Stars begin Big Brother journey

Dirk Benedict said he expected to hate being on the show

The 11 Celebrity Big Brother tenants have spent their first night together since entering the Channel 4 show.

Contestants include Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine, A-Team star Dirk Benedict, director Ken Russell and Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.

Donny Tourette, of punk band The Towers of London, exchanged insults with the crowd on opening night, while model Danielle Lloyd was met with boos.

Some of the press have already labelled the line-up "nobodies" and "wrinklies".

Votes from viewers will decide which stars are ejected during the series, which is expected to last a month.

I am absolutely terrified, I can't tell you how scared I am Jo O'Meara

Lloyd, 23, lost her Miss Great Britain title after posing for Playboy and starting a relationship with footballer Teddy Sheringham, who had been one of the judges.

Russell, who at 79 is comfortably the oldest of the contestants, entered the house wearing a garish waistcoat. The director of Women in Love and The Devils says he is a Big Brother fan.

Former pop star-turned-dog breeder O'Meara said hello to the cheering crowd and told presenter Davina McCall: "I am absolutely terrified, I can't tell you how scared I am."

Sayer entered the house suggesting appearing on the show was "something to do in January in the rain".

George Galloway attracted criticism for his exploits last year

The most dramatic entrance was made by Benedict, who also starred in Battlestar Galactica, as he arrived in a replica A-Team van, smoking a large cigar to cheers from the crowds.

Each celebrity will nominate a charity and the money raised during the voting process will be split equally between the organisations.

In last year's show, eventual winner Chantelle Houghton had been "planted" as a non-celebrity but proved the most popular contestant.

She went on to marry one of her fellow participants - Samuel Preston, the singer with musical group The Ordinary Boys - and was also signed up as a TV presenter.

Shilpa dazzled the audience wearing a colourful sari

One of Bollywood's most famous stars, Shilpa Shetty, is taking part in a new series of the UK television show Celebrity Big Brother.

Wearing a pink sari, the Bollywood actress, 31, was the sixth out of 11 stars to enter the Big Brother house.

"Being a celebrity is really tough," she said in a pre-recorded clip.

Correspondents say her appearance in the show is bound to be hugely controversial in India where many would question its standards of morality.

The programme makers say that they hope she will nevertheless appeal to more than two million Asians living in the UK.

'Candlelit dinner'

As Shetty joined her new housemates she admitted she had not watched the show.

Dirk Benedict said he expected to hate being on the show The stars arriving

"I just want every Indian to be extremely proud that I'm in here."

Observers say Shetty - who has appeared in more than 30 Hindi films - has been included in the show "to spice things up".

The film icon will reportedly have a dinner date with another housemate, in which she will be encouraged to flirt.

Housemates on the reality show - including former Miss Great Britain Danielle Lloyd - will be given the opportunity to pair up for dinner with the person they find most attractive.

"They will be fitted with special heart-rate monitors and must seduce, flirt and do whatever it takes to get their partners' pulse rates soaring," the British Sun newspaper reported ahead of the show.

It said that the courtship will be "performed" at a candlelit table for two minutes while fellow housemates look on.

The couple with the highest readings win the task.

Romance

Reports say Ms Shetty - often the subject of marriage speculation - will dine at a later stage in the show with the housemate she finds the most attractive.

Inevitably, Indian coverage of the show will focus on romance in Shilpa Shetty's life.

But they also quote sources close to the actress as saying that such a development is not imminent.

"I shall marry but after three years. There is no-one in my life as of today. And, I am very happy living single, at present," she told one newspaper in the run-up to the show.

Other contestants include Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine, A-Team star Dirk Benedict and film director Ken Russell.