Bookie bans bets on BB housemates quitting
A bookmaker has suspended betting on a Big Brother housemate quitting the show amid speculation the programme’s future was under threat.
Ladbrokes offered odds of 3/1 on a contestant walking out but saw a deluge of bets as the atmosphere soured after Dennis McHugh’s removal and Sylvia Barrie’s eviction last week.
The odds fell to 1/4 before the firm decided to pull the plug.
The bookmaker’s decision came on the eve of a report in the Daily Star claiming the programme could be taken off air before the series ends following a string of fights and shock evictions.
Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said the run of bets had not been placed on a particular housemate but added: “We think it’s only a matter of time before one of the inmates calls it quits.”
After the removal of Dennis and Alexandra De-Gale within the first four weeks of the series, the odds on a third being taken out by TV bosses is currently 2/1.
Kathreya is the 10/11 favourite to win the show while Lisa is the outsider on 80/1.
Contestants, meanwhile, had a taste of blind housemate Mikey Hughes’s life when Big Brother made them wear goggles which blacked out their sight.
Mikey was born partially sighted but became blind when he haemorrhaged during an operation to remove a cataract when he was 23.
The housemates paired up and one was blindfolded while the other helped them adapt to life without sight. After three hours, they swapped places.
Mikey’s job was to choose the pairs and to act as an adviser during the day.
He quickly noticed they soon got bored without their sight.
“I don’t know what stimulates me,” the 33-year-old radio producer said. “I’ve kind of been bored for the last 10 years now that I can’t see. It’s odd – nothing seems to really stimulate me.”
Luke Marsden asked what would stimulate him and Mikey replied: “I don’t know. Probably getting my sight back, to be honest. Because when I could see, it was so visual and all that. And when you’ve not got your sight, everything just vanishes.
“Although I like doing things, I don’t enjoy it as much and it’s all quite boring.”
The housemates realised how hard life must be for Mikey while they wore the goggles.
After the task finished, Mario Marconi told Mikey he felt “a bit sorry because we’re taking our goggles off and we’ve got our sight”.
“I thought of that,” said Lisa Appleton. “It doesn’t even give you room to moan does it? It must be very scary. You take so much for granted don’t you?”
