Sharon Osbourne will enter the Celebrity Big Brother house tonight - and is tipped to be involved in the show's first major twist.
Whilst the other 12 stars enter the show and will face evictions and up to a possible three weeks, sassy Sharon is understood to have brokered a different contract to the rest and might only appear for a week. And she will be centre of attention from the start.
A show insider said: "Sharon didn't fancy the full slog on the show and she knew how much the bosses wanted her so she made a special deal. She isn't staying for the full show but is still taking home one of the biggest pay cheques." ITV insiders say she was top of their list to ensure the new series "has The X Factor " and gets off to a bright and exciting start.
Sharon, 71, is reported to be picking up £500,000 for her appearance, even though she won't be in there for long. In the house she will be joined by close friend and fellow former X Factor judge Louis Walsh. He is thought to be getting paid around £500,000 but will potentially have to stay in the house for three weeks unless he is voted out.
Show bosses have been considering making Sharon and Louis do the show's first challenge as it is common for the series to kick off with a twist or secret task for one or more housemates. The insider said: "They have paid all this money so they want to get
their money's worth. Expect Sharon to get lots of challenges and lots of airtime from the off."
* Celebrity Big Brother starts tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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