Celebrity Big Brother

Celebrity Big Brother is a spin off reality TV series that follows a number of famous contestants shut off from the outside world in a house equipped with cameras throughout.

It first broadcast on BBC One in March 2001 as a one-off special for Comic Relief.

Lasting only eight days and won by Jack Dee, the run proved to be such a hit that a second series was commissioned for Channel 4 – the home of the regular Big Brother series.

Celebrity Big Brother stayed on Channel 4 for series until 2010. In 2011, it moved to Channel 5 and the 22nd series is due to begin on 16 August 2018.

Other CBB winners during the Channel 4 run included Mark Owen, Bez, pretend celebrity Chantelle Houghton, Shilpa Shetty, Ulrika Jonsson and Alex Reid.

Paddy Doherty, Denies Welch, Julian Clary, Rylan Clark, Charlotte Crosby, Gary Busey, James Hill and Jim Davidson have all emerged victorious since Celebrity Big Brother’s move to Channel 5.

Katie Price, Scotty T, Coleen Nolan and Sarah Harding have also been crowned as winner in the series since 2015.

Celebrity Big Brother has frequently been criticised for offensive language and claims of racism and bullying.

But by far the most shocking incident occurred during series 5 in 2007.

Comments made by Jade Goody and fellow housemates Danielle Lloyd and Jo O’Meara about Indian star Shetty brought about international media coverage and responses from the UK and India governments.

Ultimately, nearly 45,000 complaints were made to Ofcom, the show was suspended for a year and several Big Brother sponsors withdrew their financial support.

It would not be the last racially-charged incident to rock the CBB house. In 2015, former Corrie star Ken Morley was removed after using the word “negro” in a conversation about former boxer Frank Bruno.

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