AJ Odudu has admitted that she and Will Best burst into tears during their Big Brother audition.
The pair were named as the relaunched reality show's new co-hosts earlier this year, though AJ says she and Will initially thought they'd lost out on the coveted gig after they began "sobbing" during their lengthy audition.
"We had to do so much in the audition. We did a 'hello' and a welcome. We had to basically act as though we were presenting the shows; we had to do an eviction interview, we had to watch clips, it was quite a lot actually," she shared during an interview with Metro.
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When the presenting duo also had to watch a clip from the moment Big Brother's last winner Cameron Cole came out as gay to his housemates, they were overcome with emotion.
"We were so moved by the whole thing we both cried and then, bless Will, I just remember Will messaging me after going: 'I think I really messed up that audition. Why was I crying?'" AJ recalled.
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"And I was like: 'Mate, me too. Why we were crying in an audition? Like we're trying to get a job and we're both sobbing! This is awful.' We'd absolutely dropped the ball."
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AJ's revelation comes shortly after she and Will dropped some hints about the new housemates ahead of the show's launch night on Sunday (October 8).
"We have no idea who is going in either, but the housemates will reflect the UK in 2023," AJ told The Sun.
Echoing his co-hosts feelings, Will said: "The show will always be a mirror to today's society and that will be shown in who is going into the house."
Big Brother: The Launch airs Sunday, October 8 at 9pm on ITV1, ITV2 and ITVX. After launch night, the show airs on Sundays to Fridays at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
