A ballet dancer and a Love Island contestant are among the male contestants rumoured to be joining former England and Liverpool footballer John Barnes when he enters the Celebrity Big Brother house on Friday.
Barnes is the only male star confirmed by Channel 5 to join the all-female line-up in the house.
According to reports, other male housemates may include Wayne Sleep, a former principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, and Love Island’s Jonny Mitchell.
Mitchell, who split from Made In Chelsea’s Stephanie Pratt in late 2017, made headlines in ITV’s reality series when he dumped Camilla Thurlow to pursue a romance with Tyla Carr.
Australian entertainer and a previous finalist in RuPaul’s Drag Race, Courtney Act, is another name being mooted.
Act, whose real name is Shane Jenek, also appeared on MTV’s Single AF reality show.
Controversial comedian Dapper Laughs, real name Daniel O’Reilly, Boyzone’s Shane Lynch and The Apprentice star Andrew Brady have also been listed as potential housemates.
O’Reilly’s ITV2 show ended after one series and his UK tour was cancelled when a video emerged of him telling an audience member that she was “gagging for a rape” during a live show.
American R&B star Ginuwine (real name Elgin Baylor Lumpkin), known for his hit tune Pony, has also been named among the speculative line-up, with one of his last Instagram posts of himself on an aeroplane explaining he was “now headed to the next stop the work do t stop trust me grind!”.
The series launched this week with an all-female line-up that includes transgender TV presenter India Willoughby, former Coronation Street actress Amanda Barrie, ex-MP Ann Widdecombe and Ex On The Beach star Jess Impiazzi.
Thursday night’s episode saw housemate Malika Haqq win immunity from the first eviction following an impressive axe-throwing performance.
The US TV star joins Barrie, Impiazzi and Maggie Oliver, who also have eviction immunity.