UK
Gary Goldsmith: Princess of Wales’s uncle ‘set to appear on Celebrity Big Brother’
The Princess of Wales’s uncle is reportedly set to appear as a contestant on the new series of Celebrity Big Brother.
Gary Goldsmith is reportedly set to take part in the celebrity reality show, which returns to UK television for the first time in six years tonight.
The 58-year-old businessman, the younger brother of Kate’s mother, Carole, attended the wedding of his niece and Prince William at Westminster Abbey in 2011.
According to The Sun newspaper, Mr Goldsmith arrived at ITV’s studios yesterday and has been put up in a London hotel ahead of the launch of the new series tonight.
It comes as Kate continues to recover from “planned abdominal surgery” in January.
She was last seen in public on Christmas Day when she walked to church in Sandringham, Norfolk, with the rest of the Royal Family.
The Princess of Wales was seen in Sandringham on Christmas Day. Pic: PA
She is “recovering and continues to be doing well”, according to a statement from Kensington Palace.
Who is Gary Goldsmith?
Goldsmith is a London-based businessman who made his money in IT and recruitment.
As the brother of Carole Middleton, he is the uncle of the Princess of Wales, as well as her siblings, Pippa and James Middleton.
In 2017, he was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 20 sessions of rehabilitation, as well as a fine of £5,000, after striking his wife with a “left hook” to the face during an argument.
Gary Goldsmith, leaving Westminster Magistrates’ Court in 2017. Pic: PA
He knocked Julie-Ann Goldsmith to the ground after she accused him of taking drugs during a drunken fight outside their home in central London, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard at the time of the hearing.
Goldsmith pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating.
Celebrity Big Brother returns
Celebrity Big Brother will be broadcast live tonight on ITV for the first time.
The show, and its non-celebrity version, originally found fame on Channel 4, before moving to Channel 5, where the final season aired in 2018.
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Last year, ITV announced plans to revive the show after striking a deal with production company Banijay, who own the rights.
Big Brother returned in October last year for its 20th civilian season, with Celebrity Big Brother set to return on Monday night.
The live show, which will be fronted by presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best, is set to begin at 9pm.
A spokesperson for production firm Banijay said they would not formally confirm any of the housemates before they enter.