Rula Lenska swapped her Grove Park home for a communal residence this week as she entered the Celebrity Big Brother house.

Amid tight security and flashing bulbs, the 57 year old actress began her stint on reality tv vowing to be "house mum" to the other celebrities who include Michael Barrymore and George Gallaway with whom she had an immediate rapport.

Rula Lenska was born Countess Roza-Marie Leopoldnya Lubienska and said of her reasons for going on Celebrity Big Brother "I'm a crazy Polish countess who likes a challenge."

Lenska is the ex-wife of Minder star Dennis Waterman and found fame in 1970's tv show Rock Follies.

She appeared in EastEnders in 2002 as Frank Butcher's Costa Del Sol girlfriend Krystal. Her stepdaughter Hannah Waterman also starred in the soap, playing Laura Beale.

Apparently the Chiswick Countess has been practising for Big Brother by doing "a lot of chanting".

 

January 7, 2006