Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd has been crowned the champion of the 2025 series of Celebrity Big Brother, following a dramatic final on ITV that saw drag artist Danny Beard and US singer JoJo Siwa take second and third place respectively.
Shepherd, 37, best known for his role as David Platt in the long-running ITV soap, looked stunned as he was announced the winner by hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best. Runner-up Danny Beard, famed for winning series four of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, warmly congratulated him on his victory.
“Oh my God, thanks, come on, wow,” Shepherd exclaimed as he hugged Beard. Speaking moments later, he admitted: “I can’t believe it, I am blown away. I didn’t expect it tonight. I mean, what is there? Six in the final? I thought I was a shoe-in for maybe fifth, honestly. And then as people were just disappearing, I thought, surely not. When JoJo went my head fell off. I had her nailed down as the winner. JoJo went, and then it was me and Dan in the final.”
Departing the house in second place, Beard was visibly emotional but in high spirits. Speaking to Odudu and Best, he said: “I’ve had the best time every single day. I’ve made friends that I know I’m going to have for life. And I love this show, so I’m not sleeping tonight guys — I’m going home and streaming every single episode. I had the best time, honestly. And to do the whole thing as me, not with the tape, not with the wigs, the love is, honestly, it’s so emotional.”
JoJo Siwa, who placed third, wished Shepherd and Beard “good luck” before adding, “enjoy your last hours” in the house. Reflecting on her time, she opened up about the close friendship she formed with fellow contestant Chris Hughes, former Love Island star and ITV racing presenter.
Speaking about Hughes, with whom she revealed she was playing tennis the following Sunday, Siwa said: “We absolutely love and adore him. He is in my life forever now. I’m so incredibly grateful for him. He has helped me through my hard times in this house and helped me create my happiest memories too. He is more than a friend; he is just such a special guy. I’m so lucky.”
Hughes was the first to be evicted during the final, finishing in sixth place. As he left the house, he told his fellow contestants: “Love you all, I’ll see you in a minute.” Tearing up when speaking about Siwa, he said: “JoJo was like a pure rock to me. She was someone I could have fun with every day. That is to me, a beautiful friend.”
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Hughes continued emotionally: “She said to me last night, ‘You’re someone in my life I didn’t know I needed or was missing.’ And that means the world. Seeing what she’s come through when she was a teenager, it really touched me. She’s a purely nice person.”
Dismissing rumours of a romantic link between them, Hughes added: “Do you know what? From a friendship point of view, of course, I love her. I love my boyfriends like I love Ches, but in a different way. When I love people, whether it’s platonic or not, it’s love.”
When questioned about them sharing a bed, he laughed: “We were just messing around, we were being kids.”
Singer Chesney Hawkes, best known for his 1991 UK chart-topper The One And Only, finished fifth, exiting to cheers and his iconic hit. Comedian and actress Donna Preston came fourth, telling her housemates, “Okay honies, love yous,” as she departed the house.
Before the final results were announced, viewers were treated to heartwarming footage of the six finalists sharing a last meal together, toasting each other and reflecting on their unforgettable journey.
