Celebrity Big Brother 2016 line-up: Reality stars, soap actors, Americans and gossip-mag celebs

This year's Celebrity Big Brother is due to start on Tuesday 5 January 2016, and while the line-up is usually guessed ahead of each season starting, it's not typically announced officially until the live launch show. However, the final line-up was revealed by the Daily Star on Sunday, two whole days before the show begins.

So just who will make up the 17th season of Channel 5's most outrageous fly-on-the-wall series? Well, the usual suspects, by the looks of it as the line-up consists of the standard Big Brother ingredients: some reality stars, some Americans and a few soap actors thrown in. But if you want a little more in-depth info, IBTimesUK is here to offer up some insight before tomorrow's first episode...

Angie Bowie

This year's first and oldest contestant is 66-year-old Bowie, who is is an American cover girl, model, actress and musician. She is the ex-wife of David Bowie: the pair married in 1970 and were divorced 10 years later. The couple had one child together, film director Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code).

Jonathan Cheban

Even though he's technically regarded as a gossip writer, Cheban is arguably best known for regularly appearing on the hugely popular reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians alongside close personal friend Kim and the rest of her very public family. Kardashian took to her Instagram account on Sunday 3 January when news of the line-up broke to write: "OMGGGG I can't believe @JonathanCheban is doing celeb Big Brother UK. I'm dying to see this! He's going to be hysterical!!!!"

Gemma Collins

She may have only lasted 3 days in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in early 2014, but will The Only Way Is Essex star last a little longer in the slightly more luxurious Big Brother house? Well, fans of the 34 year old won't have to consider that question for much longer.

Stephanie Davis

Davis had a pretty turbulent 2015 after being axed from Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks. Prior to that breakout role, Davis played small parts in Holby City and Doctors, but was noticed when she took part in the BBC talent competition Over The Rainbow, which saw the network searching for a young actress to play Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of The Wizard of Oz. She was set to take part in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! last year but was replaced at the last minute by fellow former Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter.

Darren Day

Born in Essex, Day is 47 years old and is an English actor, singer and television presenter, best known for his West End theatre starring roles. He's appeared in several popular shows on the small screen including Doctors, The Bill and Hollyoaks. He has also appeared on Come Dine With Me and is married to Casualty actress Stephanie Dooley.

Nancy Dell'Olio

Sixth contestant, 54-year-old Nancy Dell'Olio, is an Italian-British lawyer who first came to public attention when she was the girlfriend of Sven-Göran Eriksson, who was manager of the England national football team at the time.

David Gest

Gest is an American producer and UK television personality, after having appeared in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2006. He produced the highest-rated musical television special in history, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration: The Solo Years in 2001, which was the last reunion of Michael Jackson and the Jacksons for 17 years, and Jackson's last solo concerts. He frequently made tabloid headlines during his marriage to Liza Minnelli.

Christopher Maloney

Liverpudlian crooner Christopher Maloney is best known for being a finalist on The X Factor in 2012. And that's about it, really, if we're honest...

Jeremy McConnell

Former Mr Ireland McConnell is another name set to arrive in the Big Brother house tomorrow night. According to the bio on his management website, the tattooed model has "slept with all the models in Ireland" and he lists his dislikes as "power crazy people" and "bitchiness". Sounds like he'll get along in the BB house, then!

Megan McKenna

It's no secret that Celebrity Big Brother loves its reality stars, and the 10th contestant is certainly that. The 22-year-old McKenna (she turns 23 on 5 January) is the youngest face taking part in this year's season and is known for her stint on MTV's Ex on the Beach.

Winston McKenzie

Celebrity Big Brother doesn't usually manage to get many people involved in politics on the show, with just a handful of said people featuring since its inception. However, when he goes into the house tomorrow, candidate for office McKenzie will be one of the names added to that small group. Notable for having joined every major political party and having stood as an independent or minor-party candidate on numerous occasions without success, he now stands for UKIP, serving as the party's Commonwealth Spokesman from 2014 until 2015.

John Partridge

Known for playing Christian Clarke in the BBC's Eastenders from January 2008 to November 2012. He returned in May 2014 for two episodes, but has since done work on London's West End in the revival of A Chorus Line and Dames 'n' Dudes. He's even recently released an album in a rare break from acting, entitled Dames, Dudes + Cowboys Too.

Tiffany Pollard

US actress and reality star Pollard is relatively unknown in the UK, having found fame on VH1's Flavor of Love and I Love New York. During one of her shows, Pollard adopted the self-proclaimed nickname of HBIC (Head Bitch In Charge), which gives some indication that she might not be afraid to have a few arguments with her competitors in the house.

Kristina Rihanoff

After being booted off Strictly Come Dancing in week four of the latest series when she danced with singer Daniel O'Donnell, 38-year-old Rihanoff is taking a stab at becoming a winner in a different contest.

Scotty T

Scotty T is bound to prove a lively character throughout the series, if his antics on Newcastle-based Geordie Shore are anything to go by. At 27, he's one of the younger contestants of the Big Brother bunch and will likely be popular among the ladies viewing at home.

Danniella Westbrook

There's not only one former Eastenders star making their way into the Celebrity Big Brother house this year, as Westbrook is the last to join the line-up. Her involvement in the show isn't the first time the 42 year old has taken part in a reality competition. In 2003, she was a contestant on ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and in 2010 she finished fourth on Dancing on Ice.

Ahead of the launch, the show has revealed exclusive glimpses of this year's celebrity dwellings on Twitter. And judging by the images, the famous faces are set to be cooped up in a rather lavish house this time. The theme is said to be 'theatrical', with a setting that reflects the vaudeville theatres of a bygone era.

The house's glamorous rooms are expected to be packed with intriguing curiosities, while the garden has been turned into a foggy Whitechapel street scene, complete with a Victorian pub-style snug. Meanwhile in the bedrooms, there are four-poster beds made from wrought iron.

Emma Willis will continue as host of the main show, which will begin at 9pm on Tuesday and run until 11pm. Rylan Clark is also coming back as presenter of the primetime show's spin-off series, Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side.

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