Big Brother: who made it?
Updated on 30 May 2007
In the world of reality TV 'making it' has a value system all of its own. Here are five of the most "successful" Big Brother stars.
1. Jade Goody
The winner of Big Brother 3, Kate Lawler, hasn't done too badly in the reality TV-fuelled fame stakes. But it was one of the series' losers, Jade Goody, that went on to scoop the most media coverage since her emergence from the house.
Dental nurse Jade metamorphosed from a "loud-but-loveable dimwit" into to a shrewd self-publicist, rarely off the pages of celeb mags like Heat and OK.
Now a millionaire, Jade has released a fragrance, an autobiography and a bunch of fitness DVDs. She's also gone onto appear on the celebrity programme circuit: Celebrity Driving School, Celebrity Wife Swap, Back to Reality, Jade's Salon, Just Jade and Jade's PA.
Jade first entered the house aged 20. Aged 25 she re-entered to compete in celebrity Big Brother. She became embroiled in an international controversy after making racist comments to fellow contestant Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty.
Channel 4 News were reprimanded by Ofcom for what became known as the "Big Brother race row". Jade's perfume was removed from the shops.
2. Chantelle Houghton
Big Brother winner Chantelle was the first non-celeb to appear on celebrity Big Brother. Her first task was to convince the 10 other "real celeb" housemates that she was a singer in girlband Kandy Floss. She succeeded and went on to bag the main prize - and a husband: fellow contestant Ordinary Boys singer Samuel Preston. After Big Brother Chantelle went on to publish an autobiography and have her own show 'Chantelle: Living the Dream' which followed her round the post-big Brother celebrity circuit. She also presented a slightly awkward dating show called 'Chantelle's Dream Dates'.
3. Brian Dowling
Former Ryanair employee Brian won the second series of Big Brother, winning the nation's heart with a rare wit. TV producers weren't immune to his televisual suitability and before long he became co-presenter of childrens' weekend show SMTV. He also presented a relationship makeover show Brian's Boyfriends, Celebrity Extra on Living TV and does a stint as showbiz reporter on Vernon Kay's Radio 1 show.
4. Craig Phillips
Craig not only won the first Big Brother, but also a reputation for having a heart of gold; he used his £70k winnings and the trappings of the fame that followed to pay for a friend's heart transplant. A builder by trade, Craig hasn't done too badly in the fame-o-meter since winning the show at the tender age of 28. After failing to make a hit out of Crimbo popsong 'At This Time of Year', and appearing in comedy series, Bo Selecta! as a celebrity kidnap victim, Craig decided to stick to what he knew and became a DIY expert on TV and in the papers.
5. Nadia Almada
Transexual Nadia won the fifth series of Big Brother. A regular fixture in celebrity gossip magazines, Nadia also tried to get into pop music with a critically panned effort entitled 'A little bit of action'. Undeterred she still found her way onto lifestyle and chat shows and, like Kate Lawler and Jade Goody, released the prerequisite fitness video with a Latino theme.
