You have to feel sorry for the bookers and producers of Celebrity Big Brother.
They spend months coming up with a cast list of stars that will fit well together, stroking egos and negotiating fees.
Then just as they think they have the line-up sorted, their stars start dropping like flies.
Yesterday we reported that human Ken doll Rodrigo Alves had been forced to pull out.
Now the Daily Star is claiming that this series’ big name has pulled out.
The shamed TV presenter had apparently agreed to appear in this summer’s run – which begins next Tuesday – for a whopping £600,000.
But according to the tabloid he’s had a change of heart at the eleventh hour.
An apparent source told them: “He got cold feet. But he might appear on another series in the future.”
Well! That’s annoying. Leslie would have been quite the coup. Once the darling of daytime, the Scottish host watched his career slip through his fingers 15 years ago.
We don’t think we need to dredge up why and how now… but clearly the Channel 5 producers were hoping the intrigue would pull in viewers.
Oh, well. If the so-called leaked line-up from earlier this week is to be believed, we can still look forward to plenty of drama – and bosses can expect a feast of headlines…
Top of the pecking order now is former Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati, who played Sunita Alahan in the ITV soap.
Read more: Rodrigo Alves reportedly forced out of CBB
The Daily Star claimed they were given the list of stars to have signed up by an insider, and released the following names: TOWIE’s Pete Wicks, Geordie Shore’s Nathan Henry, Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville, Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding, X Factor reject Amelia Lily, reality star Jemma Lucy, Gogglebox’s Sandi Bogle and human Ken doll Rodrigo Alves.
Read more: CBB line-up leaked
A ‘source’ apparently told them: “This is a nightmare for producers. They only want the housemates to know who they’ll be living with once they walk into the house.
“Now they will have the chance to find out about each other online. It could ruin the dynamic producers were hoping for.”
The source added: “They all have plenty of experience on reality shows, meaning they know full well what makes for good TV.”
Hmmm, well let’s see how accurate this ‘leak’ is come launch night next Tuesday…