I always have to laugh when, after people have been rightfully complaining about the dreadful line-up of so-called "celebrities" some people repeatedly pipe up with "Who were you expecting, Angelina Jolie?" or "You're never going to get A-Listers on CBB, you know" and other stupid remarks along those lines. Those comments really are the most ridiculous things I've ever heard and the people who spout these lines again and again know perfectly well that no one EVER expects stars of that calibre to be on the show.

Lol really, since when has ANYONE expected A-List stars and the likes of Nicole Kidman or George Clooney to appear on a show like Celebrity Big Brother? I've never heard one person claim that! What we DO expect are celebrities. Why? Because the show is called CELEBRITY Big Brother, quite simple. You know, a celebrity - someone who is actually famous and of whom everyone has at least HEARD of, even if they've never seen them in whatever tv programme they're famous for or whatever songs they've sung or sporting tournaments they've ever taken part in, etc. Whether you love them, loathe them or are just indifferent to them you've at the very least HEARD of them, that's a celebrity. No Dame Maggie Smith or Sir Derek Jacobi is expected, and never has been. Just someone who is actually relatively famous and preferably famous for actually doing something would be nice! Even an 80's pop star "has-been" is better than a "never-were"!

The majority of the people on CBB are NOT stars, they're reality show nonentities, most of whom will only be familiar to the people that watch their vacuous shows and not beyond that. They're not household names, past or present. They have no talent, they don't do anything, they're not 'famous' for anything specific. The majority of people wouldn't know them if they fell over them. The majority of the people on CBB, year afer year, are from the same old reality shows. Every single time, it's 100% guaranteed there'll be someone from the likes of Towie, Geordie Shore and other similar type shows. Each year has the same types of people but there are at least 3 or 4 housemates with them who could genuinely be classed as celebrities too. This year really only 2 of them can be classed as household names - Samantha Fox and Christopher Biggins. Just 2!

Honestly even a has-been singer from the 70's like past CBB housemate Leo Sayer, for example, is a celebrity. He was a huge star in his time, having had a lot of chart hits. He may not be everyone's cup of tea (I've never been a fan) but at least he is/was famous for SOMETHING! For having a talent. Even getting has-been stars from years gone by is preferable to NON-stars who were never "famous" for anything in particular in the first place! At least the has-beens can be called Celebrities, like the title Celebrity Big Brother suggests will be on the show. Past CBB housemates like Michael Barrymore, Jermaine Jackson, Jack Dee, Rula Lenska, Ken Russell, Les Dennis, Brigitte Nielson, Stephanie Beacham, Dennis Rodman and Julian Clary are all household names and, whether you love or hate them, are all genuine celebrities and people who have become famous for having an actual talent. None of them can be classed as A-List stars but they ARE all stars and it's more people along these lines that we could and should expect more of to be on the show.

Then there's the usual "Oh but it doesn't really matter whether they're famous or not, just as long as they're entertaining" blah, blah, blah! Lol of course it matters if they're famous or not, it's called CELEBRITY Big Brother for heaven's sake. I don't care if they're entertaining or not, that isn't the issue. If they're not celebrities what's the point of the show? Why call it Celebrity Big Brother in the first place? If they don't put celebrities on Celebrity Big Brother how is the show any different from the regular Big Brother? The whole point of Celebrity Big Brother is that they're meant to be famous people that we're watching, otherwise why bother? They have the regular BB every year, that should be enough otherwise, surely? I never watch the regular BB anymore as it holds no interest to me. I've watched it in the past but not for years. Why would I want to watch 45 minutes (out of 24 hours) of a bunch of total strangers when you never see enough ot them to ever get any real inkling of what they're like as people? I mean, watching a 45 minute highlights show that will probably only focus on certain housemates that C5 is favouring and who will probably only show about 30 seconds of housemates they don't favour, I see no point to.

When BB was on C4 with the 24-hour live feed you could at least get to see all the housemates and become more familiar with them and make proper judgements of them but brief edited highlights is pointless for me, so I gave up on regular BB a long time ago. The only reason I still like to tune into CELEBRITY Big Brother though is to hopefully see familiar faces in a fish out of water scenario and see what they're like and how they cope. If none of the faces are familiar in the first place it's just regular BB to me and a waste of time. I watched some of the last CBB but after a while got bored as I didn't find any of the housemates very entertaining, just dull, especially all those reality "stars". Most were completely annoying. Some CBB's of recent years I didn't bother to tune into at all because I barely knew any of the line ups. I always live in hope though and was hoping I'd know at least a handful this year but nope, it's as bad as ever, if not worse. As I said I don't tune into regular BB as I'm not interested in watching a bunch of nobodies so I tune into CELEBRITY BB yet it's still full of nobodies!

Anyway, I've waffled on for long enough but I say again, no one except an idiot would ever expect an A-List star to appear on the show and, as far as I'm aware, no one has ever said they DO expect any A-Listers. Not even B-Listers. A few C-Listers would be nice! You expect some kind of celebrities on the show though yet most don't even qualify as Z-listers! That's what most people seem to be complaining about, and rightfully so!

i never expect anything above a z lister.
i just can't stand reality tv stars who are just famous because they were on a rtv show.

however i usually like the american rtv people, but almost always hate the british ones as they are rarely entertaining.

