- Written by Yasmin Rufo, Stephen McIntosh, and Sofia Ferreira Santos
- BBC news
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Gary Goldsmith introduced himself as 'uncle of our future queen'
Duchess Kate's uncle Gary Goldsmith has joined Britain's Celebrity Big Brother house.
The 58-year-old businessman is the younger brother of the princess' mother Carol.
The charity Women's Aid criticized ITV for hiring Mr Goldsmith despite his previous conviction for beating his wife.
In an interview with The Sun, he said the “last thing” he wanted to do about appearing on a reality show was “cause stress” to his family.
The princess is still recovering from abdominal surgery and has not been seen in public since Christmas.
Mr Goldsmith introduced himself on the show as “the uncle of our future queen” and said his niece was “absolutely perfect”.
He also added that he wanted to “set the record straight'' regarding his “villain reputation.''
A Women's Aid spokesperson told BBC News: “The decision to have a man who has been charged and pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife appear in the Celebrity Big Brother house reflects a lack of awareness on the part of the production team about the issue. It shows that there is.” Victims of domestic violence. ”
The charity said ITV should consider how Goldsmith's appearance would “impact on women who have survived domestic violence”, adding that Goldsmith's appearance “shows the seriousness of these crimes”. “It shows that the situation is not well received by society,” he added.
In response, a Big Brother spokesperson said: “All housemates receive language and behavioral training before entering the Big Brother house. Their behavior inside the house is strictly monitored at all times.” Stated.
They also said that Mr Goldsmith was “not perfect and made mistakes” and that his apology “took endlessly for seven years to make amends”, adding that his conviction “but was long overdue”. '', he also pointed out his past apologies. My regrets continue. ”
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In a pre-recorded introductory video, he said Big Brother was one of the shows he had previously said he would “never do”.
Goldsmith auditioned for I'm a Celebrity 2023, but was reportedly turned down for fear of embarrassing the royal family.
In an interview with The Sun about the princess, Goldsmith said: “She's beautiful on the outside, but she's even more beautiful on the inside and she's a really doting mother… so the way the monarchy operates is very family-centered.”
Goldsmith added: “I spoke to Carole to express my love and we also talked about Kate in light of the current situation.
“There's a lot going on in the family right now. So she's spinning a lot of plates right now. It's very stressful. So it's stressful for the family. I definitely want to stop doing that.”
AJ Odudu and Will Best return to host Celebrity Big Brother
The new series also reunites X Factor stars Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh after a six-year hiatus from Celebrity Big Brother.
In Monday's presentation episode, Walsh and Osbourne were tasked with monitoring and evaluating their fellow contestants from a secret hideout.
Based on first impressions, the pair nominated three housemates who were “at risk” to face a public vote.
They chose Goldsmith, David Potts and Zese Miltz, but when asked why, Louis replied, “I didn't like them.”
Strictly's Nikita Kuzmin and Love Island's Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu are also among this year's contestants.
The series begins Monday and is hosted by AJ Odudu and Will Best.
Other contestants participating alongside Goldsmith are:
Fern Britton
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Fern Britton is best known as one of the former hosts of ITV's daytime show This Morning.
She staged the show for six years with Phillip Schofield until she was replaced by Holly Willoughby in 2009.
In an introductory interview, she said she doesn't have a “strategy” and just wants to have fun.
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh, who has been a judge on The X Factor for more than a decade, joined the trial and reunited with fellow judge Sharon Osbourne.
The Irish panelist worked as a mentor for JLS in 2008 and was also the manager of boy band Westlife.
He went into the Big Brother house and said, “Oh, God, what have I done?”
bradley riches
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Actor Bradley Riches, known for his role in the LGBTQ+ coming-of-age Netflix series Heartstoppers, has joined the lineup.
The 24-year-old is close friends with Jordan and Henry from last year's Big Brother series and said the advice they were given was to be themselves.
He has autism and said he wants to “inspire people” and make them realize that being different is “so cool.”
colson smith
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Another young actor joining the Big Brother house is Colson Smith, best known for playing police officer Craig Tinker in Coronation Street.
Colson has appeared on reality TV in the past, appearing as a contestant on the sports series “The Games” in May 2022.
He is a longtime fan of the show and said entering the house felt “spiritual.”
Ekin Su Chulchuroll
Love Island favorite and winner of the show in 2022, Ekin-Su Chulçulol, joins the house following her split from former on-screen partner Davide Sancrimenti.
The television personality has 3.5 million social media followers on Instagram. She also recently appeared in the US version of The Traitors.
She entered the house to chants from the live audience, stating that drama would follow her “everywhere,” teasing what might happen next.
lauren simon
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Lauren Simon, an original member of The Real Housewives of Cheshire, is another reality star joining the Big Brother house.
She said she would “answer to no one” and said she might end up flirting with Big Brother.
Levi Roots
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Levi Roots is one of Dragons' Den's biggest success stories.
The Jamaican businessman appeared on the show in 2007 and was looking for investment in his Reggae Reggae Sauce brand.
Since then he has become a regular on cooking shows and is worth an estimated £30 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
He said he was very excited to be on the show and called Big Brother “brothers from different mothers.”
marisha wallace
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Marisha is an American actress best known for her roles in Broadway's Aladdin and Dreamgirls.
She has also appeared in Hairspray and Waitress in the West End.
In 2022, she was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress for her role as Ad Annie in Oklahoma.
The actress and singer said it will be the “jukebox” of this year's show.
Nikita Kuzmin
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Strictly Come Dancing favorite Nikita hangs up her dancing shoes for a while as she enters the Big Brother house.
The 26-year-old Ukrainian dancer has been appearing on the show since 2021, and his dance partners include Leighton Williams and Tilly Ramsay.
He said he was just “a kid from Ukraine” trying to realize his dreams.
Zeze Milts
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Social media celebrity Zeze Mills rose to fame with her YouTube show “The Zeze Mills Show.”
She has interviewed Akon, N-Dubz, Fireboy DML, and more.
Seze has appeared on a number of British TV shows including Good Morning Britain, E4's Celebrity Cooking School and The Victoria Derbyshire Show.
She called herself a “polarizing character” but said people would be surprised if they saw her “softer” side.
david potts
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TV personality David Potts is no stranger to reality TV, having shot to fame on ITV2's reality series Ibiza Weekender.
He also appeared in Celebrity episodes of Dinner Dates and the sixth series of E4's Celebs Go Dates.
He described himself as a natural leader, “like Mufasa from The Lion King” and said the audience would be in for a treat.
sharon osbourne
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Another X Factor judge, Sharon Osbourne, also joined the show, but not for the entire duration.
According to The Sun, Osbourne's fees were too high to keep him on the show.
Rock artist Ozzy Osbourne's wife has been brought on as a Big Brother 'celebrity lodger'.
