This year's celebrities have taken their place in the Big Brother house in what was the show's first ever all-female launch last night, to mark 100 years since women won the right to vote for the very first time in the UK.

While there will be men added in on Friday night, for the next few days it will just be the ladies holding their own in the CBB house. Over the course of the series, as the male counterparts enter the house, the housemates will take part in a series of "entertaining tasks and hidden experiments which will test their - and our - assumptions, challenge gender stereotypes and reveal fascinating truths about what it is to be a woman - and man - in the 21st century".

From first impressions, we can tell you our favourites to win are Amanda, Rachel or Ashley, but it's very early days yet.

Here are all the ladies...

Ann Widdecombe
Age: 70

Ann Widdecombe is a former Conservative Party Politician, author and owner of many controversial opinions and beliefs. A former MP for the constituency of Maidstone, and expressing conservative views, Ann became most known for: opposing abortion, voting for the reinstatement of the death penalty, opposing same-sex marriage and believing modern feminism is a "big whinge". In 2010 Ann retired from politics and set her sights on stardom, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and most recently, starring in pantomime.

 

Ashley James
Age: 30

Ashley James is a social influencer, DJ and TV presenter who first rose to fame when she appeared on Made in Chelsea. Since then, she began concentrating on her music career as a DJ. Ashley feels strongly about female empowerment and this year she launched her own t-shirt collection egaliTEE, featuring empowering and equality slogans. While not new to celebrity dating, Ashley describes herself as a 'secret hopeless romantic'.

 

India Willoughby
Age: 52

India Willoughby is Britain’s first transgender television newsreader and the first trans panellist on Loose Women. Born as Jonathan Willoughby, she began her career on ITV in 2000. As Jonathan, she married and has a son who is now 19.


Jess Impiazzi
Age: 28

Jess Impiazzi is a British glamour model who first rose to fame in 2009. The model first hit the TV screens when she appeared on The Only Way is Essex, shortly followed by Ex on the Beach. Alongside her TV work, Jess works as an actress. Most recently she has appeared in the movie Dangerous Game alongside ex CBB housemates Calum Best and Darren Day.

 

Maggie Oliver
Age: 62

Maggie Oliver is best known for being a former Detective Constable in the Greater Manchester Police and exposing the Rochdale child sex grooming scandal. Maggie quit the force after serving 16 years to expose the wrongdoings of senior officers within the police force. Most recently, Maggie has continued to stay in the spotlight with interviews on Loose Women, Lorraine and BBC News; talking about the decisions she made to the on-going work she does to protect girls that have been exposed to grooming.

Malika Haqq
Age: 34

Malika Haqq is a US reality TV star who is best known for appearing on Keeping Up With The Kardashians and being the best friend of Khloe Kardashian. Coming across as a confident woman who isn’t afraid to bare all, Malika posed nude in Dash Dolls; a spin off series of KUWTK, which saw Malika and her twin sister run a boutique owned by the Kardashians. In June 2017, Malika appeared alongside ex CBB housemates Calum Best, Tiffany Pollard and Chad Johnson in Famously Single 2.

 

Rachel Johnson
Age: 52

Rachel Johnson is a journalist and author. In 1989 Rachel joined the world of journalism and worked for the likes of the Financial Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times, The Evening Standard and most recently The Mail on Sunday. In 2009, Rachel became the ninth editor of The Lady. She has also released multiple novels, has been a regular guest on BBC Breakfast and has appeared on Newsnight, Question Time, Front Row, Tonight and The Pledge.

 

Amanda Barrie
Age: 82

Amanda Barrie is an English actress who is best known for playing the role of Alma Sedgewick in Coronation Street. She has played a number of iconic female characters throughout her career, enlisting her as one of the UK’s national treasures. In 1963 and 1964 Amanda hit the big screen when she appeared in two of the slapstick Carry On film series. Most recently, Amanda appeared in the TV series The Real Marigold Hotel. Amanda was previously married for fourteen years but came out as bisexual in her autobiography, It's Not a Rehearsal, in 2002. At aged 79, she married her long term partner, crime novelist Hilary Bonner.

Catch up on all the goings on in Celebrity Big Brother tonight on 3e at 9pm, while Emma Willis returns live to the house on Friday at 9pm to introduce the male housemates.