Ex On The Beach’s Jess Impiazzi’s BRUTAL warning for future reality TV stars

Jess Impiazzi Ex on the Beach

by Marianna Manson |
Updated on

We're looking at you, 2019 Love Island contestants

Former Ex On The Beach and CBB star Jess Impiazzi insists that reality TV wannabes need to prepare for ‘fifteen minutes of fame’.

“Since Love Island and all the Ex On The Beach series’, reality TV people are just being churned out very quickly, and I think people need to be prepared for that going into it,” she said, speaking exclusively to Closer online.

Ex on the Beach
©Getty

“If you get too caught up in it, you can end up not getting any other work and be struggling trying to keep an image and it can be quite damaging.

“Awareness needs to be made by the television companies that this isn’t a viable career. Back in the day people were making millions, but it has changed. Social media has been different too, you’re opening up yourself to a load of trolls, you’re not going to make that much money and it might just be a fifteen minutes of fame.”

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CLOSER CBB forgotten housemates - SLIDER

Jack Dee joker suit1 of 16
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Jack Dee

As the first ever Celebrity Big Brother winner, Jack made history in 2001. You might remember him escaping from the CBB house and being escorted back by two high-vis clad security guards - it wasn't as secure back then, he went out through the back gate. Most recently, Jack wrote and starred in the ITV sitcom, Bad Move.

Christopher Maloney cab2 of 16
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Christopher Maloney

We've spoken about forgetting people being in CBB because of big moments that happened in the series that eclipsed everything else. They have all been true, but this moment cast such a shadow over everything that nothing else from the series was remembered. No one knows who won, no one knows really who was in it. All people remember Big Brother series 17 for is the phrase: "David is dead." Angie Bowie and Tiffany Pollard talking. Angie confides in Tiffany, who runs into the garden. In the madness, there he is, Chris. It's easy to forget. He's just minding his own business, having a little cigarette in the garden. But yes, he's there, in his tracksuit. He tries to console Tiffany. He even has a cameo in the whole ordeal, his lines being: "David? David, David?" It's easy to forget about him in it all, but Chris was a part in the purest art the world has ever seen. Subsequently he appeared at Dorking Halls as a part of the Sleeping Beauty pantomime - a cruel pun on his truest, purest work.

Les Dennis CBB3 of 16
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Les Dennis

Series two of Celebrity Big Brother saw Les Dennis come second. The series will be remembered for poor Les' emotional time in the house amid a marriage breakdown from his wife, Amanda Holden. It was a rough time for old Les. Not his finest moment.

Kenzie (from Blazin Squad)4 of 16
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Kenzie (from Blazin Squad)

Another runner up, the third series saw Blazin Squad and Friday Hill's Kenzie have to dress up as an egg during a challenge. Slumped in a chair, head poking through a half-hole in the upper third of the Humpty-Dumpty costume, Kenzie was disgruntled. "I can't go on stage and dance around and screw-face now." The costume was too much for Kenzie. True to his word, Kenzie is now a celebrity personal trainer and DJ, as well as a husband and father of two daughters. The egg costume is in the past. He's moved on, we haven't.

Jodie Marsh CBB5 of 16
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Jodie Marsh

Never one to shy away, Jodie in series four of CBB. She argued with Michael Barrymore, got called an imbecile by Pete Burns, and fought with George Galloway. Then after eight votes to her name, was booted out with 42% of the public vote on day nine. She had a fiery time in the house that burnt out halfway through the show. Jodie is now known for her athletic, muscular physique and revealed recently she wants to go into wrestling. Having watched some wrestlers in action at Camden's Electric Ballroom, Marsh said she'd love to get into the sport, saying she would return to her auburn hair and call herself 'Red'.

Ian 'H' Watkins CBB6 of 16
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Ian 'H' Watkins

The Steps singer was in a controversial year. Amid the chaos of Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty's huge anger-filled season it's easy to forget about some of the characters of 2007, like H, or Jermaine Jackson. Watkins came out as gay on the day he entered the house and came fourth in the competition.

Verne Troyer CBB7 of 16
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Verne Troyer

Best-known for playing Mini-Me in Austin Powers, Verne entered the Celebrity Big Brother house as the bookie's favourite on the first day. But after performing a cover of Endless Love with Ulrika Jonsson, having to dress up in a traditional British costume and answer questions about our Great Nation, and eating a pot of honey in a day, Verne finished fourth in the competition.

Vinnie Jones cbb8 of 16
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Vinnie Jones

Known as football's hardest to some. But since he hung his boots up Vinnie has been a star of the screen, never more so than during season seven's CBB. By the end of his time he was back to being the pantomime villain, but that's old Vinnie for you. Kicking lumps out of strikers and getting angry on tele, good old Vinnie. Third place for our lovable hardman.

