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Omarosa joins ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ cast

Omarosa Manigault Newman listens as Ben Carson testifies before a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee on January 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. Leigh Vogel/WireImage

Omarosa Manigault Newman is joining the first-ever American Celebrity Big Brother cast.

Newman famously announced her imminent departure from Donald Trump‘s White House in mid-December, denying she was fired from her post. (She officially left Jan. 20.) Now it seems she’s a part of the long-running reality show, joining other celebrities like Cosby Show alum Keshia Knight Pulliam and Real Housewives star Brandi Glanville.

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Newman, 43, told GMA host Michael Strahan shortly after her departure announcement that she sat down with Trump’s Chief of Staff John Kelly and resigned from her position. She was serving as assistant to the president and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison.

“John Kelly and I had a very straightforward discussion about concerns that I had, issues that I raised and, as a result, I resigned,” she said. “We had a very candid conversation. I wanted to make the one-year mark … and then get back to my life.”

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Trump spokesperson Sarah Sanders claimed that Newman signed a resignation letter in order to “pursue other opportunities.”

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Newman first shot to fame in 2004, when she appeared on the first season Trump reality show The Apprentice. She’s widely known for her aggressive, no-nonsense attitude.

Other Celebrity Big Brother U.S. (CBBUS) houseguests include American Pie actor Shannon Elizabeth, former Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath, NBAer Metta World Peace, Big Time Rush‘s James Maslow, Hairspray star Marissa Janet Winokur, Miss Columbia from the Miss Universe 2015 competition Ariadna Gutierrez, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell and E! host Ross Matthews.

Earlier on Sunday, CBBUS host Julie Chen tweeted a series of emojis meant to represent the houseguests.

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To accommodate the houseguests’ busy schedules, this inaugural season of CBBUS won’t last the usual full three months. Instead, the season will wrap up in two and a half weeks. Four episodes will air each week, with two-hour episodes on Fridays.

‘Celebrity Big Brother’ premieres on Feb. 7 and runs until Feb. 25 on Global.

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