Huge Coronation Street star signs up to star in this year’s Celebrity Big Brother
A CORONATION Street veteran will star in this year’s Celebrity Big Brother.
The Sun can exclusively reveal that the actor, best known for playing Gail Platt’s wayward son David Platt, is expected to be one of the biggest names to sign up for the show.
Jack P Shepherd, 37, is following in the footsteps of his Corrie pal Colson Smith who played copper Craig Tinker, after he went on CBB last year.
A TV insider said: “The two lads are great mates, and Colson no doubt told Jack he’d have the time of his life on the show.
“Jack will be making the most of a gap in appearing on Corrie, which comes as he’s about to be at the centre of a huge storyline on the ITV soap.
“His character David will be seen getting left for dead after being hit by a car on the cobbles – but it will transpire it’s actually a bizarre attempt to end his own life.”
The new series of CBB – the second since it was rebooted on ITV – is expected to air this spring though ITV have yet to confirm a launch date.
Jack has been a member of the Corrie cast for 24 years and first appeared as the son of Gail and Martin Platt when he was 13 years old.
Since then he’s been at the heart of some of the soap’s biggest storylines, the most recent of which has seen him getting targeted by gangster Harvey Gaskell, to whom he owes massive debts.
But he rarely appears on reality TV shows, having previously only been on a handful of gameshows and Ghosthunting with Coronation Street in 2008.
So far other names linked to the show include former Love Islander Chris Hughes and Towie’s Ella Rae Wise are among the other names rumoured to be going into the house.
A spokesman for ITV said: “Any names linked to the Celebrity Big Brother line up are purely speculative.”
Last week, The Sun reported how EastEnders star James Bye had also been lined up.
His name is in the frame after CBB bosses made a major change to the house ahead of the new series.
We previously told how bosses were moving the TV house after two years at Garden Studios in Harlesden, West London.
The Sun then exclusively revealed how a fan-favourite feature of the Celebrity Big Brother has been ditched for the new series.
Who has won Celebrity Big Brother?
THE first Celebrity Big Brother aired in March 2001 on Channel 4.
Roll on 23 years and a switch to Channel 5 in 2011, CBB is now into its 23rd season and is being hosted for the first time by ITV.
Here’s who has won the coveted title so far:
Season 1 (2001): Comedian Jack Dee beat actress Claire Sweeney despite walking out of the house and evading security for about an hour. The series was also more memorable for Vanessa Feltz telling Big Brother to “f*** off” after chalking “incarcerated”, “ambushed” and “restricted” on the table.
Season 2 (2002): Take That favourite Mark Owen triumphed over TV host Les Dennis. The latter won over the sympathy of the audience after his marriage breakdown with his wife Amanda Holden.
Season 3 (2005): Maraca shaking Bez walked out the winner ahead of Blazin’ Squad‘s Kenzie. The Happy Mondays star scooped the £50,000 and went on a 10-hour bender, blowing the cash.
Season 4 (2006): This was the season when Big Brother mixed things up – by sending in a non-celebrity from the fictional band Kandy Floss. However, Chantelle Houghton won over viewers and housemates alike and was crowned the winner. During her time in the house she found love with Ordinary Boys singer Preston. There was also added drama when George Galloway pretended to be Rula Lenska‘s pet cat.
Season 5 (2007): Actress Shilpa Shetty won after being caught up in a racism bullying row with former BB contestant Jade Goody, model Danielle Lloyd, and S Club‘s Jo O’Meara.
Season 6 (2009): Ulrika Jonsson beat Terry Christian, but controversy came in the form of rapper Coolio who was slammed by viewers as misogynistic, however, he finished in third spot.
Season 7 (2010): Alex Reid beat Dane Bowers and Vinnie Jones with a huge 65% of the vote. Alex married Katie Price one month later.
Season 8 (2011): In the first series to air on Channel 5, Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty was the unexpected winner, beating singer Kerry Katona.
Season 9 (2012): Loose Women star Denise Welch triumphed over X Factor contestant Frankie Cocozza, after stripping off while drunk and jumping into the hot tub topless.
Season 10 (2012): Comedian Julian Clary got the nod in the vote over Coleen Nolan.
Season 11 (2013): The X Factor’s Rylan Clark beat couple Heidi Montag
& Spencer Pratt, who was competing as “one entity” and known as Speidi.
Season 12 (2013): Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby beat 5ive singer Abz Love
Season 13 (2014): Jim Davidson won after a blazing row with Linda Nolan. N-dubz Dappy took the second spot.
Season 14 (2014): Gary Busey – who chose to roam around the CBB house naked – beatboxer Audley Harrison.
Season 15 (2015): Katie Price won the battle of the Katies as she saw off controversial Katie Hopkins in the final. The biggest talking point was American blogger Perez Hilton‘s raging row with Calum Best, but the series also saw two early ejections of Jeremy Jackson and Ken Morley.
Season 16 (2015): Apprentice star James Hill beat model Austin Armacost. Tila Tequila was evicted on just the second day after she was found to have posted support for Adolf Hitler on social media.
Season 17 (2016): Geordie Shore’s Scotty T won after sharing a kiss with fellow housemate Tiffany Pollard. Stephanie Davis was runner-up.
Season 18 (2016): Stephen Bear won the show despite a huge row with radio star James Whale. Ricky Norwood placed second but this season saw Christopher Biggins ejected from the house after making an anti-Semitic joke.
Season 19 (2017): Coleen Nolan entered the CBB house for a second time – and this time came out the winner beating Jedward. During her second stint, she had a massive showdown with horse star John McCririck.
Season 20 (2017): It was the battle of the reality show singers in the final, with Popstars: The Rivals winner and Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding beating The X Factor’s Amelia Lily.
Season 21 (2018): Courtney Act, otherwise known as Shane Jenek, won with politician Ann Widdecombe as runner-up.
Season 22 (2018): Winning Dancing On Ice in 2024, was not Ryan Thomas‘s first reality show title. He won the CBB title in 2018, after a shocking “run-in” with Emmerdale actress Roxanne Pallet, who falsely accused him of punching her. Actress Kirstie Alley came second.
The Mezzanine floor – which was introduced by ITV when it rebooted Big Bro in 2023 – has been scrapped.