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CELEBRITY Big Brother star Patsy Palmer's "real name" has been revealed - and she uses it when she's not on home turf.

The EastEnders actress, who plays Bianca Jackson on the BBC One soap, adopts her married name when she's hunkered down in her Malibu abode.

Patsy Palmer at the 2024 Global Gift Gala in London.
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Patsy Palmer has stunned fans after revealing her real nameCredit: Getty
Patsy Palmer and her daughter kissing for a selfie.
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Over in Malibu, where she has relocated, she isn't known as Patsy
Kojo and Bianca sitting on a couch, in conversation.
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The actress is best-known for her role as EastEnders' Bianca JacksonCredit: BBC

Patsy, 51, has built a serene life by the beach, after re-locating with her family back in 2014.

Yet while rubbing shoulders Stateside with the likes of supermodel Cindy Crawford, she goes under her married name Julie Merkell.

The TV star's birth name is in fact Julie Anne Harris, but she is widely known by EastEnders fans as Patsy.

The soap star, who has been in "advanced talks" with show bosses to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house, will enter the ITV compound tonight.

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She'll join the likes of Mickey Rourke, Trisha Goddard and JoJo Siwa as the show returns tonight.

Yet it is unclear what name she will use in the brand-new Celebrity Big Brother house.

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Previously, Patsy - who returned to EastEnders last year for the soap's explosive 40th anniversary and an extended guest stint - shocked This Morning viewers with her real name.

She told the ITV daytime show of her American neighbours and said: "No, they don’t know me.

"I have another name, my name is Julie really.

Inside Patsy Palmer’s wild EastEnders leaving do with surprise guest from Hollywood and return of show legend

"So I thought I’m going to get back to calling myself my real name.

"But I actually get so confused myself that sometimes I’ll say Patsy, sometimes I say Julie and it’s like I confuse myself.

"So now in Malibu they call me Patsy Julie.”

Former This Morning anchor Phillip Schofield then said: "I didn’t know your name wasn’t Patsy. Julie Anne Harris?"

Celebrity Big Brother 2025 line-up

Celebrity Big Brother is back for a brand new series, with a whole host of stars set to live it up in the famous compound.

Here's the FULL line-up of star housemates:

Trisha Goddard - Talk show host

Mickey Rourke - Hollywood actor

Donna Preston - comedian and TV star

JoJo Siwa - influencer and singer

Chris Hughes - Love Island hunk 

Jack P. Shepherd -  Coronation Street star 

Patsy Palmer - EastEnders legend

Daley Thompson - Olympic athlete

Chesney Hawkes - 90s singer

Ella Rae Wise - Towie star

Michael Fabricant - former Tory politician 

Angellica Bell - former CBBC presenter

Danny Beard - Drag queen and Britain's Got Talent

Patsy then clarified: "That was my name, my name is Julie Merkell, my married name."

Meanwhile, the flame-haired star is a name in the frame for tonight's CBB.

A spokesperson for Celebrity Big Brother previously told us: "Any names suggested for Celebrity Big Brother are purely speculation."

AJ Odudu and Will Best will be back to host the celebrity series tonight.

Read More on The Sun

Each episode of the reality show will be followed each night by Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live — providing viewers with additional and exclusive content.

And the Celebrity Big Brother: Live Stream will also return to screens, airing seven nights a week on ITVX and STV Player.

Woman with long red hair sitting on a bed with a small white dog.
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Her American pals know her as her married name, Julie MerkellCredit: patsypalmerofficial/Instagram
Patsy Palmer at her EastEnders leaving party.
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She recently returned to the UK to film EastEnders' anniversary scenesCredit: Instagram
Patsy Palmer at the Smiley Charity Film Awards.
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It is unclear what name she will go under as she enters the CBB compound tonightCredit: Getty
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