The Celebrity Big Brother (CBB) 2016 house is ready for tonight’s live launch when the doors will open for some famous, and not so famous, housemates.

Celebrity Big Brother presenters Rylan Clark-Neal and Emma Willis will welcome the new crop, who include Kim Kardashian West’s best mate Jonathan Cheban, The Only Way Is Essex Star Gemma Collins and Strictly Come Dancing professional Kristina Rihanoff.

Presenters Rylan Clark and Emma Willis
Celebrity Big Brother presenters Rylan Clark-Neal and Emma Willis (Ian West/PA)

They will, no doubt, be hoping to avoid some of the controversies for which the Channel 5 show has become renowned. Here are five of the most notorious moments.

1. Race row of 2007

 Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty in Celebrity Big Brother
Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty in Celebrity Big Brother (PA)

Unquestionably the most controversial moment in CBB history is the race row that erupted between former beauty queen Danielle Lloyd, Jo O’Meara from S Club 7 and the late Jade Goody towards Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty.

Complaints from viewers about the behaviour and nasty comments made by the trio soared to 45,000 and the show even sparked censure from politicians, with then Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell branding it “racism being presented as entertainment”.

Media watchdog Ofcom singled out three occasions where it felt Channel 4 had failed its code of conduct.

Shilpa Shetty leaves the house as the winner of CBB
Shilpa Shetty leaves the house as the winner of CBB (Yui Mok/PA)

One was where Jade referred to the star as “Shilpa Poppadom”, the second was Danielle telling Shilpa, in foul language, that she should go home to India and the third centred on an argument over Shilpa cooking a chicken in which offensive comments about Indian cooking were made.

Shilpa went on to win CBB that year.

2. Jeremy Jackson is removed

The former Baywatch star was thrown out of CBB in January, 2015 for pulling open the dressing gown of glamour model Chloe Goodman. The incident occurred after he had too much to drink and disappeared into the toilet to be sick.

A concerned Chloe followed him inside, but emerged in tears shortly afterwards. Speaking in the Diary Room, Jeremy said: “I made a mistake and now I’m in boiling water for it.”

He was given a police caution for common assault.

3. Coolio versus Nadia Almada turns ugly

Coolio
Coolio (Yui Mok/PA)

The Gangsta’s Paradise rapper landed in hot water after using the n-word while talking to fellow housemate Ben Adams in 2009.

He also caused controversy when he reduced glamour model Lucy Pinder to tears after calling her “Princess Lucy” when she objected to his constant chat about sex and violence.

The American must have enjoyed his experience because he signed up for Ultimate Big Brother a year later in 2010.

CBB's Nadia Almada
CBB’s Nadia Almada (Channel 4)

However, he clashed with former Big Brother winner Nadia Almada, the first transgender contestant to triumph, numerous times.

Coolio ended up walking out on day five after yet another row with Almada.

He hid some of her shoes, but she did not appreciate the gesture and all hell broke loose. The US star promptly asked to leave.

4. Perez Hilton versus Calum Best

Calum Best clashed with Perez Hilton
Calum Best clashed with Perez Hilton (Channel 5)

When Perez – real name Mario Lavandeira – entered the CBB house in January 2015, the American celebrity blogger was virtually unknown in the UK.

But everyone knew his name by the time he left thanks to numerous rows with rent-a-controversy columnist Katie Hopkins.

However, it was a nasty row with George Best’s son Calum that left a horrible taste.

Perez Hilton in CBB
Perez Hilton in CBB (Channel 5)

Perez received a warning from Big Brother following a shocking confrontation in which he used language pertaining to sexual assault.

In an argument between the pair, the reality star told Perez to “be the d***,” which prompted the outspoken contestant to reply with a graphic exclamation of where he would “shove it”.

Perez Hilton was at the centre of rows
Perez Hilton was at the centre of rows (Channel 5)

This was the final straw for Calum, who let off steam about the incident to Big Brother. Meanwhile, viewers took to social media to condemn Perez for his choice of words.

5. Tila Tequila booted out

Tila Tequila arrives at the start of the latest series of Celebrity Big Brother
Tila Tequila, who was booted off Celebrity Big Brother for previous views (Ian West/PA)

Tila was evicted from the show in August 2015 after spending only one night in the house.

This was as a result of the “views and attitudes” she had expressed “in social media postings prior to her involvement”,

Channel 5 said, amid claims she had made anti-Semitic remarks.

Tila Tequila in the Big Brother house
Tila Tequila in the Big Brother House (screenshot/Channel5)

A Channel 5 spokesman said: “Unfortunately, Channel 5 and Endemol did not know about the views and attitudes Tila had expressed in social media postings prior to her involvement in Celebrity Big Brother.

“When they were brought to our attention, she was called to the Diary Room for a discussion with producers and was subsequently removed from the house.

“The views Tila had expressed, and permitted to remain uncorrected, are totally unacceptable and, accordingly, her continued involvement in the programme was untenable.”

Tila Tequila in CBB
Tila Tequila in CBB (Channel 5)

The Playboy model, whose real name is Thien Thanh Thi Nguyen, is best known for her bisexual-themed dating show, A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila.


Celebrity Big Brother’s launch show is broadcast at 9pm on Channel 5.