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With the return of Celebrity Big Brother, rumors have surfaced again about how much cash stars are being offered to take part.
X Factor icon Sharon Osbourne, 71, is the show’s first ‘celebrity tenant’ as she will stay in the house for just one week.
But while his time in the house may be short, his fees are definitely not small – as reported, he’ll take home a staggering £100,000 for every day he’s there.
Insiders told The Sun his fee was too high for ITV to stay on all the time, so his final total will be determined when he leaves.
Before Sharon’s final fee is revealed, MailOnline takes a look at the stars who have earned the highest payouts for their stints in the CBB house over the years.
X Factor icon Sharon Osbourne, 71, is the show’s first ‘celebrity tenant’ as she will stay in the house for just one week and take home a whopping £100,000 a day.
1. David Gest – £600,000
American film producer David Gest has been revealed as the highest-paid celebrity in the history of Celebrity Big Brother – receiving £600,000 for his time on the show.
Gest starred in season 17 of the show alongside Tiffany Pollard, Jonathan Cheban, Danniella Westbrook, Gemma Collins, Darren Day and Jeremy McConnell, but left after 13 days for medical reasons.
He was involved in one of the show’s most iconic scenes – when TV personality Tiffany confused David Bowie’s death with that of her housemate Gest.
Angie Bowie, who was married to pop icon David Bowie for 10 years, was told off-camera about the singer’s death from cancer.
Angie returned to the house, clearly upset by the news, and told EastEnders actor John Partridge, asking him to keep it to himself. She also told Gest, who was in fact not feeling well during her time on the show and had gone to bed.
Angie decided to tell Tiffany, but the American reality star assumed that “David is dead” meant she was referring to Gest, who was bedridden at the time.
Unfortunately Gest died at the age of 62 in April of that same year, a few months after appearing on the program.
American film producer David Gest has been revealed as the highest-paid celebrity in the history of Celebrity Big Brother – receiving £600,000 for his time on the show.
2. Katie Price: £500,000
Katie Price made a surprising late entry into the Celebrity Big Brother house during season 15 in 2015.
But despite her late arrival, Price, 45, soared to victory and Katie was reported to have won a whopping £500,000 for her appearance.
Price beat controversial television personality Katie Hopkins to take the win in that series, with Hopkins later calling her victory a “scam.”
“There’s no part of Katie Price that deserved to win,” Hopkins told the Daily Star on Sunday at the time. “She’s just a nobody with a pair of tits, and those tits aren’t that good either.”
Price clapped back at Hopkins, calling her “vile” and claiming that the columnist seemed “excited” to meet her when he entered the house.
Katie Price made a shocking late entry into the Celebrity Big Brother house during season 15 in 2015.
3. Katie Hopkins – £400,000
Katie Hopkins appeared alongside Price on the show in 2015, which looked to be a high-paying series.
The media columnist was reportedly paid £400,000 for her appearance on the show, and came in second place behind Price.
Hopkins entered the CBB house in 2015 to a chorus of boos and then attacked winner Price.
“He had no conversation to offer and he struck me as a very tedious person,” Hopkins told the Sun On Sunday at the time. “Frankly, if I had been watching with the British public, I would have tuned it out.”
Katie Hopkins appeared alongside Price on the show in 2015, which looked to be a high-paying series.
4. Kellie Maloney – £400,000
Kellie Maloney was said to be the highest-paid celebrity on 2014’s Celebrity Big Brother and reportedly raked in £400,000.
The 71-year-old boxing promoter, who is transgender, later revealed that her time on the show helped her daughters see her as a woman.
Speaking about her relationship with her daughters Sophie and Libby after leaving home, Maloney revealed it had brought them closer.
“After almost two years of living alone and in seclusion away from my family, I can’t believe what has happened,” she told the Daily Mirror at the time.
“When I left Big Brother I told the girls I was going to buy a flat on the Kent coast and they said, ‘Why don’t you go back to live closer to home?’ “Then we can have two houses,” Maloney said.
Kellie Maloney was said to be the highest-paid celebrity on 2014’s Celebrity Big Brother and reportedly raked in £400,000.
5. Jonathan Cheban – £300,000
Kim Kardashian’s friend Jonathan Cheban was one of the stars in arguably the show’s most iconic cast – series 15.
The American reality star, 50, took home £300,000 for her time on the show alongside highest-paid star Gest.
Cheban was again set to enter the house the following year, in 2017, but was booted from the show after demanding £100,000 a day.
The next day he participated in intense negotiations with the CBB team that ended in a bitter disagreement.
Kim Kardashian’s friend Jonathan Cheban was one of the stars in arguably the show’s most iconic cast: series 15.
6. Janice Dickinson – £300,000
Janice Dickinson entered Celebrity Big Brother 2015 on the second day, before being evicted on the 27th.
The Brooklyn-born star, 69, was greeted with a sea of cheers as she exited the Channel 5 competition after pocketing £300,000 for her appearance.
However, he suffered a wardrobe malfunction when his microphone fell into his underwear.
Fortunately, her modesty was saved thanks to a commercial break.
Janice Dickinson entered Celebrity Big Brother 2015 on the second day, before being evicted on the 27th.
7. Stephanie Pratt – £250,000
The Hills reality TV star Stephanie Pratt was another high-paid celebrity to grace the Big Brother house.
Pratt, 37, found a romance with George Gilbey during her stay in the house, but after being evicted, she was left heartbroken when he left.
But his time in the house during season 14 definitely wasn’t in vain, as Pratt received a hefty fee of £250,000.
The Hills reality TV star Stephanie Pratt was another high-paid celebrity to grace the Big Brother house.
8. Danniella Westbrook – £250,000
Another star who appeared in the iconic 2016 series, Danniella Westbrook, received £250,000 for her time on it.
The actress, 50, memorably ran away from home twice with Gemma Collins during their time as housemate after rows with Stephanie Davis.
But in 2023, Danniella admitted she was doing ’11 bags’ of cocaine a day before entering the house.
Speaking on the podcast, Danniella told how “no one” knew the extent of her addiction at the time.
Another star who appeared in the iconic 2016 series, Danniella Westbrook, received £250,000 for her time on it.
9. Ulrika Jonsson – £175,000
Ulrika Jonsson took part in Celebrity Big Brother in 2009 and won the series, returning the following year for Ultimate Big Brother.
The Swedish-British presenter and model, 56, did not get along with Austin Powers star Verne Troyer during the show.
Years later, speaking of their feud, he said: “The late Austin Powers actor Verne Troyer, who everyone seems to admire a lot, was actually not a particularly nice person.”
Ulrika Jonsson took part in Celebrity Big Brother in 2009 and won the series, returning the following year for Ultimate Big Brother.
10. Christopher Biggins – £150,000
Christopher Biggins was a highly paid housemate despite being eliminated during his series in August 2016.
The actor, 75, was kicked out of the Celebrity Big Brother house after reportedly offending his Jewish housemate Katie Waissel with an “anti-Semitic” joke.
The former X Factor star reportedly “broke down in tears as other housemates looked on in shock” following the comment.
Biggins was later called to the diary room and given a formal warning and told he would be sent home, although he apologized.
Christopher Biggins was a highly paid housemate despite being eliminated during his series in August 2016.