Celebrity Big Brother’s Gary Goldsmith was the first housemate to be evicted from the ITV revival series of the show on Friday.
The millionaire businessman, 58, who is Kate Middleton’s uncle, was up for eviction against The Real Housewives of Cheshire star Lauren Simon.
Speaking in his first interview on Late & Live, Gary said: ‘I’ve had the best time, I went in with one agenda and I’ve achieved it in five days.
‘I don’t consider myself to be a celebrity, I just happen to be related to someone who is a big celebrity.’
Gary previously claimed he has no interest in being a celebrity, and when hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best asked if that was true, he said: ‘100% totally. I want to change what people think of my personality. It hurts when people refer to things that happened 20 years ago which aren’t all true, they call me a buncle.’
Celebrity Big Brother ‘s Gary Goldsmith was the first housemate to be evicted from the ITV revival series of the show on Friday
The millionaire businessman, 58, who is Kate Middleton ‘s uncle, was up for eviction against Lauren Simon
When AJ asked who Kate would want to win now he has left the house, he replied: ‘Levi Roots, I have so much respect for him, and if he was to win he will use it for good.’
Will asked again: ‘And do you think Kate would agree with that?’
Gary responded ‘100%, she puts other people first’
During Friday’s episode, Gary shocked his housemates by showing an emotional side, while branding himself a ‘national villain.’
Gary said that he has not had ‘true peace’ after he admitted to assaulting his wife.
During a task, housemates are transported to a celestrial retreat, Fern Britton questions Gary on whether he had ‘found peace within’.
He replied saying: ‘I think peace is something always to be striving for. I thought I was having a really cool life until something hits you.
‘One day I was Gary, a businessman having a laugh with a great family. And then the next minute, I’m a national villain.
‘So, I don’t really know what true peace is if I’m honest.’
The brother of Kate’s mother, Carole Middleton, was fined £5,000 and given a community order in November 2017 after pleading guilty to one count of assault by beating.
His wife accused him of taking drugs, the court was told, and a London taxi driver witnessed her being knocked to the ground outside their home.
Gary previously claimed he has no interest in being a celebrity, and when hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best asked if that was true, he said: ‘100% totally. I want to change what people think of my personality.’
When AJ asked who Kate Middleton would want to win now he has left the house, he replied: ‘Levi Roots, I have so much respect for him, and if he was to win he will use it for good.’
Gary shocked his housemates by showing an emotional side during Friday’s episode, while branding himself a ‘national villain’
Goldsmith’s inclusion on the show has been criticised by Women’s Aid, who said ‘the inclusion of men convicted of abuse in entertainment programmes will already be a sign that these crimes are not taken seriously’ and the charity advised the programme to consider his appearance.
In a statement from the show, he previously said: ‘I’m not perfect and I made a mistake, a personal row seven years ago which was publicly exposed that I’ve worked endlessly for seven years to put right.
‘The offence is long since spent however my regret continues.’
ITV have reportedly been forced to ‘carefully edit’ Gary’s Kate and King Charles remarks on Celebrity Big Brother.
READ MORE Celebrity Big Brother’s Gary Goldsmith reveals his niece Kate Middleton will be ‘hiding behind the sofa if she is watching’
Jennie Bond told the Mirror. ‘Anything that Gary says about the royal family is a headline, it’s great for the show, it’s publicity for ITV.
‘And yet they must be aware that they have a duty to safeguard and protect the health of the person, not to say the royal family obviously.
‘So I imagine they’ve got lawyers looking through it but yep, there will be some careful editing. I think the slightest inkling that they can give about anything that’s going on about the royal family – with the Harry situation Catherine’s health or the King’s health they’ll do their damndest to show.’
During Thursday night’s episode the housemates learned that Lauren had received the most nominations from her fellow housemates this week.
Meanwhile Gary was previously nominated by celebrity lodger Sharon Osbourne who had the power to nominate one housemate to face the first live eviction.
Lauren received six nominations from Bradley Riches, Colson Smith, Gary Goldsmith, Marisha Wallace, Nikita Kuzmin and Zeze Millz.
Gary’s nomination comes after several housemates wasted no time in asking the uncle of Kate Middleton his reasons behind being in the house.
Sharon took a swipe at Gary during Wednesday’s episode as she questioned his true intentions of being in the house.
Gary was one of three housemates in the ‘danger zone’ and risked being picked by Sharon, 71, as one of the star’s up for elimination.
Gary, David Potts and Zeze Millz were all given a chance to explain why they should be kept in the house as they each beg her to keep them in.
Kate Middleton’s uncle admitted he wants the chance to change the public’s perception of him, after always being known as the ‘black sheep’ of the family.
Gary said he has no interest in being famous, to which Sharon replied: ‘Why don’t I believe you when you say that?’
Sharon said: ‘So, we’re going to have a nice little chat Gary. Tell me why did you accept the offer to come into the house?’
Gary said: ‘It does bother me what the public perception of me is. The black sheep of the family. I’m a normal bloke. It just so happens that my niece married Will.’
The businessman then insisted that he has no interest in being a celebrity himself.
He said: ‘If I could show people I’m not that person. I’ve really put myself out there because this isn’t my world. Ultimately, I’m not a celebrity. I don’t want to be a celebrity, I don’t want to go down that path.
But Sharon was instantly sceptical of this claim and replied: ‘Why don’t I believe you when you say that?’
CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2024: MEET THE LINEUP
SHARON OSBOURNE
AGE: 71
FAMOUS FOR: Being a member of the Osbourne family, married to rock legend husband Ozzy as well as being a judge on The X Factor.
GARY GOLDSMITH
AGE: 58
FAMOUS FOR: Being Kate Middleton’s ‘black sheep’ uncle.
EKIN-SU CULCULOGLU
AGE: 29
FAMOUS FOR: Winning Love Island in 2022
COLSON SMITH
AGE: 25
FAMOUS FOR: Playing Craig Tinker in Coronation Street
FERN BRITTON
AGE: 66
FAMOUS FOR: Nineties TV sensation, and acting as Phillip Schofield’s This Morning sidekick.
BRADLEY RICHES
AGE: 22
FAMOUS FOR: Starring in Netflix’s Heartstopper
MARISHA WALLACE
AGE: 38
FAMOUS FOR: Broadway actress and singer, with roles in Dreamgirls and Aladdin
LOUIS WALSH
AGE: 71
FAMOUS FOR: His stint as an X Factor judge following a prestigious career as a music manager to bands like Westlife and Boyzone.
DAVID POTTS
AGE: 30
FAMOUS FOR: Ibiza Weekender
ZEZE MILLZ
AGE: 35
FAMOUS FOR: Social media star
LAUREN SIMON
AGE: 47
FAMOUS FOR: The Real Housewives of Cheshire
LEVI ROOTS
AGE: 65
FAMOUS FOR: One of Dragons’s Den’s biggest success stories.
NIKITA KUZMIN
AGE: 26
FAMOUS FOR: Being a professional on Strictly Come Dancing