Coronation Street legend set to enter Celebrity Big Brother house after incredible 10st weight loss
CORONATION Street legend Colson Smith is set to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house.
The actor, 25, who plays Craig Tinker in the ITV soap, has impressed ITV bosses after a series of talks with the young star – and insiders have tipped him to go all the way.
A source told The Sun exclusively: “Big Brother producers have been in talks with Colson for months and it looks like a done deal.
“They’re thrilled he’s keen to enter the nation’s most famous house because he’s a big name already loved by millions of viewers and they were hellbent of securing someone from Corrie as it’s great cross-promotion for ITV.
“Colson’s character Craig is a huge favourite with soap fans and he’s just as likeable and down to earth in real life so don’t be surprised if he ends up winning the whole thing. He’s got all the ingredients of a Celeb BB champion.”
When approached by The Sun, a spokesperson for ITV said: “Any names are at this point pure speculation and viewers will have to tune to see who will be entering the Celebrity Big Brother house.”
Colson joined the long-running Manchester-based drama in 2011, when he was just 13 years old.
Over the years, viewers have seen Colson’s character at the centre of various hard-hitting storylines, from being bullied as a schoolboy to becoming a policeman and battling OCD.
Colson has also dipped his toes into reality TV before, having competed in ITV’s The Games in 2022.
He faced off against the likes of Wes Nelson and former Corrie star Ryan Thomas in the Olympics-style sports show.
Off screen, Colson has shed a whopping ten stone after deciding to overhaul his lifestyle during the Coronavirus pandemic.
He is a huge fan of running and regularly shares snaps on his social media after going for a jog.
Colson, who admits he was targeted by cruel trolls over his weight while growing up in the public eye, says lockdown inspired him to make a change.
“I was being branded as just the fat kid from day one. Even at school I was always the fat kid, I was always the odd one out,” he has said.
“I was lucky with timing. Lockdown was the first time I didn’t have a job and I thought, ‘What’s important to me?’
“I realised Colson is important to me.”
The former child star will join an epic list of names set to enter the house with him during the launch show next Monday, March 4.
Among the rumoured names are former X Factor judges Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne, presenter Fern Britton and Love Island legend Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu.
Also said to be in the mix are Kate Middleton‘s uncle Gary Goldsmith, chef Levi Roots, Towie star Chloe Brockett and Real Housewives of Cheshire drama queen Lauren Simon.
