Celebrity Big Brother returns to Channel 5 with 3.5 million viewers

An impressive 3.5 million viewers tuned into Channel 5 last night to see the latest batch of celebrities enter the Elstree house.

Over 2 hours from 9.00pm, 3.5 million watched as the likes of X Factor star Rylan Clark, former footballer Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock and Steps singer Claire Richards entered either the main house or the new basement area as part of the first night twist.

The overnight figure is significantly up from the 2.7 million who watched Celebrity Big Brother launch show in August last year. The reality franchise made its début on Channel 5 in 2011 with 5.1 million viewers.

The show had been in the news over the past few days following the news that comedian Jim Davidson had been arrested and bailed by police. He was thought to have been one of those lined-up to be entering the house but various reports say that he was replaced last minute by Neil Ruddock.

Celebrity Big Brother continues nightly on Channel 5.