Danny Beard Takes a Swipe at Chris Hughes Over JoJo Siwa Friendship

Danny Beard didn’t hold back during the Celebrity Big Brother finale as he made a savage comment directed at co-star Chris Hughes regarding his close bond with JoJo Siwa.

On Friday night’s episode of the popular ITV reality show, the iconic drag queen, 32, finished in second place, while Coronation Street star Jack P. Shepherd, 37, was crowned the winner. Following the main broadcast, fans tuned into Celebrity Big Brother: Late and Live on ITV2 to catch all the behind-the-scenes drama.

During the show, Danny raised eyebrows when he suggested that Chris, 32, befriended JoJo, 21, for more social media followers. As they discussed their friendship, Danny shouted: “You wanted more Instagram followers,” prompting host AJ Odudu to quickly add, “He’s joking.” Chris, who boasts 2 million Instagram followers compared to JoJo’s 11.1 million, laughed it off, saying: “I could do with a few more.”

Throughout the three weeks, Chris and JoJo developed a very close friendship, often seen snuggling in bed, dancing, exchanging massages, and rarely leaving each other’s side.

During the live final, Chris, who finished in sixth place, spoke emotionally to hosts AJ and Will Best about his bond with JoJo, saying: “JoJo was like a pure rock to me. She was someone that I could have fun with. That to me was a beautiful friendship.” Holding back tears, he added that JoJo reminded him of his ex-girlfriend, highlighting the challenges she overcame during her teenage years.

Meanwhile, JoJo, who finished third, expressed her deep admiration for Chris, sharing that they have already planned to play tennis together. She said: “I absolutely loved and adored Chris,” and noted he would remain in her life forever. “He’s helped me create my happiness in this house, he’s more than a friend,” she added.

As the night progressed, it was Jack P. Shepherd who took home the title, shocking both himself and fans. Speaking after his win, Jack admitted he was “blown away” by the public’s support and confessed he thought JoJo would win instead.

Drag Race star Danny, who exited the house in second place, grew emotional when discussing how proud he was to showcase his authentic self, without wigs and makeup.

JoJo Siwa was thrilled with her podium finish, telling AJ and Will that she initially feared being disliked. Reflecting on receiving a letter from home, JoJo said it made her feel temporarily disconnected from the house but helped her appreciate the vulnerability the show demanded.

Before JoJo’s exit, comedian and actress Donna Preston left in fourth place to cheers from the crowd. Donna, who received the fewest nominations during the series, praised her friendship with Danny, calling him her “comfort blanket.”

Earlier in the night, Chris Hughes and singer Chesney Hawkes were evicted, finishing sixth and fifth respectively. Both gave emotional interviews post-exit, with Chesney admitting he struggled to hold back tears after seeing his wife.

Throughout the final night, the vote was frozen several times, with viewers receiving new free votes after each elimination.

On Thursday night, the six finalists shared an emotional last dinner and reminisced about their time in the house. JoJo described Chris as “a vital part” of her life, while Chris said JoJo was “his person.” Danny reflected on how amazing it was to experience the show as “Daniel,” his true self.

Fans quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate Jack’s win, with comments like: “Jack drinking tea all season and wins the whole thing. Legendary,” and “He was the most real of them all. I’m so pleased for him.”

Celebrity Big Brother returned with strong numbers, reaching 4.2 million viewers at launch and averaging 2.7 million. The Big Brother franchise has now surpassed 100 million streams on ITV, with the latest series alone generating over 20 million streams on ITVX.

Applications for the next series of Big Brother, set to air in 2025, are now open.