'Celebrity Big Brother' 2017 Line-Up: Barry From 'EastEnders' (Aka Shaun Williamson) 'Signs Up For New Series'

Former 'Coronation Street' star Shobna Gulati has also been linked.
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Another name has been thrown into the mix for this summer’s ‘Celebrity Big Brother’, with reports former ‘EastEnders’ star Shaun Williamson is entering the house.

The artist formerly known as Barry From ‘EastEnders’ is said to have signed a deal to appear in the upcoming run of the Channel 5 reality series. 

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Shaun Williamson is reportedly entering the 'Celebrity Big Brother' house
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Shaun is best known for playing hapless car salesman Barry Evans in the BBC soap from 1994 to 2004. 

His final storyline famously saw wife Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) kill him when she pushed him off the top off a cliff, and granted us the iconic soap line, “If only he’d worn slip-on shoes”. 

News of Shaun’s inclusion on the line-up comes after The Mirror claimed producers are trying to secure fellow soap star Shobna Gulati. 

The former ‘Coronation Street’ actress, who played Sunita Alahan, is currently being wooed by bosses, with a source telling the paper: “Producers have been arranging a meeting with Shobna’s agents in hope of getting her on the show next month.

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Shobna Gulati is being chased by producers
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Over the weekend, a leaked list of nine names seemingly revealed some of this year’s ‘CBB’ line-up. 

New names include ‘Real Housewives’ star Brandi GlanvilleGeordie Shore’s Nathan Henry and so-called human Ken doll Rodrigo Alves.

Among the rumoured contestants not named on this list include former ‘Love Island’ contestant Paul Dananparanormal expert Derek Acorah and comedian Helen Lederer

‘Celebrity Big Brother’ begins on 1 August at 9pm on Channel 5. 

'Celebrity Big Brother': Highest Fees Ever
15. Christopher Biggins - Series 18 (2016)(01 of15)
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Paid: £150,000
Final position: Ejected, after nine days

Prior to entering the house, it was reported that Biggins would be the highest-paid of that summer's contestants, pocketing a £150,000.

However, once he was removed for a string of offensive comments, attention turned to whether he'd be paid it all.

It was later reported he pocketed just half of it, which admittedly is still not to be sniffed at.
(credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
14. Vicky Entwistle - Series 12 (2013)(02 of15)
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Paid: £150,000
Final position: Sixth

Producers were keen to get former 'Coronation Street' couple Bruce Jones and Vicky Entwistle in the house, but seeing as he was a lot more willing to sign up than she was, he bagged just 10% of her fee.
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13. Perez Hilton - Series 15 (2015)(03 of15)
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Paid: £150,000
Final position: Sixth

Love him or hate him, there are few who would deny that Perez wasn't worth the money, proving to be the talking point on his series.

When 'All Stars' came knocking, though, he sent them away, claiming they couldn't afford to pay him the fee he felt he deserved.
(credit:Stuart C. Wilson via Getty Images)
12. Ulrika Jonsson - Series 6 (2009)(04 of15)
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Paid: £175,000
Final position: Winner

Various outlets claimed that Ulrika earned £175K for appearing on 'CBB', later returning for 'Ultimate Big Brother' a year later.

Interestingly, she's the only housemate from the Channel 4 years to make the list of highest-paid housemates.
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11. Stephanie Pratt - Series 14 (2014)(05 of15)
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Paid: £250,000
Final position: Tenth

Admittedly, not someone we were anticipating seeing on this list, reality TV veteran Stephanie is said to have bagged a quarter of a million for her stint in 'CBB' back in 2014.
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10. Danniella Westbrook - Series 17 (2016)(06 of15)
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Paid: £250,000
Final position: Fifth

Danniella made no secret of the fact she'd fallen on hard times prior to entering the 'Celebrity Big Brother' house, and got an impressive quarter of a million for her much-awaited appearance.
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9. Janice Dickinson - Series 16 (2015)(07 of15)
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Paid: £300,000
Final position: Seventh

The highest-paid housemate of the 'UK vs. USA' series (yes, she got even more than Stevi Ritchie!), Janice was evicted just two days before the live final.
(credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
8. Jonathan Cheban - Series 17 (2016)(08 of15)
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Paid: £300,000
Final position: Walked, after six days.

Former housemate Cami Li has made a rather bold claim about Cheebs' 'CBB' fee, suggesting he convinced producers to give him a "daily fee", before then walking.

She wrote in the Daily Star: "[Jonathan] played them and they weren't too happy. When will they learn?"
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7. Kellie Maloney - Series 14 (2014)(09 of15)
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Paid: £400,000
Final position: Ninth

Kellie Maloney's arrival on 'CBB' came just weeks after she came out publicly as transgender, so producers were really willing to fork out to get her on side.

At the time, her fee was reported as being the biggest in 'CBB' history, though as you can see, she's since been overtaken.
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6. Katie Hopkins - Series 15 (2015)(10 of15)
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Paid: "More than £400,000"
Final position: Second.

Alright, so we don't know the exact figures, but it was widely reported that the former 'Apprentice' candidate had what was (again, at that time) the highest 'CBB' fee ever.
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5. Katie Price - Series 15 (2015)(11 of15)
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Paid: £500,000
Final position: Winner.

Katie Hopkins' glee at her high fee didn't last long, though, as Katie Price trounced her by a full hundred grand - and she wasn't even in it all the way through!
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4. Heidi and Spencer - Series 19 (2017)(12 of15)
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Paid: $700,000 (roughly £567,000)

When Speidi first entered the house in 2013, it's fair to say they pretty much dominated the show, and while they didn't end up winning, they were at the centre of the year's main storylines.

It's no wonder, then, that producers were so keen to get them back for 'All Stars And New Stars', to the tune of more than half a million pounds.
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3. David Gest - Series 17 (2016)(13 of15)
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Paid: £600,000
Final position: Walked, after 13 days.

Even The Pricey and Speidi couldn't compete with David Gest's fee, though, as he reportedly scooped £600,000 to appear on 'CBB'.

He eventually walked due to health problems 13 days into his run, and sadly died two months after the series wrapped.
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2. Ray J - Series 19 (2017)(14 of15)
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Paid: $1 million (£809,000)

There's been much discussion that at a million dollars, Ray J's fee is the biggest in 'CBB' history. Not the case, but he's still done pretty well for himself.

The actual highest 'CBB' earners ever are...
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1. Jedward - Series 8 (2011)(15 of15)
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Paid: £1 million
Final position: Third.

Yes! Channel 5 were keen to make sure that their first 'CBB' went off with a bang, so allegedly forked out a MILLION quid - the most they've ever spent on a housemate - to get Jedward involved.

They did manage to last the whole series run, so Channel 5 got their money's worth, but Kerry Katona and Paddy Doherty were the year's runner-up and winner, respectively.
(credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)