Tiresome task for Big Brother housemates

The Big Brother housemates are being challenged to a sleep-deprivation task - with a luxury shopping budget up for grabs if they succeed.

The task is kicking off this evening, with Big Brother treating the contestants to cheese and wine and transforming the house into a cosy haven to make it as hard as possible to beat sleep.

Then the housemates will be told they are collectively allowed just four hours of sleep until 10pm on Tuesday, with a clock ticking down as soon as one or more of them nods off.

Nominations will be taking place during the task – at 2am on Monday – and they’ll be on basic rations for the week if they fail the challenge.

Big Brother will be making it tough for the housemates to keep their eyes open: there will be no alarms and they must wear pyjamas and will be given white dressing gowns, slippers and teddy bears.

But they will have the chance to earn an extra sleeping hour by becoming sheep and jumping over fences in the garden, in a twist on the “counting sheep” method of getting to sleep.

And twins Sam and Amanda will have the opportunity to win a special birthday treat on Tuesday when they turn 19.

Earlier today, Charley was not happy to learn she’d failed the last task – a very British holiday in a 1970s caravan won by coming out top in last night’s knobbly knees competition.

Charley and Brian were sent to a caravan in the garden to feast on canned food, pork pies and Scotch eggs in an environment of fake wood and stripy nylon.

Before they left, they were given suitcases with clothes such as knotted handkerchiefs, floral prints and brown sandals, with instructions to wear the contents.

Party girl Charley refused to believe it today when Big Brother told her she had broken the rule of staying in the fenced area around the caravan except to use the toilet bloc.

She swore at Big Brother and raged: “How very dare you! I hope we get something for what you’ve put me through.

“You’ve put me through somebody who farts all night – all night! Okay, I broke the rule, but how can you say that when I sat there all night having to endure farts? The caravan stunk like a stale old second-hand shop!”