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BIG BRO BOSSES TELL MAC: SPILL BEANS ON JACKO
EXCLUSIVE
by PETER DYKE Mr Reality TV

TV bosses have signed Michael Jackson’s pal – Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin – for the new series of Celebrity Big Brother. And they have asked him to spill the beans about the fallen King of Pop as part of the megabucks deal.
Last night a source on the show said: “This is a great coup for us. And because of his friendship with Michael Jackson, you’re almost getting two for the price of one if he can be persuaded to reveal all about Wacko Jacko.”

Split

Culkin, 25, became Hollywood’s richest young actor at the age of just nine thanks to his appearance in Home Alone in 1990, which grossed a staggering £200million at the box office.

He went on to star in My Girl, The Good Son and Home Alone 2, commanding salaries of around £3m per movie. But while his film career flourished, his private life began to fall apart.

His parents split up in 1995 and started a bitter legal battle over who should get custody over their children – and Culkin’s fortune. Then at the age of 17 he shocked everyone by getting married to actress Rachel Miner, also 17. But the pair split after just two years.

Then he started hitting the bottle – and his film career hit the skids. Last year he was arrested for possession of marijuana and prescription drugs. The insider added: “We were desperate to bag Macaulay because we want some big name Americans who will be controversial and have a chequered history.

“And he fits the bill nicely because so much has happened to him in his young life.But, more importantly, he has been privy to Jacko’s private world at Neverland. Nothing would grab the ratings more than having him reveal some secrets about the pop star – especially after he was acquitted of child sex charges this year.”

Culkin will join a real mixed bag of characters when the three-week show starts on Thursday.

Shamed

Others tipped to appear include shamed Michael Barrymore, 53, basketball ace Dennis Rodman, 44, soccer legend Ruud Gullit, 43, comedian Jimmy Tarbuck, 64, pop star Boy George, 44, You Are What You Eat dietician Dr Gillian McKeith, 39, telly psychic Derek Acorah, 55, and pneumatic blonde Anna Nicole Smith, 38.

Channel 4 bosses also hope Sven Goran Eriksson’s fiery girlfriend Nancy Dell’Olio, 46, will sign up.

They are trying to lure her on to the show with a six-figure sum.

Daily Star