The first housemate from the 2024 series of Celebrity Big Brother has been evicted.
Real Housewives star Lauren Simon was up against Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary Goldsmith, after the former received the most nominations in the house, and the latter was put forward by Sharon Osbourne.
After just under one week in the house, the viewers had their say and booted one contestant out the door.
And following a lot of controversy and facing boos from the live audience, Goldsmith, 58, became the first housemate voted out, saying he had ‘the best time’.
Talking to hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best after his exit, he said he set out to ‘change his personality’, but later shared a regret – not nominating Louis Walsh for eviction.
‘Both people I voted for, I regret that I voted for them,’ he said.
‘I voted for Lauren and I voted for Zeze [Millz], and I shouldn’t have, because it was very quick to make a vote and you had to make the judgement.’
After being pushed to give a name, Goldsmith said he would have chosen the former X Factor judge, who ‘fell asleep a lot’.
‘If I’m really honest, he’s great value, but he does fall asleep a lot.’
‘It’s been a crazy whirlwind,’ he added on Late and Live after returning to the ‘real world’.
Goldsmith had been nominated by Sharon – whose short stay in the house is coming to an end after providing plenty of entertainment – after saying he was ‘odd ball’ and calling out his ‘insecurities’.
Responding to those comments, Goldsmith shared: ‘I was agreeing with absolutely everything she said.’
‘I don’t consider myself to be a celebrity,’ he added, saying the reality stint was ‘just an opportunity to be in that environment’.
Viewers have been left divided over his exit, with @LukeelkinsTv blasting: ‘I don’t really have any interest in seeing him interviewed.’
‘Thank God I never have to hear about or see Gary ever again, after only knowing he even existed for 4 days too long,’ @s_a_n_t_i_n_a added.
But @leohughes66 said: ‘Ffs, the problem with a public vote is, the public vote. They’ve just got rid of a potential bomb & kept a weeper.’
‘Gary is so cringe,’ @SandraSezer added.
It had been predicted earlier today that Lauren, 48, would receive the most nominations and leave the house tonight.
She’d also faced a fair share of backlash over her inability to pronounce Corrie star Colson Smith’s name, and after sparking a row with fellow housemate Zeze Millz.
The series has seen plenty of drama so far, from Louis Walsh and Lauren being forced to sit in a wheelie bin after a rule-break, and Sharon spilling all the tea on some Hollywood A-listers.
Friday’s episode also saw plenty of tears, with Goldsmith accused of ‘faking’ his, after claiming he’s ‘a national villain’.
Asked by This Morning legend Fern Britton about ‘finding peace’, he replied: ‘I think peace is something to always be striving for. I thought I was having a really cool life, until something hits you.
‘One day I was Gary, a businessman, having a laugh, with a great family, in a good place, and the next minute I’m a national villain, because if any of you thought to google me, it’s just s**t.’
‘But it’s not me, so I really don’t know what true peace is if I’m honest,’ he added, tearing up.
‘I’m not milking it by the way, I’m having a little moment here,’ Goldsmith later said, adding that he wanted to come on the show to ‘change perceptions’ and show that he wasn’t ‘that f**king idiot’.
After looking into his past though, viewers are not convinced, with viewer @_JamesGtfo writing: ‘I really don’t believe Gary when he talks. He seems so insincere and fake.’
@hanreads_ added: ‘Go away, Gary. You’ve not changed ANYONES perception on you.’
‘Gary forcing the sympathy tears,’ @Dee_Cee95x added, while @Shannon_xoxo said: ‘Gary trying to paint himself as a victim.’
The businessman was embroiled in a scandal in 2009 after getting caught allegedly cutting up cocaine for a sex worker at his Ibiza villa in a News of the World sting.
Then, in 2017, he admitted attacking his wife Julie-Ann Goldsmith and knocking her to the ground in a drunken row.
The couple had been arguing about his drug use and after he was slapped, Goldsmith then punched his wife with a ‘left hook’ after which she fell to the floor, smacking her head on the pavement, and was unconscious for about 15 seconds before coming to.
In court, he later admitted one charge of assault by beating and was handed a 12-month community order with 20 rehab sessions to ensure ‘this sort of loutish behaviour does not reoccur.’
He was also fined £5,000 and ordered to pay a £170 victim surcharge, and £85 towards prosecution costs.
And fans weren’t the only ones left unconvinced by his tears. In a later conversation, Love Island star Ekin-Su Culculoglu admitted she wasn’t ‘buying’ it.
‘You can see who is genuine,’ she added.
Goldsmith later hit back saying: ‘Of course it was all real.’
Celebrity Big Brother airs at 9pm on ITV1.
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