Rylan bookies' favourite to win Celeb Big Brother
The X Factor's Rylan Clark is the favourite to win Celebrity Big Brother, bookmakers have predicted. The flamboyant singer, who has already made his presenting debut on Daybreak since he was booted from the ITV1 singing competition, is expected to do well in the show, with William Hill offering odds of 11/4. While the next series' line-up has yet to be officially announced, bookies have also picked Italian horse racing jockey Frankie Dettori as second favourite with odds of 9/2, while Neighbours star Ryan Maloney, best recognised for playing Toadfish in the Australian soap, is third with odds of 11/2. Stand-up comedian Jim Davidson is the 20/1 outsider, joined by former model Paula Hamilton at 16/1. "The X Factor did a great job promoting Rylan, but when you have access to someone 24 hours a day there is nowhere to hide and he could be found out. Whilst Frankie has many years of experience in the spotlight and will be well prepared!" said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams. Steps singer Claire Richards and Beaver Falls actor Sam Robertson are tied with 7/1 odds, with former EastEnders actress Gillian Taylforth at 8/1. Tricia Penrose and married reality couple Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are also rumoured to be entering the house when it launches on January 3. Rylan's quirky and colourful performances on The X Factor often split judges Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh, with only his mentor Nicole Scherzinger backing him all the way.
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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.
An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.