Celebrity Big Brother 2014: Kellie Maloney Hot Favourite To Win

Former boxing promoter Kellie Maloney has emerged as the hot favourite to win this series of Celebrity Big Brother after entering the house on Monday night.

Bookmaker William Hill gave the 61-year-old, who is best known for managing the career of boxing champ Lennox Lewis, odds of 2/1 to take the crown.

The ex-sports manager is said to have garnered the support of viewers after revealing she was in the process of transitioning from male to female before signing up for the long-running reality show.

Maloney has undergone hormone therapy, hair-removal electrolysis, voice coaching and specialist counselling.

Earlier in August, Maloney told the Mirror she hoped to defy critics by returning to boxing.

"I'd like to go back in there to prove them all wrong because I know I could do it," she said.

"I'd like to put to use all my years of knowledge in boxing and what I have learnt from my recent experience and get a role on the British Boxing Board of Control.

"Nobody can ever deny what I have achieved as the only man to manage a British world heavyweight champion.

"Now I would like to be the only female to guide the next generation of future British champions."

Maloney is going head to head in the Celebrity Big Brother house with well-known names such as Hollywood actor Gary Busey, British Olympic boxing champion Audley Harrison and former The Only Way Is Essex reality star Lauren Goodger.

They have been joined by Googlebox star George Gilbey, Benefits Street's Deirdre Kelly (also known as White Dee), former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer James Jordan, former B*Witched singer Edele Lynch and Kelly Brook's fiancé, David McIntosh.

Other contestants include, Stephanie Pratt from reality shows The Hills and Made in Chelsea, Ricci Guarnaccio from Geordie Shore, US actor Leslie Jordan, ex-Emmerdale actress Claire King and reality star Angélique "Frenchy" Morgan.