Twenty years ago, Chantelle Houghton walked into the Celebrity Big Brother house as a 22-year-old unknown from Essex and convinced a house full of famous faces that she was a pop star. Two decades later, her rise from reality TV newcomer to one of Britain's biggest names remains unforgettable.
Before Big Brother changed everything, Chantelle worked in promotions and had made money as a Paris Hilton lookalike. She had already auditioned for the civilian Big Brother series and was desperate to break into television, but little could she have imagined that a bizarre reality TV stunt would transform her life.
Secret mission as a fake pop star
When she entered Celebrity Big Brother in January 2006, Chantelle was the only non-celebrity among a line-up including Michael Barrymore, Pete Burns, Dennis Rodman, Jodie Marsh and Preston. Her secret mission was to persuade them she was in fact a pop star in a fictional girl group called Kandy Floss.
Remarkably, Chantelle pulled it off and quickly became one of the most popular housemates, and she quickly became close to Preston. Chantelle ultimately won Celebrity Big Brother with more than half of the final vote, becoming the first non-celebrity to triumph in the show's history. Her victory was watched by millions and almost overnight she went from aspiring TV star to one of the most talked-about women in Britain.
Financial windfall and whirlwind marriage
The fame came with a huge financial windfall, too. In a revealing new interview with relationship expert Paul C Brunson, Chantelle recalled having just 80p in her bank account before Big Brother before claiming she earned around £1 million within six months of leaving the house.
And she left with more than just a big day - she also gained a fiancé, after falling for The Ordinary Boys' frontman Preston during the series. The couple continued their romance out of the Big Brother house and became engaged just months after meeting. They married in August 2006 in a lavish ceremony at Dartmouth House in London, with Chantelle wearing a gown created by Elizabeth Emanuel, the designer famous for creating Princess Diana's wedding dress.
Their fairytale marriage, however, lasted just ten months. The couple announced their separation in June 2007, with the intense pressure surrounding their relationship and life in the public eye later becoming a major part of Chantelle's reflections on what went wrong.
Life after Big Brother
Twenty years on, Chantelle has been remarkably candid about Preston and their whirlwind romance. She has spoken about how difficult it was having their relationship scrutinised by the public, explaining that their marriage became something that belonged to everyone rather than simply to them. She explained: "Preston and I were everybody's... I get it. I understand why people were invested, and I totally found that flattering, but it was hard." She also admitted that the attention placed a strain on their relationship and was one of the biggest challenges they faced.
The pair famously came face-to-face again in 2010 when both entered Ultimate Big Brother - their appearance prompted huge interest as viewers wondered whether the former couple could rekindle their romance, although Chantelle ultimately finished third while Preston came sixth.
New chapter and future plans
Away from Preston, Chantelle went on to have several other high-profile relationships - she dated television presenter Rav Wilding before embarking on a romance with Alex Reid, the former husband of Katie Price. Chantelle, now 42, and Alex welcomed their daughter Dolly in 2012, but their relationship came to an end later that year.
Becoming a mother brought another major change to Chantelle's life and she gradually began stepping back from the relentless celebrity spotlight that had followed her since Big Brother. Her television career continued, however, with appearances including her own E4 series Chantelle: Living the Dream, as well as further reality and entertainment shows.
In recent years, Chantelle has largely kept her personal life more private, particularly when it comes to relationships. That changed earlier this year when she revealed she had fallen in love again with Westley O'Bryan, a garden centre owner she met close to her home in Essex. Chantelle initially kept the relationship away from the public eye, explaining that she had spent years having her romances played out in newspapers and magazines. She admitted: "I feel like all of my relationships have been public."
Still, their relationship appears to have moved quickly, with Chantelle recently revealing that she has already picked out the wedding dress she would like to wear. This time, however, she wants nothing like the enormous celebrity wedding she had with Preston. "It would be very simple and classy," she said, explaining that the main focus would be on getting married rather than putting on a huge show for other people.
Her new relationship is just one part of what appears to be a major new chapter. After years of being defined by Big Brother, Preston and the headlines surrounding her personal life, Chantelle now appears determined to tell her own story on her own terms, and has said she's finally ready to "do more" TV work. There are even rumours that she could re-enter the Big Brother house but this time as a celebrity guest during the upcoming civilian series - it would be somewhat of a full circle moment.
