Ahead of Celebrity Big Brother’s return to our screens for its 19th series on Tuesday, here are some of the most talked-about controversies of previous episodes.
1. The Shilpa Shetty race row.
Still remembered as one of the most controversial moments in the show’s history dating back to 2007, it saw the late Jade Goody, S Club 7 singer Jo O’Meara and former beauty queen Danielle Lloyd directing abuse at Bollywood star Shetty.
Complaints from viewers soared to 45,000 over behaviour that included Goody referring to the star as ”Shilpa Poppadom”, Lloyd telling Shetty, in foul language, that she should go home to India, and an argument over Shetty cooking a chicken in which offensive comments about Indian cooking were made.
Shetty went on to win CBB that year as Ofcom ruled against Channel 4 and the channel apologised on air.
2. Christopher Biggins removed for causing “widespread offence”.
The pantomime star vanished from the show’s last series in a shock removal by bosses, after he reportedly joked about Nazi concentration camps to Jewish housemate Katie Waissel, leaving her in tears.
Some reports also claimed he had made remarks about bisexual people being responsible for the spreading of Aids.
But while many viewers fought his corner, CBB commented: “Since entering Big Brother, he has made a number of comments capable of causing great offence to housemates and the viewing public… Big Brother does not tolerate offensive language capable of causing widespread offence.”
3. Denise Welch pulling down Karissa Shannon’s trousers.
Even though the former Loose Women panellist won the series in 2012, she became embroiled in controversy when she jokingly pulled down the pyjama bottoms of Playboy model Shannon, who did not see the funny side and instead threatened to walk out of the show and even sue producers.
Welch, 58, also made headlines with her own nudity as she drunkenly went topless in the hot tub with then 19-year-old Frankie Cocozza.
4. Pete Burns’s ”gorilla” coat confiscated.
Police seized the coat of 2006 contestant Burns after viewers complained about his boasts that it was made of gorilla fur.
The You Spin Me Round singer faced investigation as the coat could have been a breach of endangered animal laws, but it was later confirmed to have originated from colobus monkeys.
Big Brother faced the foul-mouthed wrath of Burns for daring to remove the coat.
5. Jeremy Jackson removal.
The former Baywatch star was sensationally thrown out of CBB in January 2015 – and then given a police caution – for pulling open the dressing gown of glamour model Chloe Goodman while he was drunk.
A concerned Goodman had followed him to the toilets where he went to be sick, but emerged in tears shortly afterwards.
Just days later, comedian Ken Morley was also ejected over repeated sexist and racist comments.
6. David Gest’s mistaken death.
More than 200 people complained last year after Channel 5 aired scenes where Tiffany Pollard mistakenly thought fellow contestant David Gest had died.
The reality star became hysterical when Angie Bowie confided in her that ”David’s dead” – referring to the passing of her former husband David Bowie from cancer outside of the house – but Gest’s unfortunate timing for a nap led to a mix-up.
Gest sadly died three months later, and Pollard was forced to pull ”David is dead” slogan T-shirts from her website.
7. George Galloway’s cat impression.
The politician was responsible for one of the most uncomfortable moments to watch on CBB in 2006, when he imitated a cat by crawling on all fours, purring and pretending to lick cream from the hands of actress Rula Lenska as part of a task, while she stroked his head.
After the bizarre act was aired on national television, Labour opponent Hilary Armstrong branded the politician a ”laughing stock”.
8. Tila Tequila removed for anti-Semitic remarks.
The Playboy model, real name Thien Thanh Thi Nguyen, was removed from the house after just one night in August 2015.
It emerged she was a Nazi sympathiser and had posted images on her Facebook page in 2013 wearing a swastika and SS cap superimposed in front of Auschwitz.
A Channel 5 spokesman said: ”Unfortunately, Channel 5 and Endemol did not know about the views and attitudes Tila had expressed in social media postings prior to her involvement in Celebrity Big Brother.
“The views Tila had expressed, and permitted to remain uncorrected, are totally unacceptable and, accordingly, her continued involvement in the programme was untenable.”
9. Leo Sayer’s underpants break-out.
In the same year as the Shetty race row, singer Leo Sayer led an expletive-heavy break-out from the CBB house after smashing open a fire door with a broom.
The catalyst for his exit was Big Brother refusing to provide him with clean underwear.
It turns out the temper tantrum was unnecessary because Sayer had apparently overlooked clean underpants which were still in his suitcase.
10. Perez Hilton’s threats to Calum Best.
The American celebrity blogger made a name for himself in the UK with his appearance in January 2015.
In addition to numerous rows with controversial columnist Katie Hopkins, it was a nasty dispute with George Best’s son Calum that left viewers appalled.
Outspoken Hilton – real name Mario Lavandeira – received a warning from Big Brother following a shocking confrontation in which he used language pertaining to sexual assault.
In an argument between the pair, Hilton graphically told Best he would ”shove my huge d*** up your a**”.
