'Big Brother' contestants gear up for first full day

This year's 'Big Brother' contestants will today spend their first full day in the house.

Last night's live launch show saw the 16 new housemates enter in the ninth series of the reality show.

The contestants include a Thai masseuse, an albino song-writer and the show's first blind housemate.

Blind Mikey Hughes, 33, from Ayrshire, Scotland has already been tipped by one bookmaker as the favourite to win.

Early drama is expected from Mario Marconi, 42, and Stephanie McMichael, 19, who were set an opening night challenge by Big Brother to convince other housemates they are a couple.

The task has been made more complicated by the fact that Mario's real-life partner, Lisa Appleton, 40, is in the house with him as a fellow contestant.

Success in the task will guarantee them immunity from the first eviction, however, things are set to get tougher for the pair as presenter Davina McCall let slip that Big Brother is planning a surprise live TV wedding.

Contestant Alexandra De-Gale, 23, an accounts executive from Croydon will be looking to win over fellow housemates after attracting a negative response from the crowds gathered outside the house for the launch night.

Alexandra was booed as she entered the house and bookmaker Paddy Power has ranked her as 50/1 outsider to win the competition.

Other contestants include Rebecca Shiner, 21, a kindergarten nurse from Coventry who confessed she often gets called Vicky Pollard, because of her similarity to the character from comedy show Little Britain.

Buddhist Kathreya Kasisopa, 30, originally from Thailand.

Opinionated Jennifer Clark, 22, a part-time model and mother from Durham.

Sylvia Barrie, 21, originally from Sierra Leone is a psychology student at Derby university.

Rachel Rice, 24, is a former actress from Torfaen, Wales, and once starred in a film alongside Hugh Grant.

The boys include Dennis McHugh, 23, a dance student from Edinburgh; Dale Howard, 21, a PE teacher from Liverpool; Darnell Swallow, 26, a song writer from London; Mohamed Mohamed, 23, a Hamleys toy demonstrator, from London; and Rex Newmark, 24, an executive chef from London.

The final male contestant is politics student Luke Marsden, 20, from Wigan. He is the fourth housemate in on Big Brother's secret challenge to fool other contestants into thinking that Mario and Stephanie are a couple.