Big Brother exploded on to our screens in 2000 and launched the careers of household names including Nikki Grahame, Alison Hammond, Jade Goody and Brian Dowling.
While many stars of the show sparked immense controversy during their time on the series, they also went on to enjoy illustrious showbiz careers afterwards.
Big Brother housemates were the original reality stars, some of whom courted the press afterwards and experienced the soaring highs and crushing lows of public opinion.
But others have met untimely demises and tragic heartbreaks, with some of Big Brother's best loved stars battling hate, mental illness, and dying young.
Let's take a look at what some of Big Brother's most memorable stars are doing now.
Glyn Wise
Fifteen years after he stole our hearts as a teenage lifeguard, cooking an egg for the very first time (ah-hmm) Glyn Wise, now 33, has transformed.
The Big Brother runner-up swapped the spotlight for school as he worked as a teacher in China after the show, before becoming a born-again Christian.
And he is now a politician and activist.
He stood as Plaid Cymru’s candidate in Cardiff Central in the 2016 election, against 2015 BB finalist Joel Williams for the Tories - but both lost out to the Labour candidate.
He last appeared on TV in the summer of 2020 during the one-off special Big Brother's Best Shows Ever, which was hosted by Davina McCall.
At the time, Davina flirtatiously tweeted Glyn had a "glow up" following his appearance on the show, with many stunned viewers remarking the same thing.
Brian Belo
Brian Belo, 34, won the eight series of Big Brother after he attracted headlines for not knowing who Shakespeare was.
The lovable star made his stage debut in The Vegemite Tales and made a cameo appearance in Hollyoaks after his series ended. He also appeared in productions of Shakespeare plays in a drive to make the works more accessible to the public.
Brian also claimed to have thought of the idea for The Only Way is Essex, a franchise which went on to make more than £1billion.
He took legal action against ITV and Lime Pictures after he claimed they took his format and premise for the show when he pitched it to them.
Brian had created a trailer for his version of the programme, Totally Essex, and he says they ripped it off and did not give him credit.
Brian settled the £4million lawsuit out of court for an undisclosed sum.
He also tried his hand at a music career, recording and releasing a single Essex Boy - but did not chart.
Brian also starred on Harry Hill's TV Burp, where he'd give his thoughts on the week's TV, and became an Internet columnist for Heat magazine, writing about the tenth series of Big Brother.
He popped back into the Big Brother house several times for special appearances during newer series, and appeared in Charlie Brooker's Big Brother drama Dead Set as himself and as a zombie.
Nikki Grahame
One of the best-loved Big Brother stars of all time, Nikki won our hearts in 2006 with catchphrases including "who is she!?" and her impassioned rants.
The star had previously battled an eating disorder as a child, and tragically, her anorexia returned during lockdown and took her life in April.
Following her appearance on the show, Nikki briefly dated her co star Pete Bennett, as well as starring in her own reality series, Princess Nikki.
She won a National Television Award for 'Most Popular TV contender' and released two books, Dying to Be Thin and Fragile, which both covered her experience with anorexia.
Nikki's loved ones set up a fundraiser for her in March 2021 after she relapsed with her eating disorder when the gyms closed, begging for donations for her to receive professional help.
She was put into hospital care for 11th time, but died in her home the day after being discharged in April, aged just 38.
Her devastated Big Brother co stars paid tribute to her, including Pete who broke down in tears as he recorded a video on Instagram.
"I thought we could save her," he wept.
“But it’s okay, she’s in a good place and she’s not suffering any more."
Alison Hammond
Alison Hammond, 46, starred on the third series of Big Brother, where she failed to shine and was the second to be evicted.
But since then, it's been a different story for Alison who started as a host of the competition segment on This Morning, and has now worked her way up to hosting the entire show.
Alison has done the rounds on reality TV, starring on shows including I'm a Celebrity, Strictly, Celebrity Coach Trip, Celebrity MasterChef and most recently I Can See Your Voice.
She also tried her hand at acting both before and after Big Brother in shows including Palace Hill, Doctors, and The Dumping Ground.
But after winning over viewers with her infectious laugh while regularly falling over during This Morning's competition segments, she was announced as a new host alongside Dermot O'Leary at the end of last year.
Alison and Dermot caused a storm when they replaced long-standing hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, but their hilarious presenting skills and undeniable chemistry has won them a legion of fans.
Since Big Brother, Alison also welcomed a son named Aiden, who is now 16.
Josie Gibson
Josie Gibson, 36, was another popular contestant on Big Brother, where she had a fling with her co star John James Parton, and never faced the public vote as she was rarely nominated.
After winning the 2010 series, Josie starred in a fly-on-the-wall documentary with John James, but they split soon after.
Josie had a publicised battle with her weight, shedding six stone and promoting her weight loss DVDs after years of yoyo dieting.
She welcomed son Reggie in 2018 with ex-partner Terry Jones, with whom she's had an on-off relationship.
