Big Brother UK: These are the most popular contestants of all time

To go along with the launch of ITV’s upcoming streaming platform ITVX, the channel has announced the return of the hit reality show, Big Brother.

The iconic show put a range of contestants into a house, shut off from contact with the outside world. The group of between 12 and 16 houseguests would then gradually be evicted according to a public vote.

“The social-experiment show was a huge success as a result of its 24-hour live video feeds and relatable TV content,” said Nick Baker, broadband expert at Uswitch.com.

“It’s fascinating to see just how significant the show has been for a number of contestants.

“For example, legendary contestants such as Alison Hammond found tremendous fame, gaining 1.1 million Instagram followers. Alison went on to host This Morning and Loose Women, while also making appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!”

Ahead of Big Brother’s comeback on ITV2, here’s a look at the most popular Big Brother contestants of all time, according to research from comparison and switching service Uswitch.com.

Who are the most popular Big Brother UK contestants of all time?

The research analysed the Instagram followings, IMDb credits, and the number of days spent in the house of each previous Big Brother contestant, starting at the beginning with series one all the way through to season 19.

These factors were used to determine a score out of 10 for each contestant and inform the rankings of the most popular Big Brother contestants of all time.

Taking those three factors into account, the most popular Big Brother contestant of all time is Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace of season seven, with a contestant score of 8.8 out of 10.

Aisleyne placed third in her series of Big Brother, back in 2006, yet she still remains in the spotlight with an Instagram following of 593,000 and an online career on TV, with a total of 61 IMDb credits.

Second place is shared jointly between Deana Uppal and Kate Lawler. Business entrepreneur Deana placed third in series 13, whilst TV personality Kate was the first female contestant to win the show, in series three. Since their Big Brother successes, Deana has acquired 600,000 Instagram followers, and Kate has acquired over 440,000.

In fourth place is Imogen Thomas, who came seventh in Big Brother series seven. Imogen has continued to work in the TV and modelling industry after her Big Brother appearance, and currently has a total of 21 IMDb credits to her name.

The full top ten Big Brother contestants are the following:

1) Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace (series seven)

2) Deana Uppal (series 13)

3) Kate Lawler (series three)

4) Imogen Thomas (series seven)

5) Josie Gibson (series 11)

6) Brian Dowling (series two)

7) Alison Hammond (series three)

8) Pete Bennett (series seven)

9) Lateysha Grace (series 17)

10) Charley Uchea (series 8)

Other memorable Big Brother contestants that deserve a shout out include Nicholas Bateman, Nikki Grahame, Pete Burns, Pete Bennett, and Jade Goody.

But reality TV fans will have to wait a little while to be introduced to the next Big Brother icons. Big Brother is set to return in 2023 on ITV and ITVX.