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'Channel' swim challenge sparks row in house
19.06.07
Unfit: Gerry comes under fire from an angry Chanelle
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A row broke out in the Big Brother house last night after housemates were set the task of swimming the Channel to earn a luxury shopping budget for the week.
The contestants have to swim the equivalent of the 34 kilometre (21 mile) distance between Dover and Calais in the Big Brother pool. There must be one housemate swimming at all times and they must have completed the distance between them by this evening.
In addition, the housemate who swims the furthest will be rewarded and the housemate who swims the shortest distance will receive a punishment. Charley was first into the pool but she was soon overwhelmed by the task.
"I'm drowning. I'm not exaggerating!" she said. Chanelle, Gerry and Nicky each took their turn, supervised by two sou'wester-clad housemates who have the task of marshalling proceedings. But Gerry's observation that Chanelle's mere seven lengths meant she was unfit provoked a firestorm of protest.
"I can't believe you called me unfit!" said Chanelle aghast. "I go to the gym, I go on the treadmill, I do weights!"
Gerry showed bewilderment at the furious response, claiming women are oversensitive. "Thousands of people are feeling sorry for me right now," he said.
"I don't believe you're unfit," he told a fuming Chanelle. "I do believe you can do better."
But despite housemates' attempts to calm her down, claiming his comments had been a joke, Chanelle was not letting it do.
"It wasn't funny. He made me feel like a fat whale," she huffed.
Earlier, Big Brother told the housemates that they would soon begin nominating each other for this week's eviction.
The rules for nominating were read out and Big Brother told them that two or more people would face the public vote this Friday.
"This is the first time everyone's had to nominate and it's going to be interesting," Ziggy said.
So far, only Ziggy, Seany, Gerry and the twins have been allowed to nominate, as Big Brother gave the privilege to new housemates. Carole, who survived eviction last Friday, was convinced she would be going this week.
But Ziggy tried to reassure the house mum, saying: "I think it's clear to see what you do here and if you didn't it would be a mad house."
New housemate Jonathan added: "If you go I would be the oldest person here and that would be disastrous."
Reader views (1)
I can honestly say that this is the first time I have not even been tempted to watch this program - usually it manages to hook me. One look at the BB "headlines" here and I can see it must be the most tedious and BORING series yet. I hope it all ends soon.
- Dani, London
