Morning:
8°c
With a single dessert and just two glasses of wine our bill was kept in check - but the effort of doing so was not much fun
Latest: Gordon Brown apologises for his poor handwriting and for misspelling the name of a dead soldier in a letter to the young man’s mother
More...
'Big Brother has shattered my life', says Jo
Last updated at 16:22pm on 02.02.07
Celebrity Big Brother housemate Jo O'Meara has issued a public plea for understanding, claiming her life had been "totally shattered" by the Channel 4 show.
The former S Club 7 star apologised for any hurt she had caused to Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, saying: "I am genuinely sorry."
And she complained that while crowds were barred from Jade Goody's eviction and Danielle Lloyd was allowed to leave the house with Jack Tweed, she was left to run the gauntlet of hate alone.
"I felt like the rabbit in the headlights with nowhere to hide and no-one to talk to," she said. O'Meara, 27, issued a 900-word statement putting her side of the story.
She claims to have received death threats from people who believe she is a racist bully. "I am totally shattered and after the death threats am scared to go home.
"Am I the first person in the world to make a mistake or say regrettable things? I am devastated, sorry and honestly have no idea what to do next," she said.
The singer blamed Big Brother producers for "manipulating" situations inside the house. "I think that as a group we would all have coped better if some of the surprise stunts hadn't been pulled by Big Brother," she said.
"Jade and her family entering the house late and the introduction of a slave/master culture is bizarre by anyone's standards and automatically creates tension and a divide.
"There were many instances of manipulation by the programme makers and they have to take responsibility for their actions too.
"I may have made some mistakes but I have apologised for them and, in the context of the three weeks of Big Brother, I honestly believe that I was not a horrible person every day throughout the series."
She added: "I may have been shown on national TV saying and doing things that I sincerely regret and of course I am genuinely sorry.
"But does the Big Brother coverage sum up who I am and what really happened in the Big Brother house all day, every day?
"In a goldfish bowl, clever editing, boredom and manipulation can result in issues on several levels."
Of her eviction - to a chorus of boos from the crowd and cries of "Get Jo Out" - O'Meara recalled: "I asked Davina as we walked through the crowd after my eviction if everything was OK, as I felt that something was wrong, but she assured me everything was fine and I had nothing to worry about.
"Therefore my shock and confusion was magnified by what greeted me with the press cuttings, death threats, the highlight tapes and the tone of Davina's interview."
O'Meara admitted she only took part in the show for the cash - a move she now bitterly regrets.
She said: "I have been asked why I did Big Brother. It was simply because I needed the money.
"I did have a successful singing career in S Club but that was several years ago. I may lose my house and the fee offered was a lifeline which I took."
While O'Meara's career is in ruins, Celebrity Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty is being flooded with job offers.
O'Meara said: "I understand she is doing brilliantly since she won Big Brother and I sincerely and genuinely wish her every success and happiness."
Reader views (18)
it was all down to clever ediiting in the end
the girl says she is sorry , we have all been there in a group a few beers
a good laugh but what wasnt there with us was the cameras
and ms shetty took full advantage of what was happening its all point scoring
- Mark, nottingham , uk
Jo, being picked on hurts... doesn't it!
- Shama, Herts
Talentless idiot tries to use stupid programme to become famous for doing nothing useful.
Talentless idiot so stupid that they can't even make a success of nothing - talentless idiot moans about how unfair it all is.
Very Funny, more please.
- John, UK
Well it's time for bullying to stop. I too have had abuse hurled at me though I am not coloured. It was hurtful and what was said to me was far far worse but at that time I did not know that it was a crime as I had been living out of the country for some years. Fortunatley for me the person that abused me moved to Devon where I hope he doesn't repeated his ugly performance! Even if they apologise once the knife has entered the body the scar remains! Sorry but she was foul mouthed and that was unforgiveable.
- Maria, UK
I feel sorry for Jo now being made an example of. It's time appologies were accepted and people are allowed to move on. This public flogging is no use to anyone.
I thought Jo seemed nice she had a good sense of humour and I'm sure anything said was not meant with any malice.
I sincerely hope Jo gets through this and gets on with her life and is happy.
- Ian T, Birmingham England
Good to see the law of Karmic returns working so quickly. What goes around comes around, Jo!
- K, Leamington Spa, UK
Perhaps this whole incident should prompt an honest look at ourselves too. Are our thoughts, perceptions, attitudes and behaviour towards others, regardless of race, always filled with the understanding, tolerance and respect sadly lacking in some of the BB participants?
- Winston Weithers, Reading, UK
If one signs up to a nuthouse, don't expect sanity to prevail on any level, particularly when you come out into the pure, hypocritical air of this dump of a country.
- Ted, Shetland Isles
Add your comment... who's doing the bullying now fellow commenters?
- George, Bridport, UK
Nothing cheers me up more on a Friday morning than a micro-celebrity being hoisted on her own publicity-seeking petard. Well done Big Brother!
- Keith, Farringdon
Of course BigB manipulate situations. The whole thing is a manipulation from the start. That's what the show is about. The show cannot actually be blamed if the people who have chosen to take part haven't felt the need to skip out of the primordial soup yet.
If Shilpa were British I would be proud that I am too. If I were indian right now, I would be proud of her and the country that made her. As it is, the only Brits that didn't bring immense shame, were the ones who left and the slightly Welsh bloke. The ones who stayed in... I am hoping are not representative of the UK as I would have punched them all.
We should thank Shilpa for teaching us how to behave like grown up human from the 21st Century. Jade, Jo, Danielle and Jack could be put forward as farily convincing evidence that evolution didn't happen after all. Damn them and the other cave crashing Neanderthals. Get some cream for your knuckles.
- Arondean, Newport, Wales
Funny how she's blaming everyone and everything else. Shows that bullys really are cowards underneath. No sympathy whatsoever.
- Maria, UK
It serves her right, with cameras on you 24 hours wouldn't you behave a little more mature. You looked almost as trashy as Jade's Mum smoking all the time in that gown. Grow up and get over it.
- Alison, London
If only she had been even a little contrite about her behavior in the house, when she was first told about it in the interview with Davina. She might not be going though all these problems now. But, she was adamant that she had done nothing wrong and would behave the same way again. I dont feel sorry for her.
- Carole, Lancashire
She didn't leave the house alone - she left with Cleo, who was very supportive.
- Claire, Essex
'had to run the gauntlet of hate alone unlike Jack and Danielle' - has the experience affected her memory? She was evicted at the same side as Cleo Rocos who held her hand all the way out and murmured encouragement to her.
- Marikka, Broadstairs, Kent
Oh dear, who cares about a grade E 'slebrity?
- Stephen, Guildford
Sorry but what goes around comes around!
- Sarah S, leeds