I'm baffled as to why you still expect anything other than desperate Z-listers and nobodies on what is probably the trashiest and least respectable show on the reality TV circuit.

You don't seem to take into account the idea that the majority of actual celebrities, past or present, wouldn't be seen dead on such a show no matter what money is being offered. There are legacies and public images at stake with this show more than any other, and most wouldn't take that risk.

Besides, everyone has different opinions. I would much rather see a current, relevant reality star in CBB than an old washed up 70s singer.

Then why call it Celebrity Big Brother? If they don't provide what it says on the tin then what is the point of the show? Again I say I expect more than "nobodies" because it's called CELEBRITY Big Brother, simple as that.

Most of them are celebrities though, whether you've heard of them or not. They're known by many people, or have appeared on TV before, or have been reported on in the media at some point, which essentially makes them famous.

When I said 'actual celebrities' I was referring to those you were speaking of, I wasnt implying that these lot aren't at all celebrities. Yes they're very low calibre, and to many may be considered 'nobodies', but they are still known to the public to a certain degree, and that's all we can expect from a trashy reality show.

But I heard that Christopher Eccleston and David Cameron were going in

Just because someone has been on television doesn't make them a celebrity. A couple of my friends have been on TV but they're not celebrities! I guess we have a different idea of what a celebrity is! To me If you're a household name or a household face then you're a celebrity. Everyone has heard of Piers Morgan, for example. I personally can't stand the bloke and make a point of never watching his shows or reading his newspaper articles but I've certainly heard of him and know what he looks like. That is a celebrity to me - someone who, even if you never watch them or read what they write, everyone (or almost everyone) has still at least heard of them.

I never expected the Spanish inquisition

Obviously I wasn't implying that any random audience member of Daily Politics or competitor on The Chase is now famous because they were on TV once, but you knew that. The people chosen for CBB are usually either prominent cast members of their respective shows, or are people who have gained particular notoriety after appearing on TV.

Also, you say you don't expect A-list celebrities or super famous people but then go on to complain that CBB doesn't hire 'household names'? Do you see the contradiction there?

Sigh. No, there is no contradiction whatsoever because being a household name doesn't mean you're an A-List celebrity, I would have thought that was obvious! To me A-Listers are the likes of Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep, Barack Obama, Madonna, Christiano Ronaldo, Beyonce, Usain Bolt and Oprah Winfrey. Whereas, for example, the likes of Paul Gambaccini, Eamonn Holmes, Charlotte Church, Kim Wilde, Ray Mears, Gethin Jones, Boy George, Keith Chegwin, Carol Vorderman, Anneka Rice, Jamie Theakston, Noel Edmonds, Bonnie Langford, Denise Van Outen, Alan Titchmarsh and Ainsley Harriott are all far from being A-List stars but they are all household names.

Have you all heard of Lance Bass? I'm sure he would do CBB. He was in the band NSYNC and seems to pop up in a bunch of stuff.

It really should be renamed "Reality Star Crossover BB", this is definitely the worst year for having any celebs in.

To the OP, I would add James Whale to Sam & Biggins though as celebrities.

So because you know who they are they are household names? Nope, that's not how it works. Everyone in that house will be known by some people and that's all that matters.

Big Brothers target audience has probably never heard of half the "celebrities" you just mentioned.

Thats the problem today isn't it? The definition of celebrity has sadly changed, all you need to do is a series of a reality show and somehow you're seen as some major celebrity, just look at Lateysha and her followers. Its quite sad really that that kind of recognition gives you celebrity status.

Excellent and well constructed post OP, however I don't think that BB producers are in the age group that expect a celebrity to be famous for having a talent.
To them a celebrity is rated by how many Twitter followers they have accumulated.

Yes, very sad, but true.

The word "celebrity" has been so watered down.
Years ago I think the term was reserved for A-listers, now it's just effectively "someone who someone has heard of".

Posting "who were you expecting, Nicoke Kidman?" is as pointless as posting "I've never heard of him/her...", but I doubt you'll stop either happening. Some comments never die.
People still respond to online "jokes" by claiming to have spit diet coke everywhere and saying they're owed a new keyboard.

passionate post OP

they could chuck in a couple of reality stars for the youngsters who use the Twitter you know the Twitter, what the youngsters are always on, they follow people about on it ? but why do we need a whole ****ing house of them, and they all know each other ?

Its channel 5...enough said. if this was BBC or channel 4 primetime then you would see and expect a better list of "celebs"....

I don't mind the z-listers way past their glory days, but I'm not a fan of these Geordie Shore/ Ex On The Beach/TOWIE/XF crowd. They almost ruin the show for me.

why did Channel 5 ever get on air, has this been answered, all the other channels were at least ONCE good?

They was good at one point of there history but i guess each channel have to fight for different groups and demographics...even if they do it in a tacky way (just my opinion tho).

Great post OP - yes we had some great celebs on back in the day.