Big Brother’s CHANTELLE AND PRESTON teased their FANS With A glamorous reunion shoot
ISSUE 743 – 21 SEPTEMBER 2010
When Chantelle Houghton reunited with her ex-husband Samuel Preston for 2010’s Ultimate Big Brother, viewers were captivated by the obvious spark between them. The pair, who initially got together on Celebrity Big Brother four years earlier, met up with OK! to reflect on their failed marriage and how their second time in the BB house had prompted speculation that they might get back together.
Admitting that she still had feelings for musician Preston, as he’s known, Chantelle, told OK!, “Preston is the love of my life, absolutely... I didn’t realise before we went back on the show, but I’d never fallen out of love with him.”
For Chantelle, reliving their original Big Brother experience triggered a roller coaster of emotions that left her in floods of tears on camera. “I sort of knew Preston was going in the house and I geared myself up for it. But I never dreamt I would be that upset,” she said at our shoot.
Admitting that she needed to speak to Preston privately on the matter, she added, “I haven’t really had the chance to tell Preston anything about how I really felt. I didn’t even know myself that I wanted him back until very, very recently.”
The unlikely couple’s 10-month marriage “just didn’t work out”, according to Preston. He was accused at the time of trying to change Chantelle, but told her at OK!’S shoot, “I quite happily let you wear the trousers in most things.” Denying that he was a “controlling monster”, he pointed out, “I just kind of thought you looked better with brunette hair.”
Preston also confessed that he still loved his ex-wife, explaining, “No one can deny this connection we have. It’s really, really strong.”
However, despite describing living together again in the BB house as “a cathartic experience”, he dashed fans’ hopes that they might rekindle the marriage. “I hope we use that spark to continue a lifelong friendship,” said the Ordinary Boys singer. “That would be amazing.”
Following their divorce, Chantelle overhauled her appearance, but, sharing her regrets about going under the knife, she told OK!, “I went mad – I got my boobs done, my lips done... it was almost a cry for help.”
A decade on from OK!’S reunion shoot, the pair, who were recently seen on Big Brother: Best Episodes Ever, appear to have moved on for good. Both are said to be getting married – Preston, 38, to girlfriend Emily Smith, while Chantelle, 36, who later had her breast implants removed, is now engaged to new man Michael Strutt. She is also mum to Dolly, from her relationship with Alex Reid.