A group of celebrities will be giving up life’s luxuries as they spend three weeks in the Big Brother house in Borehamwood.

Elstree Studios, in Shenley Road, is now home to 14 A and B-listers whose every waking hour will be aired on Channel 5 at 9pm every night.

Crowds flocked to the studios to catch a glimpse of the town’s newest residents when the first episode was aired last night.

First into the house was former Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins. She was followed by actress Patsy Kensit, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton and former Coronation Street actor Ken Morley.

They were joined by former Baywatch actor Jeremy Jackson, Calum Best, a television personality and son of George Best, soul singer Alexander O'Neal, glamour model Alicia Douvall, glamour model Cami Li.

Also in the house are reality TV star Chloe Goodman, pop singer Kavana, television presenter Keith Chegwin, singer, radio and television host Michelle Visage. Former Eastenders actress and Celebrity Masterchef winner Nadia Sawalha admitted she was only taking part to pay for an extension to her kitchen.

Elstree Studios is currently home to BBC1 show Strictly Come Dancing and The Voice, and has been undergoing a £4.5m expansion project to clear four acres of land known as the mound.

This will help pave the way for more film and TV shows to be produced in Borehamwood.

Its owner, Hertsmere Borough Council, received a £2m loan from Hertfordshire Local Enterprise’s Partnership Growing Places Fund, with the remaining £2.5m provided by council’s own reserves.

Hertfordshire local enterprise partnership is committed to securing further growth in this key sector for the local economy, with both Elstree and Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden seeing substantial investment in recent years.

Roger Morris, managing director of Elstree Studios, said: “The additional production facilities will ensure that Elstree Studios remain one of the UK’s most popular studios for film and television production.”