big brother - THE INTERVIEWS

The seventh series of Big Brother was unleashed on our screens on May 18 2006 for thirteen weeks - the longest series ever. I worked closely with Big Brother producers and a number of radio stations across the UK to report the latest.

I was one of a few commercial radio journalists invited to the post eviction press conference held at the studios. Highlights were broadcast on BBLB (Big Brother's Little Brother) on Channel 4, as seen below.

All the interviews with the housemates can be listened to here.

August 18 - perfect pete wins

Pete has been crowned the winner of Big Brother 7 and takes home the £100,000 prize.

The Tourette sufferer was favourite to win since the first week. On hearing the news, he jumped up and screamed "eeezamanna!” When the voting lines closed, Pete had received 61.2% of the votes for the final two places.

In his final week, he revealed his place in Big Brother had been staged in a premonition - after a deceased close friend appeared in a dream. He believed the reality show 'saved' his life and admitted he had contemplated suicide during a rough spell in 2005.

In second place came part-time Welsh lifeguard Glyn, famed for his dire cooking skills and his attraction to Lea. Aisleyne came third - beating all the other females.

Jennie was the first of the final six to be evicted, followed by Nikki and Richard.

The series had the most contestants and had been the longest ever – running for a total of 93 days. Housemates walked out, one housemate was ejected, housemates were game show prizes, one was a Golden housemate, some hid next door and some ex housemates returned. There were more twists and turns than ever. It's been a long ride, but a golden one.

Hear the final interview

August 11 - The welsh wonder

Imogen's the latest housemate to be booted out of Big Brother. The Welsh beauty queen was up against camp Canadian Richard – and received 62% of the public vote.

Being the thirteenth female housemate though, she also leaves a record breaker - having clocked up more time than any other woman in Big Brother history.

Meanwhile four ex housemates waited next door for their chance to re-enter the reality show. Nikki was chosen by the contestants in the main house – leaving Grace, Lea and Mikey behind, much to the approval of Pete.

Imogen played down talk of a romantic reunion between her and ex housemate Sezer – adding that she will offer her support concerning legal allegations made against him. “Me and Sezer are going to be friends,” she said.

August 4 - Mikey and Susie

Four former housemates are set to rejoin the show – including Mikey and Susie who were the latest to leave.

The four chosen ex-contestants will enter via a secret compartment next door before surprising the others. The latest twist comes after calls the show is becoming boring.

Favourite to return is footballer’s wife wannabe Nikki Grahame.

Immediately after being the eleventh housemate to leave, 22-year-old Mikey was reunited with Grace. The pair had a relationship until she was evicted – although there had been reports Grace had been on a few dates with former housemate George, who walked.

Meanwhile, 43-year-old Susie Verrico – the ‘Golden Housemate’ – followed Mikey to be the twelfth housemate to leave in a surprise double eviction.

The only housemates unable to re-enter the house are Dawn, George and Shahbaz. Legal reasons mean Bonnie and Sezer are also unable to participate.

july 28 - S & M

Spiral and Michael are the first contestants to be booted out in a double eviction. They were up against two other pairs; Imogen and Susie, Pete and Richard. Under 10% of the public wanted to save them.

Like Jayne, they both entered the main house via a secret complex next door. Their time in the house was relatively quite in comparison - until their tempers got the better of them.

Spiral was accused of picking on the girls: his fragrant choice of words again Nikki, Jennie and Aisleyne caused eruptions.

Whereas Michael flew off the handle every time his sexuality was questioned or mentioned. He also insisted on carrying a stuffed black cat called Scruples everywhere he went.

july 21 - jayne the belcher

The belcher has left the building. Jayne Kitt - famed for her consistent burping and rule breaking - lost out to Richard to be the eighth housemate to be kicked out.

The 36-year-old recruitment consultant from Slough caused a stir by breaking one of Big Brother's strictest rules of talking about the outside world. The previous week the whole house was up for eviction because of her behaviour.

She had previously spent one week in a secret house with four other new contestants. Aisleyne was the only 'original' housemate there - who evicted Jayne - only to be sent to the main house.

The mother-of-one denied she had any preconceptions of her housemates but admitted she felt guilty when her rule breaking resulted in Nikki's eviction.

july 14 - special nikki

As petite Nikki Grahame realised she was the latest housemate to be booted out of the Big Brother camp - true to form, her eyes welled up on cue. During her time in the house, her tears and tantrums became almost as famous as her flamboyant arm gestures and hatred of air conditioning. She was up against all of her housemates - apart from Jayne - and received 37.2% of the vote.

The blonde promotions girl from Northwood Hills - but more commonly associated with Watford - struck a close relationship with fellow housemate Pete. She revealed she had a big crush on him but had to take a few steps back after Aisleyne started sharing his bed at night.

