Big Brother UK viewers are just realising why they recognise Philip

Big Brother UK viewers have barely had time to meet the new housemates, but some are already having a major realisation about one contestant, Philip Regan.

The latest series of the reality show returned on Sunday night (September 13), bringing a fresh batch of housemates, and it seems one of them was rather more familiar to viewers than they first realised.

Big Brother UK viewers have been sharing their delight online after realising where they knew a familiar face from.

Regan, 53, is a content creator from Liverpool.

He had already built a substantial following on social media, where his larger-than-life personality and videos have made him a recognisable figure, particularly among audiences in Liverpool.

One fan posted happily following the revelation: “Wait apparently Phillip is already like kind of well known I’m gagged!”

He is known online as the ‘Queen of Scotty Road’, and viewers have been sharing some of his clips online.

Another fan wrote excitedly: “OH I AM GAGGED I AM FLOORED”.

They were not alone.

A third viewer pointed out: “Phillip with a big social media presence”, while another shared their lightbulb moment, writing: “AS IF THIS IS PHILLIP IM CRYING”.

Viewers expect to meet strangers when a new series begins, only to discover that, in the age of TikTok, Instagram and viral videos, some contestants already have their own audiences waiting outside the house.

Philip’s association with Scotty Road has made him particularly well known in his home city.

One local viewer added: “Half of liverpool was gagged when he was announced, actually.”

The question now is whether the Philip people know from social media will be the same Philip they see living under the famously unforgiving Big Brother cameras.

According to Radio Times, the star has said he’s keen to leave the OTT character behind. "I’m going to go in as the Queen of Scotty Road, but I’m going to come out as Philip Regan," he said.

He confessed he first thought about applying for Big Brother a few years ago but was too busy.

"There will never be a dull moment when I’m there," he added.

"I’ll always put a smile on everyone’s faces,” he insisted.

“If I see anyone unhappy, no matter what, I’ll be there for them – whether I like them or not. You’re better being a friend to me than an enemy,” he warned.

“I’m a very good friend, but I’m a very bad enemy,” consider us notified.

He also said he needed to check his family were ok, especially his beloved mum: "She’s worked all her life. I’d also sort my family out. “

If he won, he says he’d ‘give some money to the charities I regularly work with, I would see them OK, and some very close friends. The rest, I would use to enjoy myself."

The new series launched on ITV2 and ITVX, with AJ Odudu and Will Best returning to host, with ITV promising viewers ‘ambitious tasks, high-stakes nominations and dramatic live evictions’.

The pair have become the faces of the modern version of the programme since Big Brother was revived on ITV in 2023, and the latest run is set to last eight weeks.