This week, Celebrity Big Brother made its return to British airwaves for the first time in six years, and it’s got a house full of guests who know a thing or two about making good TV.
The eclectic cast includes media matriarch Sharon Osborne, Love Island and The Traitors competitor Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu (to liberally paraphrase Phaedra Parks, “oh lord sweet baby Jesus, yes Ekin Su!), The X Factor judge Louis Walsh, and gay reality TV mainstay David Potts (and his famous short-shorts).
But, for our purposes, the guest we’re most excited to see—and the one we’ll be rooting for to win it all—is gay actor Bradley Riches, best known as one of the stars of Heartstopper.
Riches was a small part of the beloved Netflix coming-of-age series in its first season, but his character, James McEwan, was highlighted in season two, becoming a potential love interest for Truham Grammar School classmate Isaac (Tobie Donovan) before he realized he was asexual.
The actor was diagnosed as autistic when he was 9 and, as he’s carved out a career in entertainment, he’s been a strong voice for neurodivergence inclusivity and representation within the LGBTQ+ community. In fact, that’s a big part of the message he hopes to bring to the Celebrity Big Brother household.
“Growing up I felt like an alien, I didn’t know where I placed in the world,” Riches says in a promotional video for the reality competition. “I think being different is very cool—I think it’s taken me a long time to realize that—and I just want to inspire people and give people that positive representation.”
At 22, Riches is also the youngest of this season’s houseguests (Osborne and Walsh, both 71, are the oldest), so he’s sure to bring a lot of energy to the season. In the same video, he adds that he loves a party and “a bit of Prosecco sometimes,” joking that he may be awake in the house some nights until 2am—or maybe even 6am, since the guests don’t actually know what the time is while they’re filming.
The queer Heartstopper actor’s time on Big Brother follows the 2023 non-celebrity edition of the competition, which saw out, gay contestant Jordan Sangha take the win—after being tangled up in a queer love triangle throughout the season with fellow contestants Henry Southan and Matty Simpson.
In fact, rumors first began to swirl that Riches was joining the show after he was spotted hanging out with Sangha and Souhtan (who have confirmed they are in a relationship after filming ended).
Tommy Bracco and Joey Macli are the epitome of fiancé goals!
When Celebrity Big Brother hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best asked Riches if the series alum had given him any advice, the actor said, “Be myself, that’s all I can do.” But, unlike Sangha and Southan, he says he won’t be getting involved in any love triangles since he’s already got a boyfriend.
Unsurprisingly, given Heartstopper‘s massive fanbase, audiences were thrilled to see Riches step into the Celebrity Big Brother household. Here are just a few of the most ecstatic reactions from Twitter X:
Bradley Riches wearing noise reducing earplugs when going into the house is so amazing to see as another autistic adult who often needs to wear them when out and about. We really need to normalise it more and this is such a fantastic step towards that ??#CBBUK— Chloe? (@yourschloex) March 4, 2024
Bradley Riches is such an advocate for widening opportunities for autistic and neurodivergent people, and the LGBTQ+ community, and him being in #CBBUK will help everyone understand why I keep saying that working on a book with him has been such a rewarding experience.— James A Lyons (@JALwrites) March 4, 2024
BRADLEY RICHES ON BIG BROTHER QUEER AUTISTIC PEOPLE WE LOVE YOU!!!!!— arlie (@sprjngbags) March 4, 2024
Of course, Heartstopper‘s not the only place you might recognize Riches from. His stage credits in the U.K. include A Christmas Story: The Musical and Footloose. His first screen role was a small part in the Oscar favorite war flick 1917, he’ll appear in the upcoming second season of comedy-slasher Wreck, and he even turns up in the most talked about movie of the past year, Saltburn.
And speaking of Saltburn… We just thought we’d let you know that, to promote the new season of Celebrity Big Brother, hunky host Will Sharp recreated that scene—you know the one, complete with Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder On The Dance Floor.” You can check it out for yourself below. You’re welcome!
(@BullFrogss) March 4, 2024
