Chantelle is a Paris model

Chantelle is a professional Paris Hilton lookalike

Amar Singh|Alexa Baracaia|Evening Standard

11 April 2012

Celebrity Big Brother's first "non-celebrity" contestant is today revealed as a professional Paris Hilton lookalike and former Page Three girl.

Chantelle Houghton, 22, from Wickford in Essex, has been told she must convince her fellow housemates that she is a pop star to avoid eviction.

But the Standard can reveal that the celebrity spin-off 's first "civilian" contestant has flirted with fame as an agency lookalike, who impersonates US socialite Paris Hilton for photoshoots and has posed topless for The Sun.

Phil Green, managing director of Supermodel Ltd - a glamour model agency Ms Houghton has been signed to for three years - said: "What Chantelle does for us is a cross between glamour work and promotions. In the early days she did work for lads' mags. She was thrilled when she got her Page Three.

"She also did some TV adverts, but has since concentrated more on her work as a Paris Hilton lookalike."

Mr Green added: "She's a lovely, down-to-earth girl - I think she will do really well in the house."

Ms Houghton is also signed to two lookalike agencies, where she can earn as much as £300 per appearance.

The managing director of one, Fake Faces, today admitted he had been contacted by programme maker Endemol before the latest Big Brother show.

Jez Lee said: "Endemol contacted us because they were looking for people who could impersonate celebrities. We sent an email out to all our lookalikes.

"Its good to see Chantelle finally get her break... We're very proud of her."

Lookalike agent Susan Scott, who also represents Ms Houghton from her Hampstead offices, said: "She's a lovely bubbly Essex girl, but very tough and determined. We'll be cheering her on."

Ms Houghton also features on a dating website, where she lists "fake tan, Lionel Richie, rosé wine and popcorn" as her favourite things.

A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said: "Chantelle auditioned for Big Brother 6 as a normal contestant. The producers felt that she would work for Celebrity Big Brother this year. As far as I am aware no agency was contacted."

Preston and George Galloway appear to have already rumbled fake celebrity Chantelle.

She is trying to convince the other housemates she is a pop star from the pretend band Kandyfloss.

But she slipped up by telling Galloway her single got to number 47 in the charts - and telling Preston it reached number 58.

During a conversation in the garden with Galloway and Faria, a suspicious Preston began a discussion about Chantelle by saying: "I haven't heard of that group."

Galloway told him: "She had one hit, it got to number 47."

Preston said: "She told me 58. You don't think she's a red herring? I've never heard of her," adding: "If she's just a struggling musician I'd feel bad for being paranoid."

The pair sent Faria on a mission to ask Chantelle what number her record made in a bid to catch her out.

Ms Houghton has already caught the eye of another housemate, cross-dressing basketball player Dennis Rodman. The pair spent the early hours chatting, but Rodman wasn't paying too much attention to Chantelle's conversation.

Returning after a diary room chat, he told her: "They asked me who I was bonding with and I'm like, well, she's white, she's from Brisbane, she's named Champagne..." An indignant Chantelle retorted: "I'm not from Brisbane, I'm from Essex and I'm Chantelle."

Nearly eight million people tuned in to see a line-up including Michael Barrymore and former FA secretary Faria Alam enter the house last night.

Meanwhile, George Galloway's constituents in Bow and Bethnal Green reacted with fury today at his decision to take part, saying the MP should be representing their interests in parliament.

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