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WE’LL PAY £1M FOR TOP STAR
B.Bro bosses’ pay cheque pledge

by MARK JEFFERIES

CHANNEL 4 bosses are raiding the BB piggybank for up to £1million – to try to get an A-list star to join Celebrity Big Brother at the last minute.

We told you yesterday how several famous faces have got cold feet and pulled out.

And now show makers Endemol have been told to go back to some of their top targets with a “name your price” offer.

Celebs now being considered include ex Hollyoaks babe Sarah Dunn, 24, singer Courtney Love, 42, and Emmerdale’s troubled Ben Freeman, 26 – plus other top blokes and babes from music and football.

Soap star Freeman, who plays bad-boy Scott Windsor, is currently charged with attacking a 16-year-old British girl in Barbados. But he denies rape and is desperate to clear his name.

Courtney, the widow of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, would bring sex and rock ’n’ roll to the house if she could be persuaded to sign up, after recently romping with celebs such as Steve Coogan, 41.

And stunning actress Sarah is said to be desperate to get her curves back on the small screen to help kickstart her career.

A show source said: “Normally by this time – less than a week before the show starts – the celebs are all signed and sealed. But this year bosses are going to be working right up to the last minute to make sure they get the right mix.

“Channel 4 are very keen on getting a big name star to keep the nation gripped.

“They called in some of the top bigwigs for meetings over Christmas, which is unheard of and shows how seriousthey are about making it the biggest and best yet.

“So don’t be surprised if a former Premiership footballer or pop hunk makes it into the mix as well.”

Ripping

This year’s show kicks off next Wednesday and bosses also hope it could also be the steamiest yet, after ripping out the bath and replacing it with a wet room complete with extra large shower.

Already rumoured to have signed are A Team actor Dirk Benedict, 60, Paul Michael Glaser, 63, from TV cop show Starsky and Hutch and singer Jermaine Jackson, 51, from the Jackson Five.

Others tipped for the show include former Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins, 30, ex-Labour MP and TV host Robert Kilroy Silk, 64, and rapper Lil’ Kim, 32.

mark.jefferies@dailystar.co.uk

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