Before her fame arrived on Big Brother, she was tormented by anorexia, had previously attempted to kill herself and suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - which is why she insisted on bottled water all the time.

However, she overcame her obstacles and is now widely regarded has having the potential to be put in the same category as Jade Goody and Chantelle... the lucky girl!

july 7 - Lea: larger than life!

Blonde bombshell Lea Walker narrowly lost out to the ultra-camp Richard to be the sixth housemate to leave the Big Brother house. The 35-year-old was evicted with 53.8% of the vote - one of the closest results of the series so far.

Upon entering the house she was besieged with boos and chants - which gave her an uneasy feeling throughout her stay of the public's perception towards her. However, she was expecting a similar reception on her exit, only to receive more cheers than any other previous housemate.

Her last week in the house saw a flurry of four new contestants arrive – who were voted in by Aisleyne. A fifth housemate, Jonathan was the only housemate to not make it.

Lea - who has an M cup bust - admitted she had feelings for Pete and said he's her favourite to win.

june 30 - Meet the neighbours

Producers delivered what they had promised and introduced five new housemates to a secret house unknown to the main contestants.

The new players are:

• Jayne, 36, a Recruitment Consultant
• Jennie, 18, a Sales Adviser and Student
• Jonathan, 24, a Door Supervisor / Bouncer
• Michael, 23, a Student
• Spiral (aka Glen), 22, a DJ, rapper and entertainer

Aisleyne and Susie thought the public were voting for who they wanted out - whereas in reality votes were being cast for who should join the new housemates next door. A grand total of 67.3% sealed the 27 year-old promotion girl's move.

june 16 - she's a dis-grace

Dance teacher Grace Adams-Short felt the brunt of the Big Brother voting public as she was booted out. The twenty-year-old posh girl exited the house to a chorus of boos, chants and banners proclaiming her to be a 'two faced back stabber'. She was hot favourite to leave and received 88% of the vote.

In her final week she failed to warm to new Golden housemate Susie - the only contestant allowed to nominate. Along with Grace, she also chose footballers wife wannabe Nikki to face eviction. As she left, Grave threw a glass of water over Susie - ultimately adding fuel to her public perception of being a queen bitch.

A week previous, chants of 'get Grace out!' were heard by all the housemates minutes before her foe Susie was chosen to join the others. Grace believed her relationship with Mikey was the cause of public resentment towards her. However, she later admitted her 'bitchiness' and the ‘mother inside’ her might have had something to do with it...

june 6 - sam's the man!

Happy-smiley Sam Brodie's bum mark on the couch was barely left to cool as yet another new contestant entered the house. It was a close shave between Nikki and the pre-op transsexual to walk - but in the end, Sam received 53.7% of the total votes cast - probably his closest shave yet (pun intended).

Meanwhile, 34 Gold Ticket holders waited eagerly to be picked as the newest additions - after unravelling their chance to be a housemate thanks to promotional Kit Kat bars. Aisleyne picked at random 43-year-old model Susie Verrico.

Speaking after his eviction, Sam thought Susie was 'just another plastic' wannabe 'a bit like Nikki' - but also revealed his secret crush on Mikey and Richard. I wonder whether Grace felt threatened?

june 2 - sezer the 'sleezer geezer'

Self confessed womaniser Sezer Yurtseven was booted out of the house in a record-breaking landslide - making him one of the most unpopular housemates in Big Brother history. The twenty-six-year-old London stockbroker accumulated over 90% of the public vote when he was up against single mum Lea and Canadian waiter Richard. It was the largest majority anyone has ever been evicted with.

During his time in the house, he struck a close friendship with Welsh lass Imogen but caused a stir with his overtly sexist and self-opinionated remarks - making him public enemy number one. However, his softer side became apparent once he left the show, revealing his belief that Imogen is marriage material.

He left in what was yet another turbulent week that saw blue-blooded George walk out (apparently, he didn't want the fame) and tempers fray with his fellow nominees. He denied bullying and called Richard a 'politician' who he 'despised'. The show awaits new contestants after producers planted several 'Golden Tickets' hidden inside Kit Kat bars. The housemates may find Sezer's highly sexed antics replaced by someone even worse - or will they..?

MAY 26 - bland BONNIE

Twenty-year-old Bonnie Holt became the first person to be evicted from the Big Brother house. The news hit Bonnie, a care worker from Loughborough, after a tense week that saw camp Glaswegian Shahbaz walk off the set and moody 'BO Dawn' ejected after suspected outside communication. She was up against Welsh part time life guard Glyn - and received 78% of the public vote.

Speaking at an exclusive press conference after the eviction, she admitted she may have come over as a 'chav' on the reality show and said she wasn't 'bovvered' - nor surprised - being compared to Little Britain character Vicky Pollard. However, she also revealed her future probably lies abroad - as she thinks it's unlikely she'll go back to care working after she failed to tell bosses of her planned Big Brother escapade!