As well as starring on various reality TV shows including The Jump and Loose Women, Josie also hosts the competition segment on This Morning where she is often given gruelling outdoor challenges including the fastest zip-line in the world.
Kate Lawler
Kate Lawler, 41, was the first female Big Brother winner to be crowned in 2002.
She went on to carve out a successful career in presenting, hosting her own weekday show on Virgin Radio, and recently welcomed a baby girl named Noah.
Kate took part in Love Island in 2006 and came third, and posed in a number of lads' mags, including Loaded, Nuts and Zoo.
A fitness enthusiast, Kate regularly treats her thousands of followers on social media to snaps of her rock-hard abs and gym-honed body.
She has also experienced the dark side of fame, as a stalker who left her a suspicious box, later found to contain a Koran wrapped in traditional fabric, lead to a bomb squad being called to Kate's home.
He was later jailed for two months.
Makosi Musambasi
Makosi Musambasi, who starred in the 2005 series of Big Brother, endured a series of personal struggles after the show including a terrifying battle with cancer
The 39-year-old appeared in the 2005 series of the programme and famously got intimate with fellow housemate Anthony Hutton in the hot tub.
She ended up coming third in the competition, but life got tough for the star after BB ended.
The former nurse, who hails from Zimbabwe, had been living in the UK on a visa which allowed her to stay as long as she worked for the NHS.
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She was granted a sabbatical, but it was withdrawn when her former bosses at the NHS found out she was using her career break to appear on Big Brother.
Makosi was given a choice between staying in her job or starring in the show - and she chose BB.
It left her in a sticky situation once she left the house and she was served with the curtailment papers giving her 10 days to leave the country or appeal against the decision.
She applied for asylum claiming it was unsafe for her to return to her home country, but that was rejected before she eventually was granted leave to stay under refugee status.
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Makosi later moved to Nigeria but trouble kicked off again in 2012 when she was stopped at a UK airport for using a relative's passport to enter the country, and she was deported to Nigeria.
Five years later, Makosi suffered another blow as she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, telling OK!: “So what happened is that I had breast cancer in 2017. And I had a mastectomy and chemotherapy.
“I lost my hair and I almost lost my identity. And when I was doing my radiation, I was looking for that thing to give me back my confidence again.
"Because at this point you’re looking in the mirror, you’re bald and you don’t know who this new person is. Where did the confidence go? Where did the courage go? Where did the lioness in me go?
“I realised that you cultivate confidence by action, so I found a skydiving school and I jumped the first time tandem with someone. It was the worst decision of my life by the way, because I’d been having radiation and then on the side that had the mastectomy – when we jumped out and the harness yanked on me it was so painful.
“But when I landed on the ground, I realised that I get to choose my narrative. Cancer is not going to define me, cancer won’t make me hide.”
Makosi now lives in the United Arab Emirates where she works as a life coach.
Chanelle Hayes
Chanelle Hayes was just 19 when she starred on Big Brother in 2007, winning media attention for her resemblance to Victoria Beckham.
She embarked on a solo music career, though she was refused radio play and met with mockery, and opened a cake-baking business in Wakefield in 2011.
She had a publicised battle with her weight after years of losing and gaining the pounds and admitting she is "addicted" to food.
Chanelle underwent gastric band surgery in 2020 and since then has shed 7.5 stone, and is now planning another operation to remove her excess skin.
Now, 33, Chanelle is a student nurse and recently told The Sun she plans to quit fame and be fully qualified by 2014.
Jade Goody
Jade Goody also starred on the 2002 series of Big Brother, where she personified the "ladette" culture and was met with cruel comments over her intelligence and appearance.
But she was also met with utter fascination and her fame grew to levels rarely seen before, let alone for a reality star, with her own programme and regular TV appearances.
Jade dated former footballer Jeff Brazier in 2002 and became parents to Bobby Jack in 2003 and Freddie in 2004, but they split that same year while she was pregnant.
She went on to date Jack Tweed and fell pregnant with his baby in 2007, but tragically miscarried as she was battling cancer without knowing.
She re-entered the Big Brother house in 2007, but was accused of racially bullying co star Shilpa Shetty, sparking outrage and destroying her public image.
Jade apologised and tried to redeem herself in India's Big Brother equivalent, Bigg Boss, where she was shockingly informed on-camera that she had cervical cancer, though the scene was not aired.
Learning her cancer was terminal, Jade made as much money as she could in the months leading up to her death in order to support her two sons, with cameras following her everywhere.
In February 2009, just one month before she died, she married Jack in a ceremony she said was "the happiest day of her life".
She died at her home aged just 27, her loved ones beside her, and hundreds of mourners paid tribute outside her funeral.
Jade left an incredible legacy as she sparked a huge drive in cervical screenings which saved countless lives.
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operates a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email Jo@samaritans.org if you'd prefer to write down how you feel. You are not alone.
