After a six-year wait, Celebrity Big Brother returned with a bang when some of the biggest names in showbiz entered the house for the controversial reality show’s 23rd series.
Contestants have already delighted viewers with their name-dropping of showbiz pals and royal relatives. And TV presenter Fern Britton referenced her infamous 15-year feud with former co-star Phillip Schofield, saying that it would be her “time to leave” should Phillip make a surprise entrance into the CBB house.
And Vanessa Feltz – who appeared on the first-ever series of the show in 2001 and again in 2010 – tells Closer that former This Morning star Fern – who co-hosted the show with Vanessa’s pal Phil for seven years until they had a huge falling out in 2009 – is hoping her stint on the show will help her career.
Vanessa, 62, says, “Fern hasn’t been there [on This Morning] for 15 years so whatever there was [between her and Phil] is water under the bridge.
“She knows this is her chance to relaunch her career and she would be damaging her own brand if she were to be unkind or nasty about Phil on the show.”
And while Vanessa says Fern is “sensible enough” not to have a few drinks and spill the beans, she says Louis Walsh – who she knows – is more likely to deliver gossip viewers want to hear.
Vanessa says, “From my experience of Louis, he does have a temper and he is used to being in charge of most things. I think he is one of the ones who may end up saying something he wished he hadn’t.
“I think he’s less controlled than some of the others. Whereas I don’t think Fern will deliver anything shocking, I think Louis really could!”
