Big Brother viewers were left fuming as new hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best kicked off the launch show on ITV, as an iconic figure appeared to be missing.
A new batch of housemates including a barman, a butcher, a Muslim make-up artist and a fiery Scottish dancer led the housemates during Sunday’s launch.
But fans of the show shared their fears on social media when they thought narrator Marcus Bentley had not returned.
Voiceover star Marcus has featured on all nineteen series of the show to date, as well as the spin-off shows, until it was axed in 2018 by Channel 5.
Luckily there was a surprise in store, as he returned to his iconic role, updating audiences at home about the events inside the house.
Where is he? Big Brother viewers were left fuming as new hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best kicked off the launch show on ITV, as an iconic figure appeared to be missing
Sharing their thoughts on X, one person posted: ‘Oh Marcus was simply magical so glad ur back they could never without you.’
‘Good to have you back Marcus hope Mrs B doesn’t mind sharing you with us,’ another joked.
‘Ah Marcus is back, phew!’ a third fan posted.
Someone else added: ‘So great to have Marcus Bentley’s voice back again. It’s like an old friend has popped around for a cuppa.’
Clearing up any confusion, Marcus shared: ‘Listen guys I’ve had a lot of this tonight – but just to reiterate, for some who think I wasn’t on the show this evening- I am not the voice of the diary room Big Brother- never have been.
‘I’m the narrator of the show and I was narrating the show when all the housemates had entered.’
Ahead of the reboot, voiceover star Marcus took to social media to share a throwback video of his final recording in 2018 in anticipation for the show.
The clip showed the actor, 55, saying ‘tonight, it’s almost time to say goodbye’ in his famous Geordie accent.
Yay! Luckily there was a surprise in store, as Marcus Bentley returned to his iconic role, updating audiences at home about the events inside the house
Sharing their thoughts on X, one person posted: ‘Oh Marcus was simply magical so glad ur back they could never without you’
Return: Clearing up any confusion, Marcus shared: ‘I’m the narrator of the show and I was narrating the show when all the housemates had entered’
The Gateshead-born voiceover artist shot to fame in 2000 when Big Brother launched on Channel 4.
Marcus stayed with the popular reality series during the changeover to Channel 5 and recorded the voiceover up until its last run in 2018.
When the show announced a return, rumours started to fly on whether Marcus would be joining the programme again.
These rumours were put to rest in April when a source told The Sun: ‘It was a no brainer to have Marcus back for the new era – he is simply the voice associated with Big Brother UK.’
BIG BROTHER 2023: MEET THE CONTESTANTS!
JENKIN
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Barman
FROM: Bridgend
HOW WOULD YOUR FRIENDS DESCRIBE YOU? ‘Loud and messy and irritating probably.’
TOM
AGE: 21
PROFESSION: Butcher
FROM: Somerset
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘I think I might potentially offend some people. My mouth moves faster than my brain.’
TRISH
AGE: 33
PROFESSION: Mum
FROM: Luton
WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THE PRIZE MONEY IF YOU WON? ‘I think my first priority is to sort out my housing situation. The housing crisis is just ridiculous and my housing situation has been unstable. It brings me a lot of mum guilt because I’ve got a young child. It’s my biggest incentive and motivation to win.’
JORDAN
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Lawyer
FROM: Scunthorpe
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘Being cantankerous and acting as if I don’t want to be there even if I do in my heart. They might nominate me for being disengaged perhaps or not paying everyone an equal amount of attention. They may feel left out but I can’t help that.’
DYLAN
AGE: 39
PROFESSION: DJ
FROM: Coventry
TELL US AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: ‘I appeared on a TV show called The Last Leg about amputees – two years before I lost my leg!’
NOKY
AGE: 26
PROFESSION: Banker
FROM: Derby
WHAT MADE YOU APPLY TO BECOME A BIG BROTHER HOUSEMATE? ‘I love challenges. I’ve had so many amazing times in my life, like going to Miss Universe as Miss Great Britain. I like to do something different and I think this is the next challenge I want to conquer. I want to show people what pageant girls are really like and disprove a lot of stereotypes around them. I also show what it’s like being a woman who’s worked in male- dominated fields. I want to show that women are capable of doing anything they want.’
PAUL
AGE: 23
PROFESSION: Security Officer
FROM: Liverpool
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘Being the biggest wind up, eating all the food and being the loudest housemate.’
OLIVIA
AGE: 23
PROFESSION: Dancer
FROM: Glasgow
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘I think when people are in that hangry state, that’s when I’ll wind people up and grind their gears. I think they’ll nominate me for being full on, and for my brutal honesty and oversharing of opinions.’
FARIDA
AGE: 50
PROFESSION: Make-up artist
FROM: Wolverhampton
TELL US AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: ‘People are always surprised when I say I got married at 43. Or also that I’m an ex-holiday rep in Gran Canaria and Menorca.’
HAILLE
AGE: 18
PROFESSION: Youth Worker
FROM: London
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET NOMINATED FOR? ‘Being lazy and having an opinion. I’m quite opinionated, I like speaking my mind and not many people like that. I’m quite real.’
YINRUN
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Customer Support Agent
FROM: Harrogate
WHAT PART OF THE EXPERIENCE ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? ‘I’m most excited about being surrounded by so many people from different walks of life. I don’t think I will ever live in a house again with so many different kinds of people. I’m from China and I think it will help me be more immersed in British culture..’
CHANELLE
AGE: 29
PROFESSION: Dental Therapist
FROM: Llanelli
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO BE NOMINATED FOR? ‘Probably just for being annoying. In Wales, we have this saying ‘I’ll do it now in a minute’. So like, if I went to make food and I left a dish on the side, I have all good intentions of washing it but I’d be like, ‘I’ll do it now in a minute,’ and it might be three hours later before I do it. So probably for silly stuff like that.’
ZAK
AGE: 28
PROFESSION: Model
FROM: Manchester
WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THE PRIZE MONEY IF YOU WON? ‘Pay off my debts and help my family out. I’ve also been saving up to build a park in my village back at home in Thailand because where I grew up, there’s no parks or playgrounds.’
MATTY
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Doctor
FROM: Isle Of Man
HOW WOULD YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY DESCRIBE YOU? ‘They would say I’m quite like a lucky person or someone who really wants to experience life to its fullest and do everything that it has to offer. Someone who is kind and fun and doesn’t take life too seriously.’
HENRY
AGE: 25
PROFESSION: Food Writer
FROM: Cotswolds
HOW WOULD YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY DESCRIBE YOU? ‘I think they would say I’m particularly sociable and very chatty. I mean, I’ll be honest, my parents would definitely say I’m a bit of a snob but I take it as a compliment. I think it means you’ve got high standards and good taste. They’d say I was quite a peculiar child.’
KERRY
AGE: 40
PROFESSION: NHS Manager
FROM: Essex
WHAT MADE YOU APPLY TO BE A BIG BROTHER HOUSEMATE? ‘I love the programme. It is, for me, the ultimate reality TV show ever. I’ve got multiple sclerosis and so the reason why I never applied before is because I always saw those whacking great big stairs to get into the house. It just felt a little bit unachievable because for the first three years of my illness I was in a wheelchair. When I saw it was coming back and searching for real people from all walks of life, I thought, this is my year.’
