Mickey Rourke and Patsy Palmer among stars entering Celebrity Big Brother house

The 2025 series of Celebrity Big Brother has begun, with EastEnders star Patsy Palmer, actor Mickey Rourke and TV presenter Trisha Goddard among the show’s contestants.

Presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best opened the launch episode of the ITV reality show saying “13 celebrities are about to become Celebrity Big Brother housemates, who wins, you decide”.

Singer Chesney Hawkes was unveiled as the first housemate to join the 2025 series, revealing he is “a little bit of a nudist”.

Chesney Hawkes was the first arrival in the Big Brother house (James Manning/PA) PA Media

He said on the show: “I am the one and only. See what I did there?

“I had absolutely no idea what was ahead of me when I released that record 34 years ago. Before that, I was playing piano in pubs, and then I was headlining arenas, it was that quick.

“I think my kids like my music, my son has to be a fan because he’s my guitar player.

“One thing that people don’t know about me, I am a little bit of a nudist. I do like to get naked, just saying.”

As he entered the house, Big Brother challenged Hawkes to introduce himself to the next four contestants as “the one and only”, in reference to his 1991 UK number one single, adding that he would win prizes depending on how many times he could say the phrase.

US singer JoJo Siwa was the second contestant to enter the house.

Siwa said before joining the show: “The fans have dubbed me the CEO of gay pop, that’s me baby.

“My name is JoJo Siwa, and I am a singer, performer, I’m an influencer, I’m a superstar, baby. My social media following is crazy, my followers tally up to around 80 million. I don’t think there’s any hiding me in the Big Brother house.

“When people first meet me, they’re like, who is this 21-year-old? Oh my god, she’s going to be so annoying. And then they get to know me, and they’re like, wait, this bitch is funny.

“Can I swear in the Big Brother house? Good, oh god, this could be great, or this could be horrible. See y’all in the house.”

Her fans in the audience held up signs which read “JoJo to win” as she entered.

TV presenter Goddard became the third contestant to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house.

Being introduced on the show, she said: “I’m doing this for 3.4 million people living with cancer and six million people living with chronic illness.”

She continued: “In the house, I do not want to play the role of mother, if you need a mummy figure, get therapy.

“I have stage four metastatic breast cancer, it’s part of my new normal. When I go to chemo, I always say, ‘Hello, ladies, I’m here for my three-week spa’.

“I’m going into the Big Brother house to show that you can’t be so scared of dying that you become frightened of living.”

The crowd chanted the presenter’s name as she entered the house, and Goddard then revealed she went to the same primary school as Hawkes.

EastEnders star Palmer, who plays Bianca Jackson in the BBC soap, was introduced, saying: “I love anything spiritual. I pray a lot, I like meditating. Maybe Big Brother is the biggest spiritual experience that anyone ever has, I’m just going with the flow, baby, bring it on.”

Patsy Palmer has entered the Celebrity Big Brother house (Suzan Moore/PA). PA Media

Former Conservative MP Sir Michael Fabricant was booed as he entered the house, before being challenged by Big Brother to high five the next three contestants who entered and say “groovy baby” to earn points.

The politician said: “I’m Michael Fabricant, I used to be an MP until I got booted out at the last general election.

“I was a member of the Conservative Party, some of my colleagues couldn’t actually make me out because although I was a Conservative, I was very socially liberal.

“People do speculate about my sexuality, I think many people think I’m gay, I’m not, actually, I’m bi, and I think also I was the very first Member of Parliament to admit that he is.

“My hair has become a bit of a hot topic with some people, I think it’s because they wonder whether it’s my own.

“Well, it is my own. I can show you the receipts that cost a fortune. I think the most annoying thing of the Big Brother house is probably going to be me.”

Olympian Daley Thompson was among those high fived by Sir Michael as they entered the house.

Speaking before joining the show, he said: “I have absolutely no idea what I’ve signed up to, but I am looking forward to a bumpy but very happy ride.”

The first 12 stars to be announced, which were completed by drag queen Danny Beard, reality TV star Chris Hughes, Coronation Street actor Jack P Shepherd, The Only Way Is Essex star Ella Rae Wise, actress Donna Preston, and TV presenter Angellica Bell, were then challenged by Big Brother to form a conga line with the last contestant.

As actor Mickey Rourke entered the house, shaking hands with members of the crowd, he was accosted by the line led by Siwa, who had been told they would earn more points the longer it went on for.

Rourke said before entering the house: “I have no clue about Big Brother, I thought Big Brother was the government.

“I talked to my close mate Ray Winstone, he goes, ‘Just be yourself and go have fun’, and I like the people in the UK, the mentality and the culture, the food, shepherd’s pie, oh, I love you here.

“I don’t take orders very well, but if everybody is nice and respectful, we can have a good time, as long as nobody pushes the envelope.”

After all the contestants had joined the house, Big Brother revealed that Hawkes had earned 400 points for saying the title of his best known song four times, Sir Michael had earned 1,000 points for his 10 high fives, and the whole group had won 1,000 points for the 10-second conga line.

The voiceover then revealed the housemates would be able to spend the points on rewards such as a takeaway, a phone call home and a VIP double bed, with Rourke nominated to be the first housemate to enter the prize room.

Celebrity Big Brother returns on Tuesday at 9pm on STV and STV Player, with its presenters revealing that the show’s first eviction will take place on Friday.

A spin-off show called Celebrity Big Brother: Late And Live will follow on STV, which will see the return of last year’s winner, reality star David Potts.