Celebrity Big Brother viewers have questioned why Louis Walsh appeared to be using a mobile phone in the latest episode, despite apparent rules set for the housemates.

The ITV show celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Monday’s episode, with the Big Brother house having been decorated for the occasion. And there was a ‘twist’ in store as Louis, 71, ended up receiving immunity from Tuesday’s eviction.

Fern Britton, 66, had been tasked with secretly choosing one of her co-stars to be evicted. She chose Louis, but it was later announced that he would be given immunity from the next eviction, securing a place in Friday night’s final.

Later in the episode, some of the other housemates were discussing the ‘twist’ whilst sat in the garden. The group consisted of Marisha Wallace, Zeze Millz, Colson Smith and Nikita Kuzmin. In the middle of their conversation, viewers were shown a brief clip of Louis walking through the living area. The former X Factor judge was seen holding what appeared to be a black phone up against his ear.

It’s however understood that housemates aren’t allowed contact with the outside world whilst in the Big Brother house, including making phone calls. This was suggested in housemate interviews shared by ITV ahead of the launch.

Louis Walsh was seen with what appeared to be a mobile phone up against his ear on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this week ( 

He’s among the housemates on the ITV show, who are understood to not be allowed communication with the outside world whilst in the house ( 
Image:
ITV)
The likes of Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Levi Roots, both of whom have since been evicted, were asked their thoughts about it. And asked how he would cope without a phone himself, Louis said ahead of the experience: “I’ll be fine, I lived for years without one, remember payphones!”

The scene of Louis seemingly using a phone in the house has attracted some attention on social media. Alongside a screenshot, one person asked on X, formerly known as Twitter, earlier: “Errrm, is this allowed? #CBBUK #RingRing”. The tweet has amassed thousands of views and numerous likes.

Whilst someone else wrote on the platform: “Can @bbuk #CelebrityBigBrother #CBBUK Or ANYBODY explain why #louis Louis walsh is walking around casually with a MOBILE PHONE wtf Special treatment or what!!!”

Another viewer shared the former post on the platform and wrote alongside it: “Oooh, really?” They later clarified what they thought the screenshot showed by telling someone else in a follow-up tweet: “Louis Walsh using a mobile phone in Celebrity Big Brother.”

It comes following criticism earlier this week over Louis being granted immunity from Tuesday night’s eviction. Some viewers have suggested that the show has been “rigged” to ensure that he made it to the reality TV show’s upcoming final.

He was granted immunity following a secret task that ended up being done by Fern. At one point in the latest episode, Big Brother requested a housemate head to the Diary Room. Colson, 25, suggested that it should be Fern.

She found a pot of gold and a fake red snake in the room. Fern was then told: “You must choose one housemate to be evicted today. St. Patrick famously banished the snakes from Ireland, and now by finding the pot of gold, you have been selected to banish a housemate.”

The former This Morning host was asked to secretly place the snake on the chosen person’s pillow and she targeted Louis. However, it was later announced that her choice would be given immunity from the next eviction, meaning that Louis wasn’t an option in the latest nominations.

One person tweeted on Monday: “That was so set up to make sure Louis was in the final.” Another said: “This was a transparent af stitch up to get Louis to the final.” Whilst a third viewer tweeted: “The producers definitely made sure that someway, somehow, Louis would make that final!”