Gary Goldsmith has joined the celebrity reality show, which returned to UK television for the first time in six years tonight.

The 58-year-old businessman, and younger brother of Kate's mother, Carole, attended the wedding of his niece and Prince William at Westminster Abbey in 2011.

It comes as Kate continues to recover from "planned abdominal surgery" in January. She was photographed for the first time since the medical procedure on Monday afternoon.

She was last seen out in public on Christmas Day when she walked to church in Sandringham, Norfolk, with the rest of the Royal Family.

She is "recovering and continues to be doing well", according to a statement from Kensington Palace.

During Monday night's show, presenter AJ Odudu asked Goldsmith: "The nation needs to know, will Kate be watching?"

He replied: "If she is it will be behind a sofa, I guess."

Former X Factor judges Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh also reunited in the Big Brother house, and will appear alongside TV presenter Fern Britton, Strictly Come Dancing professional Nikita Kuzmin and Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu.

Coronation Street actor Colson Smith, Dragons' Den businessman Levi Roots and Heartstopper star Bradley Riches are also among the other contestants on the show.

Who is Gary Goldsmith?

Goldsmith is a London-based businessman who made his money in IT and recruitment.

As the brother of Carole Middleton, he is the uncle of the Princess of Wales, as well as her siblings, Pippa and James Middleton.

In 2017, he was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 20 sessions of rehabilitation, as well as a fine of £5,000, after striking his wife with a "left hook" to the face during an argument.

He knocked Julie-Ann Goldsmith to the ground after she accused him of taking drugs during a drunken fight outside their home in central London, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard at the time of the hearing.

Goldsmith pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating.

Celebrity Big Brother returns

Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother originally found fame on Channel 4, before moving to Channel 5 and coming to an end in 2018.

Last year, ITV announced plans to revive the show after striking a deal with production company Banijay, which owns the rights.

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Big Brother returned in October last year for its 20th civilian season and this is the first celebrity version on ITV.

The celebrity version is fronted by presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best.