Big Brother reveals rich mix of housemates

A former asylum seeker, a wannabe Page 3 girl and an animal rights activist are among the contestants on this year’s Big Brother.

The 12 housemates were unveiled in a live launch show tonight.

They include Daniel, a gay hairdresser who claims he only sleeps with straight men, and Marco, a former Samaritan who describes himself as “the biggest bitch on the planet”.

The oldest housemate in the Channel 4 show is 44-year-old Ahmed, a Muslim property developer who came to Britain from Somalia as an asylum seeker.

Youngest are big-headed student Stuart (he and his friends have dubbed themselves “Team Handsome”) and legal administrator Emma, both aged 20.

Among the six girls are Vanessa, a South African archery champion, and Nadia, a Portuguese bank clerk with gravity-defying breasts.

Big Brother bosses have deliberately chosen 12 housemates they reckon will clash from day one.

So Michelle, a 23-year-old mortgage advisor whose ambition is to become a glamour model, will be sharing the house with Kitten, a political activist and vegetarian who campaigns against sexism and pornography.

Other housemates include Jason, an air steward nicknamed “Shagger from the Shire” who says he has slept with more than 250 people.

The 12 housemates met each other for the first time when they entered the house.

The theme of the fifth series is Big Brother Gets Evil and there are some nasty surprises in store.

This year the housemates are competing for £100,000 – but what they don’t yet know is that Big Brother has the power to knock money off the prize fund if they fail their tasks.

The Housemates:

:: MARCO

Age: 21

From: Middlesex

Occupation: Law Student

Status: Single

Why Big Brother? “I want a really unique experience that will help me to learn about myself and what other people think of me. I also think it will be a laugh.”

Marco describes himself as “the biggest bitch on the planet” and “a total shit stirrer”. He is Vice President of his university Law Society but has no intention of being a lawyer. He is half Italian and an ex-Samaritan.

:: AHMED

Age: 44

From: Liverpool

Occupation: Property Developer

Status: Separated

Why Big Brother? “I’m doing it to confirm my existence.”

Ahmed is originally from Somalia, but had to flee during the civil war. He came to England as an Asylum seeker but is now a British citizen. He is a Muslim and speaks English, Italian, Arabic, Somali and Merkani and recently graduated from university with a law degree.

:: JASON

Age: 30

From: Glasgow

Occupation: Air Steward

Status: Single

Why Big Brother? “For the past five years I’ve had the same routine and going into the house will shake that up. I want to see how I’ll feel without being able to do my fitness routine. It will be a little bit of self discovery for me.”

Jason has worked as refuse collector and a nude model. He openly confesses to be one of the vainest people you could ever meet and once won “Mr Best Buttocks South Lanarkshire”. His nickname is “Shagger from the Shire” and he claims to have slept with over 250 people.

:: DANIEL

Age: 30

From: Hull

Occupation: Hairdresser

Status: Single

Why Big Brother? “It’s about time I was unleashed upon the nation.”

Daniel is also a DJ, sings with an electro-disco band and practices Ju-Jitsu five times a week. He claims to only sleep with straight men. He burns the candle at both ends and goes out pretty much every night.

:: STUART

Age: 20

From: Macclesfield

Occupation: Psychology Student

Status: Single

Why Big Brother? “I just want the opportunity to spread a little love and stand up to the whole country and say ‘Hi, I’m Stu’.”

Stuart got four A’s at A Level, was Head Boy at school and is planning to stay on at university to do a Masters Degree. He and his friends call themselves “Team Handsome” and he aims to be a millionaire by the age of 25.

:: VICTOR

Age: 23

From: London

Occupation: Gap year student

Status: In a relationship

Why Big Brother? “I want to go in to win the prize money and to make it a good show. It’s reality TV and you can’t have reality TV without the realest person around.”

Victor claims that his nicknames are “The Milkman” because he always delivers and “Mr Slick” because he always gets the job done. He describes himself as being “like Marmite” because people either love him or hate him. At university he was President of the African and Caribbean society.

:: VANESSA

Age: 26

From: Leeds (originally from South Africa)

Occupation: Student

Status: Single

Why Big Brother? “Purely because it’s an incredible experience and very few people will ever have the chance to have it. I feel very honoured to have been selected and the opportunity comes at the right time in my life.”

Originally from Cape Town, Vanessa moved to the UK six years ago. She’s a self-confessed adrenalin junkie and was South African archery champion for two years in a row. She loves rugby and runs for an hour every morning.

:: EMMA

Age: 20

From: Oldham

Occupation: Legal Administrator

Status: Single

Why Big Brother? “Because I’m bored s***less with my life at the moment and I want to have some fun. I’m just here for a giggle.”

Emma’s previous job was as an entertainer in Spain. She hates her current job and has been sacked from pretty much all her previous jobs. She is a party girl, loves meeting new people, going out and eating.

:: KITTEN

Age: 24

From: Brighton

Occupation: Political Activist

Status: In a relationship

Why Big Brother? “I’m intrigued to be put into a situation where power is completely taken away from you and you are watched 24 hours a day. I don’t respond very well to authority, I don’t like it, so it will be interesting to see how I manage the situation. I have no desire for fame but to earn a bit of money would be great.”

Kitten is a human rights and animal rights activist. A strict vegetarian, she is angered by sexism, pornography, homophobia, racism and George Bush. She has two cats called Puddypuddyquadropodteddyteddyteapot and Kittikittiquadropodtabbytabbypeaches.

:: MICHELLE

Age: 23

From: Newcastle

Occupation: Mortgage Advisor

Status: Single

Why Big Brother? “I want to enjoy the experience and the thrill of being in the Big Brother house. I hope I’ll be there until the end.”

Michelle’s ambition is to be a glamour model. She has worked as a shop assistant, a chambermaid, a Tesco cashier and a make-up artist before training for her current job. Her proudest achievement is losing a lot of weight. She used to be a size 18 but is now a size 10.

:: SHELL

Age: 21

From: Glasgow

Occupation: History Of Art Student

Status: In a relationship

Why Big Brother? “To pay off my Mum’s mortgage! And so my Dad can see me on television.”

Shell is a conscientious student. She loves long walks, architecture and art galleries. She is a passionate reader and works part time in a museum. She has been a life model in the past and in her spare time is training to be a sculptor.

:: NADIA

Age: 27

From: Surrey (originally from Portugal)

Occupation: Bank Clerk

Status: Single

Why Big Brother? “Because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and the world is not full of strangers, only friends that you are yet to meet.”

Nadia is the eldest of six children. She was born in Portugal but moved to England eight years ago. She has previously worked on a perfume counter in a department store and managed a children’s bookshop. She loves shopping, going out with friends and walks by the sea.