Kate Middleton’s ‘black sheep’ uncle Gary Goldsmith could ’embarrass’ the royal family with his views on Harry and Meghan after signing up for Celebrity Big Brother, experts have warned.
The outspoken businessman, 58, brother of Kate‘s mother Carole, is reported to have inked a meaty deal with bosses for the return of the celebrity edition of the series after a six-year absence.
It comes at a challenging time for the royals, as Kate continues to recover from her abdominal surgery at The London Clinic and King Charles remains in the same hospital for a second day after undergoing a procedure for an enlarged prostate.
Mr Goldsmith attempted to gain a spot on I’m A Celebrity last year, but was turned down over concerns it could embarrass William and Kate.
He previously spoke out against Harry and Meghan after the release of Spare and is known for his ‘outspoken’ opinions on the couple.
Gary Goldsmith. The outspoken businessman, 58, is reported to have inked a meaty deal with bosses for the return of the celebrity edition of the series after a six-year absence (File Photo)
It comes at a challenging time for the royals, as Kate continues to recover from her abdominal surgery at The London Clinic and King Charles remains in the same hospital for a second day after undergoing a procedure for an enlarged prostate (File Photo)
Royal experts have now criticised the decision to welcome him into the Celebrity Big Brother house – calling the move ’embarrassing’ and possibly ‘dangerous’ to the royal family during a testing period.
Kate, 42, is not expected to carry out official engagements until after Easter, with the Prince of Wales clearing his diary of official duties for the time being.
Angela Levin told The Sun: ‘I think it’s cringe-making, very embarrassing, the trouble is he doesn’t like Harry and Meghan at all, some of this comments will fall onto Catherine and she’s had a lot against her, she’s not well, she’s in hospital.
‘I think when you come out of an operation you’re quite vulnerable and this could upset her enormously. In principle people who don’t like her could say she encouraged him to do it, but she would have done nothing of the kind.
‘It’s very embarrassing. It’s very hard being a royal, and I don’t know if this is a good idea.’
Show insiders say producers are delighted to have secured Mr Goldsmith as a contestant because of his links to the royal family – and because of his penchant for saying what he thinks, particularly about Kate’s brother-in-law, Prince Harry.
Mr Goldsmith attempted to gain a spot on I’m A Celebrity last year, but was turned down over concerns it could embarrass William and Kate (File Photo)
CBB, which is expected to air in March, is also reportedly lining up contestants such as Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Levi Roots and music manager Louis Walsh.
ITV has taken the reins of Big Brother following a stint at Channel 5, which axed the programme in 2018 after taking it from Channel 4, which itself had binned the format in 2010.
Royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams agreed that the news would be the ‘last thing’ Kate needs while she is in hospital and noted that he doesn’t think the Middletons will be ‘particularly delighted’.
Mr Fitzwilliams believes Mr Goldsmith would not be popular on the show, and adds that he will probably be a ‘big yawn’.
ITV bosses have reportedly been keeping tabs on Mr Goldsmith – who, writing for the Mail a year ago, slammed Harry’s autobiography Spare as ‘petulant, self-serving…fluff’.
His I’m A Celeb audition ended in failure, allegedly because bosses were worried about his potential to embarrass the royal family, but CBB chiefs believe his brusque, shoot-from-the-hip style of straight-talking will fit the format of TV’s most infamous house.
Kate, 42, is not expected to carry out official engagements until after Easter, with the Prince of Wales clearing his diary of official duties for the time being (File Photo)
A source told The Sun: ‘The CBB team love him because of his link to Kate and the fact that he’s confident and loud and won’t hold back.
‘He’s made it clear he will talk about everything and anything, and he’s pretty outspoken when it comes to Harry and Meghan. He could be TV gold and ITV knows it. The deal he signed is for good money.’
Mr Goldsmith was a guest at William and Kate’s wedding in 2011. He made his living building an IT recruitment business, but has been caught up in scandals including being pictured with drugs in Ibiza.
Since then he has attacked what he sees as insults to his family, including his niece and William, including episodes of The Crown, royal biographer Omid Scobie’s book Endgame and Harry’s memoir Spare.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.