I dress up, so what? - CBB's Alex

Katie Price's boyfriend Alex Reid opened up about his cross-dressing habit to fellow Celebrity Big Brother housemate Vinnie Jones, saying: "I'm ex-army, we dress up for a laugh."

The cage-fighter downplayed the time he was pictured dressed as a schoolgirl, apparently known as 'Roxanne'.

He said: "It's a laugh, I mean I don't care, there's people dying all over the world - I dress up, so what? ... It was fancy dress.. I had fun doing it."

Vinnie asked if he dresses up at home and Alex replied: "I have done... not by myself. I've done it for a laugh with a friend of mine but it's not a big deal. Some people like to wear nappies, some people are into S and M."

Alex will be dressing as a woman tonight, but instead of his alter-ego Roxanne he'll take on another well-known female - Kylie.

Housemates were told this morning that instead of an eviction tonight, they would be putting on a live variety show.

Alex was told he had to pair up with Dane Bowers to sing Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan's Especially For You.

Former madam Heidi Fleiss, DJ Jonas Altberg, glamour model Nicola T and Ronnie Wood's ex-girlfriend Katia Ivanova will be performing a Can-Can routine. Singer Sisqo will be a magician, with rapper Lady Sovereign as his "glamorous assistant".

Stephanie Beacham has to do a stand-up comedy routine. "I can't do that!" she said shaking her head. Vinnie has to make up a ventriloquist act, with actor Stephen Baldwin playing the doll.

A show spokeswoman said the housemates would be supplied with costumes but, on Alex and Dane's task, said: "No word yet on who will take which part."