Celebrity Big Brother fans were left confused after Chris Hughes spoke to his housemates about Katy Perry’s space mission during the series’ most recent episode.
The US pop star was part of an all-female team who participated in a controversial 11-minute expedition into space on Monday (14 April) – when the ITV reality series was in full swing.
Per Big Brother rules, Hughes and the other reality show contestants should have no access to the outside world or social media after they entered the house on 7 April – one week prior to Perry’s expedition.
Speaking to Coronation Street actor Jack P Shepherd in a recent episode, Hughes asked: “If you had the opportunity to go to space like Katy Perry did, would you?”
Appearing shocked, Shepherd replied: “Did she go to space? Why Katy Perry?”
Hughes answered: “Just to give it a bit of f***ing traction probably but it was the first all female descent to space.I wouldn't get on that. Not a chance. I would s*** myself. I'd be so worried I wasn't coming back.”
Although some details about Perry’s space flight had been published before Hughes entered the Celebrity Big Brother house, viewers were still confused over the extent of his knowledge about the event.
One person wrote on X/Twitter: “Wait, wait… Chris talking about Katy Perry going to space… that happened whilst #CBB was on! What’s all that about! Sure it was announced in February she would be but it’s a bit weird.”
Meanwhile, another fan added in confusion: “How TF did chris know katy perry went to space?? Didn’t she go up on April 14th and he went in[to] the house 7th April.”
A third viewer echoed: “How does Chris know Katy Perry went to space when they can’t know stuff from the outside and that only happened like last week didn’t it?!”
However, some viewers defended Hughes’ knowledge: Of course he knew about it. Every single person on the planet knew about it,” one person said.
“Just because he's in the house doesn't mean he hasn't been watching the news or been on social media since literally the beginning of the year. Calm down people and use your brains,” they added.
The Independent has contacted ITV’s representatives for comment.
It comes after Perry reportedly expressed regret over the media attention that her space flight received. The first female-only mission in more than six decades, it was billed as a historic event by the people behind it. But it also been attracted mass controversy, as some critics questioned whether it was the feminist moment it had been made out to be.
Some have accused it of being a marketing stunt for Bezos’s space tourism business that is, in turn, the marketing arm of Blue Origin’s commercial launch programme. Celebrities including Emily Ratajkowski, Olivia Wilde and Amy Schumer are among the stars to have condemned the mission.
An “inside source” told MailOnline: “Katy doesn't regret going to space. It was life changing. What she does regret is making a public spectacle out of it.”