Jonas Altberg (Basshunter) cbb9 of 16
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Jonas Altberg (Basshunter)

Also in the season seven, 2010 house was Jonas Altberg - Basshunter. The Swede came fourth in the competition and enjoyed ruining the groups task of building flatpack furniture, against his Swedish roots, no doubt.

Paddy Doherty CBB10 of 16
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Paddy Doherty

The bareknuckle fighting traveller might have raised some eyebrows when he entered the house in 2011, but Paddy soon won over the nation. A bareknuckle fighting Irish traveller winning Celebrity Big Brother. Brilliant. This is what it is all about. In 2016 he swore live on This Morning promoting a touching documentary about traveller life from children's perspective. That's our bareknuckle fighting boy. Just the way it should be.

Frankie Cocoza CBB11 of 16
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Frankie Cocoza

After being exiled from X Factor for his bad boy behaviour, Frankie entered the Big Brother house with a reputation. Whilst he was in there though, he turned around this reputation and, despite being voted most annoying housemate, didn't piss everyone off too much and finished second. Frankie later featured on Celebs Go Dating.

Cheryl Fergison CBB12 of 16
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Cheryl Fergison

Cheryl Fergison isn't even known as Cheryl Fergison to herself. Cheryl Fergison is in fact, Heather Trott. Cheryl Fergison's own mother calls her Heather. Cheryl Fergison was evicted second from CBB series 10. That wasn't because people didn't like her. It wasn't even because people didn't care about her. Cheryl Fergison was evicted second because the public were trying to vote for Heather. Cheryl Fergison was in EastEnders as Heather Trott until 2016. No one knows what she is doing now.

Dappy CBB13 of 16
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Dappy

Shame on you. Shame on you for forgetting about Costadinos Contostavlos. The N-Dubz trailblazer finished second in series 13. These days things aren't so great for Daps. His last single charted at 56 and he was given a suspended sentence after being caught with a bladed article in a public place. But don't remember him like that. Remember him as he was.

Gary Busey CBB14 of 16
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Gary Busey

Series 14 broke the record for the lowest viewing figures CBB had seen - so you'd be forgiven for forgetting about the actor winning in 2014. He won in spite of having to be reprimanded by Big Brother for some unwarranted nudity. A true highlight of the series, we're sure. In 2015 he supported Trump's presidential campaign, though, so we're not so sure about Gaz anymore.

Perez Hilton CBB15 of 16
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Perez Hilton

During a year with some provocative housemates, Perez was the pick of the bunch in terms of stoking the fire of the public and the press. He got a warning from Big Brother for some threatening behaviour towards Ken Morley. Then again with Calum Best. And another warning, this time for licking Katie Hopkins when she didn't want to be licked. Oh, and he made Alexander O'Neil leave because of a feud the two of them had. What a guy.

Issac Freeman III (Fatman Scoop) CBB16 of 16

Issac Freeman III (Fatman Scoop)

Fatman Scoop represented the US in this battle between America and Great Britain. During his time in the house, he was elected as President. Little did we know in 2015, series 16 of Celebrity Big Brother, that Fatman Scoop wouldn't be the most ridiculous president we would ever see. Simpler times.

WATCH Alexandra Cane reveals Love Island's secrets you never knew!

Jess starred on series five of Ex On The Beach alongside Gaz Beadle, Stephen Bear and Jemma Lucy.

Following the tragic suicide of Love Island’s Mike Thalassitis, who had filmed 2019’s series of EOTB last year, MTV bosses made the announcement that they would not be screening the show this year.

“I think it was probably the right choice,” says Jess. “It’s a such a sensitive situation and such a terribly sad loss. That show can be a bit crazy, so I think for his family, it was just a nice respectful thing to do."

As well as EOTB and CBB, Jess also worked as one of the Sugar Hut honeys back in the early days of TOWIE, and says that reality TV isn’t what it used to be.

Jess Impiazzi CBB
©Getty

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“Back in the day it was just good fun.

“With TOWIE and the Amy Childs lot, I found that brilliant because it had an element of fun to it – it was really funny.

“These days it’s all just about who’s cheating on who and I’m kind of sick of that. It’s missing the comedy it used to have.”

Jess is putting her reality TV career behind her as she moves into film, recently working on two feature length projects, including a film called Ria alongside Bros’ Luke Goss.

She’s also heavily involved in campaign work and is ambassador of Guide Dog training charity Guide Dogs, who provided and trained her mum’s guide dog Kacey.

Guide Dogs is challenging the nation to walk 100,000 steps in one week in May - the number of steps a guide dog trainer does - and raise money to support people living with sight loss.

Get involved at https://walkyoursocksoff.guidedogs.org.uk.

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