Speaking last night at the launch of Celebrity Big Brother, Barrie who played Alma Halliwell in Coronation Street, 82, said that she was married to a man for 40 years but now is married to someone of the same-sex. “It’s never too late girls,” she jokingly told the crowd at Boreham Wood.

Barrie’s wife, crime novelist Hilary Bonner, was in attendance as the Carry On actress entered the CBB house.

In 2016, Barrie, who played Alma Sedgewick on Corrie for 20 years, told the Loose Women cast that she lived in fear of being outed and losing her job on the soap following a tabloid investigation into her private life.

Ultimately, no tabloid exposé was published and Barrie said the whole incident made her feel “guilty”.

“I remember just being absolutely terrified because I knew at that time, I think I’m right to say, I would have lost my job.

“I also felt really guilty myself because they made me feel guilty. I was playing Alma and then I had this whole other life and I felt like I couldn’t look anybody in the eye.’

Elsewhere, former Conservative politician Ann Widdecome, Malika Haqq, Rachel Johnson (sister of Boris), Ashley James, India Willoughby, Maggie Oliver and Jess Impiazzi all entered the CBB house last night.

The all-female cast is a nod to 100 years of suffrage. The male housemates are set to enter the house later this week.