Celebrity Big Brother star Patsy Palmer’s real name revealed – and she still goes by it when she’s not in the UK
CELEBRITY Big Brother star Patsy Palmer’s “real name” has been revealed – and she uses it when she’s not on home turf.
The EastEnders actress, who plays Bianca Jackson on the BBC One soap, adopts her married name when she’s hunkered down in her Malibu abode.
Patsy, 51, has built a serene life by the beach, after re-locating with her family back in 2014.
Yet while rubbing shoulders Stateside with the likes of supermodel Cindy Crawford, she goes under her married name Julie Merkell.
The TV star’s birth name is in fact Julie Anne Harris, but she is widely known by EastEnders fans as Patsy.
The soap star, who has been in “advanced talks” with show bosses to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house, will enter the ITV compound tonight.
She’ll join the likes of Mickey Rourke, Trisha Goddard and JoJo Siwa as the show returns tonight.
Yet it is unclear what name she will use in the brand-new Celebrity Big Brother house.
REAL DEAL
Previously, Patsy – who returned to EastEnders last year for the soap’s explosive 40th anniversary and an extended guest stint – shocked This Morning viewers with her real name.
She told the ITV daytime show of her American neighbours and said: “No, they don’t know me.
“I have another name, my name is Julie really.
“So I thought I’m going to get back to calling myself my real name.
“But I actually get so confused myself that sometimes I’ll say Patsy, sometimes I say Julie and it’s like I confuse myself.
“So now in Malibu they call me Patsy Julie.”
Former This Morning anchor Phillip Schofield then said: “I didn’t know your name wasn’t Patsy. Julie Anne Harris?”
Celebrity Big Brother 2025 line-up
Celebrity Big Brother is back for a brand new series, with a whole host of stars set to live it up in the famous compound.
Here’s the FULL line-up of star housemates:
Trisha Goddard – Talk show host
Mickey Rourke – Hollywood actor
Donna Preston – comedian and TV star
JoJo Siwa – influencer and singer
Chris Hughes – Love Island hunk
Jack P. Shepherd – Coronation Street star
Patsy Palmer – EastEnders legend
Daley Thompson – Olympic athlete
Chesney Hawkes – 90s singer
Ella Rae Wise – Towie star
Michael Fabricant – former Tory politician
Angellica Bell – former CBBC presenter
Danny Beard – Drag queen and Britain’s Got Talent
Patsy then clarified: “That was my name, my name is Julie Merkell, my married name.”
Meanwhile, the flame-haired star is a name in the frame for tonight’s CBB.
A spokesperson for Celebrity Big Brother previously told us: “Any names suggested for Celebrity Big Brother are purely speculation.”
AJ Odudu and Will Best will be back to host the celebrity series tonight.
Each episode of the reality show will be followed each night by Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live — providing viewers with additional and exclusive content.
And the Celebrity Big Brother: Live Stream will also return to screens, airing seven nights a week on ITVX and STV Player.