'Celebrity Big Brother' Explains Stormy Daniels Absence

The U.K. reality show had been teasing Daniels' appearance on the season, which has an "Eye of the Storm" theme.

Stormy Daniels had been rumored to appear on the new season of Celebrity Big Brother in the U.K., but when the show premiered on Thursday the adult film star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was absent from the Channel 5 reality series.

On Friday, Daniels told ITV talk show Loose Women that she pulled out of Celebrity Big Brother last minute due to a custody development regarding her 7-year-old daughter. Host Jane Moore relayed Daniels' side of the story to the audience, explaining that Daniels said she also had to cancel her appearance on Loose Women because the custody situation had now become a legal one.

Celebrity Big Brother confirmed via Twitter that Daniels was due to appear on the show, but that the producers ultimately were unable to agree on "any acceptable conditions" for her to enter the reality show house. Painting a different version of events, the show said Daniels informed production that she no longer wanted to participate on the show and, in a statement to The Sun, denied that her reasoning was over custody issues.

"Stormy Daniels was booked to appear on the show several months ago and hours before the show was due to go live, informed the production team that she no longer wished to enter the house as previously agreed," tweeted the show from its official handle. "Producers discussed a variety of options with her but were unable to agree any acceptable conditions for her entering the house. Our focus is now on making a brilliant series with our fantastic celebrities."

STATEMENT: Stormy Daniels was booked to appear on the show several months ago and hours before the show was due to go live, informed the production team that she no longer wished to enter the house as previously agreed. #CBB pic.twitter.com/qb35iAnXY0 — Big Brother UK (@bbuk) August 17, 2018

Producers discussed a variety of options with her but were unable to agree any acceptable conditions for her entering the house. Our focus is now on making a brilliant series with our fantastic celebrities. #CBB — Big Brother UK (@bbuk) August 17, 2018

The show had been teasing Daniels' participation ahead of launch, promoting the season with an "Eye of the Storm" theme. "Catch up on #CBB launch night and the arrival of the storm," Celebrity Big Brother tweeted shortly before launch. When the show premiered, it was revealed that a miniature White House was even built into the set.

Daniels' lawyer Michael Avenatti has since refuted reports that Daniels' decision was over a pay dispute, saying the show attempted to "produce" her with an angle.

"It was over a row with producers," he told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. "They insisted she conduct herself in a certain way — they attempted to control her and produce a certain result, which she did not feel comfortable with. There was never any issue relating to pay."

According to The Sun, the entire show was hinged on Daniels, who was expected to divulge details of her now infamous relationship with President Trump on air. Omarosa Manigault-Newman, who is currently promoting her White House tell-all Unhinged and sparring with Trump in the press, similarly divulged information about her time in the Trump administration on the U.S. version of Celebrity Big Brother.

Daniels' absence from the cast, which also includes Kirstie Alley, was noted by a displeased British TV audience on social media. "So they created a [whole] White House lawn set and a presidential theme, only to not have Stormy Daniels? What sense does this make?" tweeted one viewer. "I can’t believe CBB based an entire season around Stormy Daniels and she didn’t even turn up to the first episode," wrote another.