedu (singer for house music producers Phats & Small).  Chris Eubank didn’t do much to confound previous public perception of his personality, but was without doubt a memorable character on the show. He obviously loved the attention, going on to invite TV cameras once again into his life in 2003 with At Home With The Eubanks. The show was broadcast on channel five and followed the lives of the Eubanks for nine months.

Whether liked by the public or not, all contestants of the original Celeb BB have gone on to enjoy opportunities that they probably wouldn’t have had without the programme. Some simply went on to enjoy the household prominence they had already achieved before BB, such as Vanessa Feltz and Jack Dee. Later series of CBB would see slightly less established and lesser known “stars” however…

Celebrity Big Brother Series 2

Returning for a second run in 2002, Celeb BB 2 would continue for a longer run this time – ten days – and the money would be split between four different charities: The Samaritans, National Missing Persons Helpline, Rethink and Centrepoint. Six contestants were holed up in the famous house and, once again, all were familiar names and faces in Britain.

Mark Owen went on to win this series of the show, due to his nice-guy approach and genuinely likeable personality. The former Take Thater proved highly popular with the public but, unfortunately for him, this did not translate into album or singles sales for the aspiring solo singer upon exiting the house. He has since gone on to enjoy renewed professional triumphs however, with the phenomenally successful come-back of Take That last year. And the one-time boy band, now more of a man-band, looks set to continue in the same vein for some time.  

Family Fortunes presenter Les Dennis gained bags of public sympathy and support in the house as viewers watched him struggle to hide his misery at his recent break-up from Amanda Holden; an actress considerably younger than himself who had a much publicised affair with Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey.  Les went on to mock the public perception of himself (as a desperate, low-grade celeb blind to the true motivations of gold-digging/publicity-seeking younger women) in Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s fabulous BBC series; Extras. The episode proved Dennis to have a real sense of humour, as well as spot-on comedic timing, and is widely believed by Extras fans to be one of the best episodes of the two-series long show.

Other contestants in series two included TV personality and former page three girl Melinda Messenger, who came across as pleasant and bubbly as her public persona suggested and who has gone on to continue her career with presenting stints and fitness workouts. TV presenter Anne Diamond appeared on another reality show after BB; Celebrity Fit Club, but left after it was sensationally revealed that she had undergone gastric bypass surgery (a procedure which reduces the functional volume of the stomach and therefore the ability to overeat) right before the show. Remaining contestants Goldie (DJ) and comedienne Sue Perkins (of TV duo Mel & Sue) have remained pretty quiet since the show. Sue was outed as gay by her ex partner, Scottish comedienne Rhona Cameron, during the latter’s stint on ITV’s big reality hit: I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here in the same year.

Celebrity Big Brother Series 3

The first since 2002, this series of Celeb Big Bro aired in 2005 and saw a marked change in the direction of the show. There were more contestants, more twists and a longer run. Whereas the previous two series had attracted familiar faces willing to do their bit for charity (along with other less altruistic reasons of course), the show had now become seen as somewhat more tacky and as a publicity-seeking measure. As a result, fewer big name stars were willing to be contestants, and names were shipped in from overseas. 

These names included actress Brigitte Neilsen, known mainly for her past relationship with Sylvester Stallone and 80’s movies including Beverley Hills Cop II. Popular in and out of the house, Brigitte’s balance was upset (as was the house in general) when plastic-surgery fan and bum-based fortune reader (yes, really) Jackie Stallone turned up. Brigitte’s former Mother-in-Law proved a morbidly fascinating character, and she was not the only one…

Racing pundit John McCririck managed to infuriate, amuse and repulse viewers and housemates alike in equal measures. Since the show he has returned to his racing commentating and took part in C4’s Celebrity Wife Swap. The show saw his long-suffering wife, charmingly dubbed “Boobie” by McCririck, swap places with former MP Edwina Currie. McCririck continued in the same vein as when in the BB house, with sexist remarks and demands spewing forth from his semi-clothed bulk as he held court from his bed, which also served as handy dining room and “office”.

