'I've always been a risk-taker in life'

Chantelle Houghton on life after Big Brother and the exciting new series

- NIKKI ONAFUYE

She stormed into the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2006 as a fresh-faced, bubbly 22-year-old from Essex, and Chantelle Houghton instantly made her mark. Warm and quick-witted, she captivated viewers, going on to win the show.

But life outside the house would come with challenges, from friendships strained to heartbreak played out under the public eye – such as her split from Preston [Samuel Preston], who she met on the show, got married to and split from the following year.

Today, as fans are gripped by the latest series of Big Brother, Chantelle, who has since traded reality TV drama for a quieter life, opens up about her CBB journey, surviving public scrutiny and how her daughter Dolly, 13, is her motivation...

Hi! What was it like walking into the Celebrity Big Brother house for the first time?

I swear I'd manifested it, because I'd imagined it so many times. I had a whole host of emotions – excitement, nerves, imagining my ex-boyfriend watching at home... Until I'd actually set foot in the door I was like, “Is this really happening?”

What made you apply in the first place?

I didn't have a great education. I left school, got a receptionist job in London and just wanted more – to travel, live comfortably. I started doing some modelling and promotion work. I never wanted fame; just financial comfort. I thought I'd get a higher profile, but I never expected it to blow up the way it did. I'm eternally grateful.

What was the toughest part about living in the house?