Straight-talking former MP Ann Widdecombe joined an all-female line-up heading into the Celebrity Big Brother house this week.

The retired Maidstone and The Weald politician was quick to brand the 2018 house’s interior design as “ghastly” as she became the first celebrity to enter the house.

She was joined by the best friend of the Kardashian reality dynasty, Malika Haqq, before the single former politician greeted journalist Rachel Johnson, sister of foreign secretary Boris.

Before entering the house, the former Tory MP revealed to host Emma Willis she lives alone, saying: “To share with 15 other people, that might be a bit of a challenge.

“I say what I think, I snore, I sneeze after meals - I can’t help it, I am what I am and that’s it.”

She retired as an MP in 2010 and in the same year the Brexiteer appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, and was recognised for her stint on the competition by fellow housemate, former detective Maggie Oliver, known for exposing the Rochdale child sex ring.

On launch night, the celebrities had a chance to gain immunity from the first public vote in a challenge, but the former MP lost the task alongside her partner, Made in Chelsea star, Ashley James.

“I say what I think, I snore, I sneeze after meals - I can’t help it, I am what I am and that’s it.”

This year Big Brother is celebrating women and marking the centenary of women’s right to vote in the UK by launching with an all-female cast.

But on Friday the first celebrity men will head into the house, with former England and Liverpool footballer John Barnes revealed as one of the names bound for the reality show.

Speaking before she entered the house, the 70-year-old said: “I would prefer a few men around the place, because normal human interaction is between the two sexes, it’s not just confined to one.

She joked: “It doesn’t matter if I’ve got to be with a load of cackling females.”

Miss Widdecombe revealed why she joined this year’s series, after previous links with the Channel 5 show.

She said: “It is very specifically because of the theme this year, I’ve always said no in the past and I was saying no this year and then they said ‘well it's different’, it is slightly more serious, it's about women’s lib and so eventually I said yes.”

Other celebrities in the line-up include former Corrie and Bad Girls actress Amanda Barrie, transgender television presenter India Willoughby and glamour model Jess Impiazzi.