The ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ house has been the birthplace of many a romance in the 16 years since it first debuted on Channel 4.
But while starting a relationship in full view of the nation is never easy to start with, things can get even more complicated when one half of the couple already has someone else on the outside.
While Bianca Gascoigne’s boyfriend kicking off about her blossoming relationship might seem like something new, here are five instances of ‘CBB’ resulting in a break-up for at least one of its contestants…
1. Stephanie Davis and Sam Reece - Series 17 (2016)
What’s the story?
Watching Stephanie’s growing closeness to fellow ‘CBB’ housemate Jeremy McConnell made for compulsive viewing in January 2016, particularly given that earlier in the series she’d spoken practically nonstop about how much she loved her boyfriend, model Sam Reece.
What happened next?
Well, by the end of the series, she claimed Sam had been mistreating her - which he vehemently denied - and vowed to make a go of it with Jeremy in the outside world.
The two were briefly the picture of love’s young dream, though it didn’t last long before allegations of cheating on both sides began to fly around. Shortly after their split, Stephanie announced that she was pregnant, and gave birth to a son in January 2017.
2. Preston and Camille Aznar - Series 4 (2006)
What’s the story?
Forget Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - for us, the greatest love story of the 2000s is hands down Chantelle and Preston in ‘CBB’. However, what is often forgotten is that while the two flirted up a storm under the watchful eye of Big Brother, he actually had a long-standing girlfriend waiting for him on the outside.
What happened next?
A week after leaving ‘CBB’, Preston proposed to Camille, though it was a short-lived engagement, and soon after their split, he and Chantelle became an item.
While the nation watched their romance unfold, it sadly wasn’t to last, and 10 months after their wedding photos were published in OK! magazine, they confirmed they were splitting up.
They were briefly reunited in 2010 for ‘Ultimate Big Brother’ - which kicked off on what would have been their third wedding anniversary - and they ended the series as friends.
Chantelle now has a four-year-old daughter with fellow ‘CBB’ winner Alex Reid, from whom she is estranged.
3. Stephen Bear and Lillie Lexie Gregg - Series 18 (2016)
What’s the story?
Clearly learning nothing from the previous series of ‘CBB’, Stephen Bear raised eyebrows when he and Chloe Khan became inseparable during their time in the house, culminating in several trips to the shower, straddling in full view of the rest of the group and the infamous murmur of “naughty teddy bear” from beyond the toilet door.
What happened next?
Well, suffice to say, Bear’s girlfriend Lillie was far from impressed when she saw her boyfriend splashed all over celebrity news sites with another girl, and entered the house as part of a task to confront him.
She told him: “You had me with you until that car came to collect you. You left me with your family, and you asked me to be there when you got home. I was supporting you 100%.
“The embarrassment and the humiliation I’ve had… I’ve never experienced anything so difficult in my life… it’s all one big game to you, but it’s a joke at my expense. You’ve absolutely humiliated me.”
It didn’t affect his popularity, though, evidenced by the fact he still managed to win the whole show. Chloe later dated ‘Big Brother’ winner Jason Burrill for a brief period.
4. Stevi Ritchie and Chloe Jasmine - Series 16 (2015)
What’s the story?
Having met on ‘The X Factor’ a year earlier, Stevi and Chloe entered the house as a team, as part of the ‘UK vs. USA’-themed summer series of 2015. While they were initially a tight unit, cracks began to show the longer they stayed in the house.
What happened next?
Chloe’s positive outlook and discomfort with conflict made her an easy target for her more argumentative housemates, and after a while, Stevi was seen growing irritated with his fiancée, even telling her at one point he thought it was a good idea for them to have some space once the show was over.
Admittedly, their relationship prevailed for a while after ‘CBB’, though it was often reported to be rocky, with Stevi eventually confirming their split in October 2016.
5. Bianca Gascoigne and CJ Meeks - Series 19 (2017)
What’s the story?
Jamie O’Hara was insistent that he didn’t enter ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ for a romance (despite what fellow contestant James Jordan says…), but still wound up being struck by Cupid’s arrow when he met Bianca.
There was a shock in store later down the line, though, when a task revealed that she was actually dating CJ in the outside world.
What happened next?
CJ admitted to being “heartbroken” by his girlfriend’s behaviour, even claiming that he had been close to proposing, and ended their relationship in the press while she was still in the ‘CBB’ house.
As for Bianca and Jamie? Watch this space...
