Born in Brentwood, Essex, Houghton was born to parents Alan and Vivien, and has an older brother Greg. Leaving school at 15 with seven GCSEs, she worked in a bank and as an insurance telesales rep.

After various friends suggested she would make a good model, Houghton entered a 2001 competition run by a Motorcycle News magazine, and after winning it became a promotions girl. Wanting to be like her heroine Jordan (Katie Price), she undertook some glamour modelling, started out by having her mother take some topless shots in a local park. In 2003, she entered a Daily Star competition as a page three girl, which she didn't win but appeared once in the tabloid newspaper. She appeared as a Soccerette model on Sky TV's Soccer AM show, and worked for a look-alike agency, portraying Paris Hilton (the same agency now offers another model as a "Chantelle Houghton look-alike"). In 2005 she competed in a Miss Greater London beauty pageant, where she lost to Jenny Velasquez who took the crown and went on to compete in Miss England. Houghton had originally applied to be in Big Brother 6 and was a stand-by for that series but was never called up, however producers decided to use her for the upcoming celebrity version of the show. Houghton entered the house on day one and became the first non-celebrity to enter Celebrity Big Brother. She was told by Big Brother her cover story was that she was a member of a fictional band called Kandy Floss.

According to Big Brother, Houghton was the lead singer. Their singles were "I Want It Right Now", "Come Back" and "More More More". "I Want It Right Now" was their biggest hit. Had she failed to convince them, she would have been evicted from the house. She successfully fooled her housemates and survived to the end of the show. In her Big Brother profile page Houghton described herself as a "bright, blonde bimbo" (despite not being a natural blonde). She said, "I look like Paris Hilton, not on purpose but it's just the way it turned out". She has since been nicknamed "Paris Travelodge", implying a poor man's version of Paris Hilton. On the first evening, Houghton reported a potential problem: she had previously met Jodie Marsh's brother while out clubbing. Happily for her, her fears proved unfounded. On 8 January (day four), Big Brother set a task to the group to rate themselves by how famous they thought they were. The celebrity they thought was the most famous stood on the #1 podium and the person they considered the least famous stood on the #11 podium. Houghton had to avoid being put in the #11 podium to prove she had fooled the real celebrities that she was famous and to stay in the house. Houghton survived the task, being chosen to stand on the #9 podium, ahead of Preston and Maggot. She was then called to the diary room to discuss her identity with Big Brother. This was simultaneously shown on a television screen in the lounge, in front of the other housemates. Houghton was nominated for eviction on day 21, but was saved from eviction by the public as the other two nominees (George Galloway and Dennis Rodman) left the house in a double eviction. While in the house, Houghton established close bonds with Jodie Marsh and Preston of The Ordinary Boys. Houghton won the show on 27 January with 56.4% of the public vote, ahead of Michael Barrymore on 22.7%, earning her 25,000 (the celebrities were reportedly paid fees of up to 150,000 each). Houghton's mother stated she was to be represented by publicist Max Clifford.[citation needed] However, he replied on TV that she has not signed with him but he did 'help out in an advisory position'.

Clifford believes that her fame would be brief but explosive: "I think it will be a very exciting five or 10 minutes. Maybe we can stretch it to 15." Houghton has also presented The Paul O'Grady Show and is good friends with Chanelle Hayes. She also had her own post Big Brother show called Chantelle: Living the Dream. Houghton's first magazine cover was weekly celebrity magazine, Sneak magazine. Houghton has appeared as a guest on several TV shows since winning Celebrity Big Brother. Its also said that Houghton did a spoof of Paris Hiltons sex tape though it never was released on the interenet. Insiders who have seen it said its a home made video Houghton did with one of her at the time boyfriends. The video is very similar to the one Paris had but throught out the video she acted up the dumb blonde act. The whole time acting dingy but still going through the same sex action. Sucking on his dick talking to the camera acting like she is the heiress the whole travel lodge fortunes. The funny part about it is that even though her video was a spoof and ment to make fun of Paris Hilton those who seen it said it was much hottier then the one Paris was actually in. Proving that she not only has a better body then Paris but that she knows how to give a much better blow job then her too.