While you’d probably guessed most of their identities already thanks to a less-than-subtle trailer released earlier this month, the famous faces competing on X Factor: Celebrity have been confirmed.
A total of 14 acts have signed up for the special series of the ITV talent show, which will see them vying to win a genuine recording contract with Simon Cowell’s label.
They include stars from the worlds of music, film, sport, TV and social media – get to know them all a little better below...
Jenny Ryan
Jenny is one of the Chasers on ITV game show The Chase, and her quizzing ability has seen her previously compete on The Weakest Link, University Challenge and Mastermind.
She initially was hired to write the questions for The Chase, then later became one of the Chasers in 2015, after fellow Chaser, Anne Hagerty recommended her for the job.
Kevin McHale
Kevin is an American actor, best known for playing Artie in Glee. As well as acting, Kevin co-hosted the Teen Choice Awards with Demi Lovato, and currently hosts a podcast called Showmance, all while focusing on pursuing his solo music career.
His first foray into music was in the pop boy band NTL, who opened for the Pussycat Dolls on their tour. Since then he has released solo EPs and wants to continue performing on a bigger scale and eventually have a music label of his own.
Max and Harvey
Young duo Max and Harvey are 16-year-old Berkshire-based twin brothers who rose to fame when a clip of them singing Justin Bieber went viral on app Tik Tok. After becoming the number one UK act on the platform, they have a diehard fanbase with a combined social following of more than eight million.
The pair began their singing career by performing at school talent shows and busking in their local town. Since their rise to fame, they have released numerous original songs, toured, appeared in their own CBBC shows including the documentary My Life: Max and Harvey.
Cole and Edwards
Brendan Cole and Jeremy Edwards have been good friends for more than 10 years having met at a Capital Radio event. Brendan is a professional ballroom dancer who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing for 15 years and has since appeared as a judge on New Zealand’s Dancing with the Stars and as a guest judge on Britain’s Next Top Model.
Jeremy is best known for playing heartthrob Kurt Benson in Hollyoaks. After leaving in 1999, Jeremy joined BBC’s medical drama Holby City. More recently, Jeremy returned to screens in CBBC’s Millie Inbetween.
Hayley Hasselhoff
Hayley Hasselhoff is an American actress and model, and the daughter of David Hasselhoff and Pamela Bach.
In 2010, she landed the leading role in TV series Huge, as well as featuring in her family’s reality TV series The Hasselhoffs. In addition to acting she has modelled since the age of 14 and is now recognised for her efforts in promoting body positivity as a plus-size model.
She has modelled in New York Fashion Week and she recently released a plus-sized clothing collection in the UK, and regularly features as ITV’s This Morning’s fashion expert around body positivity.
Jonny Labey
Jonny Labey is a British actor best known for his role as Paul Coker in EastEnders. Following his character’s death on the show, he went on to win ITV’s Dance Dance Dance in 2017 with his then-girlfriend, before touring with Strictly Ballroom as the lead role.
The soap star wants to show people he is more than just a character from EastEnders and is in it to win it!
Martin Bashir
Martin Bashir began working as a journalist in 1986 but is most well-known from his Panorama interview with Princess Diana and the documentary Living With Michael Jackson. He has won several awards for his work, including three BAFTA nominations and the RTS Journalist of the Year award in 1996.
Olivia Olson
Olivia Olson is best known for playing the role of Joanna in Love Actually in 2003, in which she sang All I Want For Christmas Is You.
After appearing in the film, Olivia took a step back from TV and film for a while to focus on her school work, but has since done voice acting for animated kids’ TV shows including Phineas and Ferb on Disney.
Olivia has been writing original music and singing since a young age and released an album in 2018.
Megan McKenna
Megan McKenna rose to fame after appearing on Ex on The Beach in 2015, she went on to feature on TOWIE for five series, as well as Celebrity Big Brother and Celebs Go Dating.
Since her reality TV fame, she has released her own clothing range, make-up range and released her autobiography Mouthy.
Megan’s dream has always been music, and left TOWIE to be able to put 100% into her music career. She has released her own country music for the past two years and had two sell-out shows in the UK.
Ricki Lake
Ricki Lake is an American actress and talk show host, best known for The Ricki Lake Show which lasted 11 years.
Her on-screen breakthrough began when she played the lead role of Tracey Turnblad in the 1988 film Hairspray, since then she has seen a lot of TV and film success, as well as being the Executive Producer of a documentary and the co-author of two books.
Try Star
Thom Evans, Ben Foden and Levi Davis are all professional rugby players. Thom is a former Scottish international rugby union player and model, although his rugby career was cut short due to a serious neck injury.
Levi Davis has represented England internationally at under 18 and under 19s level, and now plays for Bath United.
Ben Foden currently plays for Rugby United New York but has also played for England internationally. Together they can’t wait to take singing more seriously and would love to make it through to the live shows.
The Islanders
Eyal, Samira, Wes and Zara all shot to fame in 2018 when they appeared on the fourth series of ITV2’s Love Island.
Wes reached the Dancing on Ice final in 2019, whilst Eyal has been snapped up by numerous modelling agencies as well as appearing on E4′s Celebs Go Dating.
Samira has performed on the West End, featuring in Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty And The Beast, while Zara has worked on a number of projects that help engage young people into politics, a real passion of hers before Love Island.
V5
V5 are international social media influencers, made up of Sofia, Alondra, Laura, Wendii and Natalie. They have a combined social media following of 11 million followers, with over 250 million channel views on YouTube.
Victoria Ekanoye
Victoria Ekanoye is best known for playing Angie Appleton in Coronation Street. She has also appeared in The Lion King in the West End as well as touring the US, South America and Europe in The Blues Brothers production.
She is currently filming for a new CBBC and Netflix show The Worst Witch.
X Factor: Celebrtiy will kick off with the celebrities auditioning for Simon Cowell and returning judges Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh at his house in LA, in the hope of winning a spot in the live shows.
An all-star edition of the show featuring former contestants will also air once the upcoming series ends.
X Factor: Celebrity kicks off next month on ITV.
