"The greatest reality show on earth" is back - Big Brother returned to UK screens last night for the first time in five years with 16 new contestants entering the house.

The popular reality series returned to ITV on Sunday (October 8), after it was axed by Channel 5 amid a ratings slump in 2018, with new hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best introducing a batch of 16 contestants to the brand-new house in front of a studio audience.

The housemates will live together in a custom-built home over the coming weeks without access to the outside world in a bid to win £100,000.

South Wales Argus: Two Big Brother housemates - Chanelle (third from right) and Jenkin (third from left) - hail from South Wales. Two Big Brother housemates - Chanelle (third from right) and Jenkin (third from left) - hail from South Wales. (Image: ITV)

South Wales locals among Big Brother UK 2023 housemates

Two of the 16 housemates on the Big Brother reboot are from South Wales - Chanelle and Jenkin.

Chanelle

Llanelli

South Wales Argus: Chanelle said she signed up to Big Brother as a joke.Chanelle said she signed up to Big Brother as a joke. (Image: ITV)

Occupation: Dental Therapist

Age: 29

Chanelle said she originally signed up for Big Brother as a joke but is now entering the house for herself with the aim of making "friends for life". 

Asked about what she was most looking forward to about the experience, she said: "Meeting people from all walks of life.

"I'm assuming everyone's gonna have a story so they're probably going to be really interesting.

"I’m quite attentive and I love finding things out. Also the tasks and just testing myself.

"It’s the unknown which is quite exciting

She said friends and family would describe her as fun, bubbly, resilient, humble and grounded, with a lot of energy. 

If Chanelle wins the £100,000 she said she is going to "invest it in something that's gonna set me up for life" as well as paying off the credit cards.

Jenkin

Bridgend

South Wales Argus: Jenkin from Bridgend is one of 16 new contestants taking part in the Big Brother reboot on ITV.Jenkin from Bridgend is one of 16 new contestants taking part in the Big Brother reboot on ITV. (Image: ITV)

Occupation: Barman

Age: 25

Jenkin was one of the first contestants to enter the Big Brother house last night. 

Explaining his reasoning for going on Big Brother he said: "I was bored and I thought I'd do something different, give it a whirl."

The 25-year-old barman, who can "rap Cardi B's album start to finish", said he was looking forward to meeting new people on the show. 

Asked what was going to get him in trouble/nominated in the Big Brother house Jenkin said: "Just talking about people, I'm not gonna lie. I can't keep secrets, I really struggle."

He added: "I love a bit of goss and I can't help myself to be a little bit of an instigator. I'd bring the drams, we know I would."

If he wins, Jenkin said: "I'd pay my dad's house off and then do a giant online shopping order."

Jenkin has already caused a bit of drama since entering the house last night selecting fellow housemate, 23-year-old dancer Olivia, from Glasgow, as the contestant he thinks will be hardest to live with resulting in her facing the first public eviction on Friday.

You can catch Chanelle and Jenkin on Big Brother nightly (except for Saturdays) on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm.