[Amy]

CHERIE Blair's lifestyle guru Carole Caplin has been handed an amazing "Name your own price" offer to go on Celebrity Big Brother.

TV bosses are desperate to have her on board when the reality show starts on Thursday - in the hope she will reveal Downing Street secrets.

Carole, 43, had accepted £80,000 to appear but pulled out on Christmas Eve. It is thought PM's wife Cherie begged her not to take part.

Now series makers Endemol has offered the former topless model a blank cheque to change her mind.

An insider said: "Bosses believe Carole will make dynamite TV. If she lets anything slip about the Blairs it will really pull in the viewers.

"Many here think a phone call was made. The last thing the PM wants is Carole on this show. So money is not an issue to get her. She might want £150,000 Š or even more."

If she is tempted to sign, her pay could dwarf the fees of the other 13 celebs lined up for C4's show.

Model Victoria Silvstedt is on £50,000, racing pundit John McCririck £25,000, and soccer's Frank McAvennie £22,000. Sven Goran Eriksson's ex-lover Faria Alam wants £120,000 and gay activist Peter Tatchell will get £20,000 if he takes part. But "prophet" David Icke, who was on £25,000, was dumped yesterday as "surplus to requirements".

Eight finalists will be picked to go into the house.

But stars are set to QUIT unless plans to release a DVD of uncensored clips are dropped. And McCririck, 64, will wear his deer-stalker hat 24 hours a day to stop viewers seeing his bald head.


Article Sunday People