Several former Celebrity Big Brother housemates are no longer with us.
The iconic reality show is heading back to television screens on Monday (March 4) after a six-year break with a hole host of famous faces moving into the most famous house in Britain.
Hosts Aj Odudu and Will Best will greet the celebrities during a live launch show on ITV1 and then they were give up their life of luxuries to take on brutal tasks as well as face nominations and evictions.
Ahead of the new gang swapping their glam life for the Big Brother house, Daily Star has taken a look back at the legendary housemates who have passed away since their stint on the programme.
Dead or Alive star Pete appeared in 2006 series of Celebrity Big Brother. Some of his highlights on the show included perform his hit song You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) to fellow housemates.
10 years on from his appearance on the show the singer suffered a cardiac arrest and died aged 57. A statement from his management broke the sad news, saying: “It is with the greatest sadness that we have to break the tragic news that our beloved Pete Burns of (Dead Or Alive), died suddenly yesterday of a massive cardiac arrest.
“All of his family and friends are devastated by the loss of our special star. He was a true visionary, a beautiful talented soul, and he will be missed by all who loved and appreciated everything he was and all of the wonderful memories the has left us with. He will live forever in our memories.”
Jade Goody
Jade became one of Big Brother’s biggest stars after appearing in the third series of the civilian edition of the reality show back in 2002. The nation fell in in love with Jade, who came fourth in the series, but in 2007 when she appeared in the celebrity version of the show and got evicted after being accused of racially abusing Indian actress housemate Shilpa Shetty.
Jade later apologised to Shilpa before taking part in the Indian version of Celebrity Big Brother in 2008 – but the former dental nurse was forced to pull out of the show after she was told she had cervical cancer. After chemotherapy was unsuccessful, Jade died the following year aged 27.
Her mum Jackiey Budden later told in a Channel 4 documentary that Jade thought her cancer could be a punishment for her controversial Celebrity Big Brother appearance. She recalled: “One night she felt really scared because, obviously, she knew she was going very soon. She said, ‘Mum I feel like they’re coming to get me. They’re coming to get me. It’s going all dark’. She said, ‘Is that because I was so bad in Big Brother?'”
David Guest
David provided one of the most iconic moments in Celebrity Big Brother history, when word spread around the house that he’d “died” in a major mix-up. Tragically, a matter of weeks later he did die, with the showbiz legend found dead at a hotel in London in April 2016 at the age of 62 after suffering from a stroke.
While David’s housemate Angie Bowie had been referring to the death of her former husband David Bowie, Tiffany Pollard assumed that she was talking about their unwell housemate David, who was actually asleep in bed. Following David Guest’s death, Tiffany have since said he haunts her kitchen “every once in a while,” before pleading: “David, please stop coming into the kitchen and messing with the knives and forks!”
The Flavour of Love star went on to explain how she and David never “made up” before he died, adding that he’s “mad” at her. When Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen asked Tiffany why she needs to make up with David’s “spirit,” she said: “So he can stop turning on the coffee maker!”
Coolio
Rapper Coolio appeared in the 2009 series of Celebrity Big Brother, and become one of the show’s most controversial housemates He was accused of bullying and being a “sex pest” by fellow housemates. Ofcom also received 527 complaints over claims he was “misogynistic” and “sexist” towards Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton.
Coolio tragically died, aged 59, in September 2022 after he was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of his friend’s LA house. His manager said he died from a suspected cardiac arrest but but official cause of death has yet been announced.
Verne Troyer
Austin Powers actor Verne appeared in the Big Brother House alongside Coolio in 2009 after shooting to fame in the Hollywood movie series. One of the 2ft 8inch actor’s highlights during his stint on the show, included his rendition of Lionel Richie and Diana Ross’s Endless Love with former Gladiators host Ulrika Jonsson.
Verne sadly passed away in April 2018, aged 49, from suicide through alcohol intoxication. The actor’s family issued a statement after he died that said: “Depression and Suicide are very serious issues. You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one another. And always know, it’s never too late to reach out to someone for help.”
Sarah Harding
Girls Aloud star Sarah won Celebrity Big Brother in 2017. During her time in the house, Sarah entered into a relationship with The Bachelor star Chad Johnson and had some fiery rows with Ex on the Beach’s Jemma Lucy. She sadly died aged just 39 in September in 2021 after battling breast cancer.The pop star shared her diagnosis in August 2020 and said the horrific disease had spread to other parts of her body. After leaving the show, she admitted in her autobiography she’d had her doubts about taking part.
She wrote: “When I try to think back about the reasons I agreed to do the show, I guess I thought it could be a good platform for me to get back in the public eye in a positive way. Yes, I knew there were going to be a few tricky characters in the house with me – there always were on the show – but I felt I had something to prove, not just to other people but myself but to myself, too.
She added: “I wanted to prove I could do it. I also went in there intending to show people a different side of me. I’d also been portrayed in the media as this mad, off-the-rails party girl.”
