Big Brother returned with a bang earlier this month following a five-year hiatus.
The series premiered on our television screens in 2000 on Channel 4, and has migrated to ITV, spotlighting a host of individuals by nightly broadcasting to the UK public their everyday conversations. Before being voted out, housemates were put to the test with tasks and rations.
The show has helped several contestants launch their careers, including Alison Hammond, Josie Gibson, and many more. But who made the most out of their fame after leaving the show? Here’s a list of past and current housemates with the biggest salaries.
Past housemates with biggest net worth
Alison Hammond
Hammond, who regrettably became the second housemate to be sent off the show in 2002, immediately accepted a position on ITV's This Morning.
She has been there ever since at various times, as well as appearing on many other shows, such as Bake Off and Strictly. She was thus a natural replacement for Phillip Schofield earlier this year, as one-half of the renowned sofa duo.
“I was in Tunisia, repping, and everyone was reading the papers about Brian Dowling — he had won Big Brother,” Hammond said in an interview with Jessie Ware for the Table Manners podcast last year.
“And they were saying, ‘You should go on Big Brother, you’d win it,’ and at the time, I had a debt of like £3,000.”
It has paid off for her because the singer is now reputedly worth somewhere between £1 million to £4 million.
Brian Dowling
Speaking of Dowling, the Irish presenter won the show twice, on Series 2 in 2001 and on Ultimate Big Brother nine years later, before being asked to host the programme when it relocated to Channel 5.
As of June 1, 2023, Dowling has a net worth of approximately $5 million (£4 million).
Imogen Thomas
Imogen Thomas, a housemate on the show’s 2006 season when she was a 23-year-old waitress, has publicly stated that she has made £10 million since the end of the season.
The former Miss Wales made the most of lucrative magazine partnerships, engaged a financial advisor to manage her money, and quickly put her money in a portfolio of real estate.
She currently resides in one of her two townhouses in Chelsea with her two kids, Ariana, 10, and Siera, 7, and has two homes in Wales, a flat in Notting Hill, and two homes in Chelsea.
Kate Lawler
Kate Lawler, 43, was the first woman to win Big Brother UK, in 2003. She was on one of the most famous series, with Alison Hammond and the late Jade Goody.
Since then, she was a lads’ mag favourite, moving into broadcasting and DJing. She is currently a presenter on Virgin Radio’s Drivetime, and has her own podcast, Maybe Baby.
She is thought to be a millionaire.
Chantelle Houghton
Another millionaire is thought to be Chantelle, who faked it until she made it, fooling audiences when she was told to act as a famous singer in the Big Brother house. She was known for her relationship with Ordinary Boys singer Preston, whom she later married after a high-profile whirlwind romsnce on the show, splitting not long after. She also caused a stir when she had a daughter with competitive fighter (and Katie Price ex) Alex Reid, and they also broke up after a brief relationship.
She has appeared on a number of TV shows as a guest star, and had also written magazine columns about her life.
Josie Gibson
Following in the footsteps of Hammond, Josie Gibson joined This Morning as a competition announcer.
Later, Gibson enjoyed a brief time filling in for Holly Willoughby, and has since established herself as one of the ITV programme’s most popular reporters.
Today, her net worth is estimated to be around £800k.
Kerry Riches
In the current Big Brother house, Kerry Riches is suspected to be pretty wealthy.
She is an NHS manager which, according to Glassdoor, pays an average salary of around £62,000 — but can reach £85,000.
The 40-year-old also previously won £35,000 on Deal or No Deal.
Fellow affluent contestants are thought to be Tory boy Henry, 25, who is a food writer, 25-year-old doctor Matty, and Noky, 26, a banker and model.
Which contestants are left?
These are the contestants who remain as of Monday, October 16.
- Jenkin, 25 — barman from Bridgend
- Jordan 25 — lawyer from Scunthorpe
- Matty, 24 — doctor from the Isle of Man
- Yinrun, 25 — customer support agent from Harrogate
- Dylan, 39 — DJ from Coventry
- Zak, 28 — model from Manchester
- Henry 25 — food writer from the Cotswolds
- Hallie, 18 — youth worker from London
- Tom, 21 — butcher from Somerset
- Trish, 33 — full-time mum from Luton
- Paul, 23 — security officer from Liverpool
- Chanelle, 29 — dental therapist from Llanelli
- Noky, 26 — banker from Derby
- Kerry, 40 — NHS manager from Essex
- Olivia, 23 — dancer from Glasgow
Which contestants have been evicted?
Farida Khalifa was the first contestant to leave the Big Brother 2023 house.
Leaving to a backdrop of fireworks, Farida told the crowd: “I had the most amazing time. Thanks everybody for making the effort and coming tonight.”