Germaine Greer provided a first for CBB when she walked out on day 6. The feminist walked out in protest at what she called the “psychological cruelty and bullying” by the show’s producers; mainly for the effect that bringing in Jackie had upon Brigitte.  Happy Mondays “dancer” (he specialised in waving his arms around and shaking a maraca every now and again) Bez won the show but has not been heard of much since. Other contestants Caprice (an American lingerie model), Kenzie (of defunct UK pop/rap collective Blazin’ Squad) and Jeremy Edwards (Hollyoaks and Holby City actor) were pretty forgettable once the show finished and have not seen their careers soar since.

Kenzie had a brief relationship with scantily-clad glamour model Jodie Marsh, who went on to appear in the 2006 series of CBB, but he has not been heard of much since. Caprice’s most recent and notable appearance in the media has been due to her court appearances in summer 2006, in which she was found guilty of drink-driving  and as a result was banned from driving for one year and ordered to pay £2,500 costs.

Celebrity Big Brother Series 4

Continuing with the new format of big twists, longer runs and more contestants, series four of CBB saw a true non-celeb enter the house (rather than one that we simply hadn’t heard of). With contestants including Traci Bingham (a Baywatch actress), Rula Lenska (an old-school actress), Preston (of indie band The Ordinary Boys), Maggot (of Welsh rap act Goldie Lookin’ Chain) and Faria Alam (known purely for her affair with married former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson) you would be forgiven for wondering exactly who the “non-celeb” was, but it was of course Chantelle Houghton. Challenged with making sure the other contestants did not discover her true non-celeb status, Chantelle not only succeed but went on to win the series, release an autobiography “Living the Dream” and marry fellow contestant Preston!

Michael Barrymore had been out of the public eye for a while before his appearance on CBB, following the death of a young man in his pool, which outed the married family TV entertainer as gay and raised questions about his possible involvement in orgies and drug-taking. His appearance on the show seemed to mend his reputation somewhat, with him finishing second to Chantelle, but his career has not since retained its previous status.

Respect (and former Labour) MP George Galloway went into the house in an effort to reach out politically to young people. Instead he will be remembered for dressing up as a cat and “drinking milk” out of Rula Lenska’s hands, miming with Pete Burns, shouting at people and generally making a total fool of himself.

Glamour girl Jodie Marsh did not have the best of times in the house, incurring the wrath of Pete, Michael and George, who accused her of acting up to the cameras at every opportunity. Since the show Jodie has continued her career in much the same manner as previously (i.e. wearing as little as possible to as many events as possible) and has turned against former ally in the house - Chantelle - whose relationship with Preston she has mocked and to whose wedding she was not invited.  

Jodie deserves praise from animal lovers everywhere however, for being the only housemate to challenge Pete on his Gorilla fur coat, despite the fact that Traci and basketball star Dennis Rodman are also fellow PETA supporters and have posed in adverts for the animal protection charity. Pete’s coat was removed by police once he left the house (it is illegal to own products from certain endangered species in the UK without a license). It was found to be made from Columbus monkeys (also endangered) with fur imported before the practice was made illegal and so no charges were pressed. Pete has also since experienced a short lived engagement to his boyfriend Michael Simpson, followed by an arrest in March 2006 after a fight between the couple. His professional career seems to have faltered somewhat, although the famous Dead or Alive track You Spin Me Round enjoyed renewed chart success shortly after the programme.

Celebrity Big Brother Series 5

To date, this series has already seen more than one contestant walk out, and the number of housemates and length of the show is bigger than ever. It simply remains for us to watch and see who will go on to reap the rewards of the show, like Claire Sweeney, Preston and Chantelle, and who will fall flat on their face and wish they had never bothered, like Jackie Stallone, Jodie Marsh and George Galloway…

In the meantime, feel like a star yourself by playing bingo online for cash and fabulous prizes, here at Mecca Bingo. Good luck and come back again next week for even more celebrity gossip and opinion here at Mecca Bingo’s Online Celebrity Column!