Big Brother couple expect patter of tiny feet

Big Brother stars Claire Strutton and Tom McDermott are reported to have fallen in love and are expecting a baby together.

The former housemates from the spy-on-the-wall show have been secretly dating for five months, according to newspaper reports.

But their love will surprise fans of the TV series, as the pair appeared to prefer the company of other housemates when they were holed up in the Big Brother house.

Tom, 31, flirted with Melanie Hill during his time on the show and was watched by millions giving her a massage and kisses while florist Claire, 26, hit it off with eventual winner Craig Phillips, even pretending to make love under a duvet.

But despite the early signals it was Tom and Claire who had strong feelings for each other, the couple revealed.

Tom had been evicted from the Big Brother house one week before Claire. When she came out he phoned and offered to give her advice about how to cope with the pressure of being in the public eye.

"He showed me the ropes," Claire said. "We were really good friends. If we weren't doing anything we would hang out with each other. He grew on me like a rash, really. I remember that I missed him over Christmas."

In February they began going out with each other and soon afterwards she discovered that she was pregnant, it was reported.

The couple said they had no plans to marry yet, preferring to concentrate on the baby and their burgeoning careers.

Claire has done some TV presenting and is keen to launch a musical career while Tom is about to present an Irish version of It's A Knockout.