Channel 4 today announced that Comic Relief will be the benefiting charity for the forthcoming series of Celebrity Big Brother which begins in the New Year.

Back in 2001 the first ever Celebrity Big Brother was in aid of charity Comic Relief so it is fitting that the charity will again benefit from the viewers vote for the seventh and last series to air on Channel 4.

The first series saw six celebrities enter the house for a total of eight days with comedian Jack Dee eventually being crowed the winner. This seventh series, billed as Celebrity Big Brother: Hell Lies in Others, will launch on 3rd January with a host of famous faces beginning their stay in Britain’s most famous TV house.

As ever viewers will decide via telephone voting which celebrities stay in the house and who will be evicted live on TV. Calls to the vote line will cost 50 p with 15p going directly to Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England & Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).