A Celebrity Big Brother contestant is already facing ‘bullying’ accusations before the new season.
Donna Preston, 36, is in the ‘leaked’ lineup for the ITV reality show when it returns on Monday but she has been hit with controversy after allegedly bringing Christine McGuinness to tears.
In 2019, Christine appeared on ITV2 show Hey Tracey!, while Donna played host Joel Dommett’s virtual assistant.
In her autobiography A Beautiful Nightmare, Christine claimed an unnamed star told her: ‘I’ve got no f***ing idea who you are. I don’t care who you are, I don’t know who you think you are, and I don’t know what you’re even doing here.
‘You are really beautiful, aren’t you? But there’s nothing else.’
In 2021, The Sun named Donna as the alleged culprit, while Christine recalled feeling ‘mortified, embarrassed and humiliated’ by the exchange.
![This image and the information contained herein is strictly embargoed until 00.01 Tuesday 29th September 2020 From Dr Pluto Films Hey Tracey!: SR2: Ep1 on ITV2 Pictured: Christine McGuinness. This photograph is (C) Dr Pluto Films and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms For further information please contact: james.hilder@itv.com / 0207 157 3052](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/PRI_165882921-d6d9.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
![This image is strictly embargoed until 00.01 Tuesday 11th June 2019 From Dr Pluto Films Hey Tracey! on ITV2. Pictured: Joel Dommett and Tracey. This photograph is (C) Dr Pluto Films and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms For further information please contact: james.hilder@itv.com / 0207 157 3052](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SEI_72512794-d3bf.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
‘I returned to my hotel shaken and in floods of tears – I’ve never cried so much,’ she wrote.
‘I was really upset about it and ever since then it’s always been a focus in my mind. Do I actually want to be on TV? Is this for me? Do I want to stay as a TV personality?’
She noted that producers checked on her afterwards while her agent made sure the footage didn’t air.
Christine claimed she received an apology from Donna on social media, but she didn’t reply.
‘I didn’t reply and haven’t spoken to her since,’ she wrote. ‘I’m not a bully and I don’t pick on anybody, so I don’t want to associate myself with somebody like that.’
Christine also said she tried to defend the remarks as ‘part of the show’ and ‘banter’.
Comedian Joel later defended Donna over the bullying claims.
‘At the end of the day it is a comedy show. It was made in jest,’ he told The Sun, acknowledging that he doesn’t want ‘anyone to feel like they went away from the show unhappy’.
He added that he hoped Christine was ‘ok’, and he got in touch with her then-husband Paddy McGuinness at the time.
He said: ‘I am sure she is fine. I texted [Paddy] afterwards and said that she did really, really well, which she did.’
Who is Donna Preston and what has she appeared in?
Donna Preston, 38, is a comedian and actress set to head into the Celebrity Big Brother house.
She voiced the titular virtual assistant in ITV2 show Hey Tracey!, which was hosted by Joel Dommett.
She has made notable appearances on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and as an actress in Netflix’s The Sandman as Despair, one member of ‘The Endless’.
She’s also appeared on Scared of the Dark, Apocalypse Wow, and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Metro has contacted Christine and Donna’s reps for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.