Day 4 - In Detail. Vanessa evicted, 'Topiary' task, 3rd and final nominations

On the 4th day, most of the housemates were awake by around 10.15am. Some nursed hangovers from the previous night's drinking; they had managed to get through 4 cans of Guinness, 2 litres of cider and a 3-litre box of white wine between them.

Shortly after midday, Vanessa was fiddling with her case, no doubt in anticipation of leaving the house later that day. Anthea was fretting over not having any washing powder and visited Big Brother to ask for some. While Jack made bread and prepared a pasta meal, the girls all attended to Vanessa's hair in their bedroom. Keith slept the whole morning, finally getting up at around 1.30pm but thinking it was about 9.30am!

Just before Keith rose, Vanessa went to collect the day's task and found five baskets of shrubbery, otherwise known as topiary kits. The day's task was for each contestant to create a floral feature with a Comic Relief theme, for which Big Brother would provide a movie if successful. Both Claire and Vanessa almost simultaneously declared that they were "not green-fingered." The group had until 6pm to complete their creations.

20 minutes later, the group was asked to clean out the chickens in return for the washing powder and towels requested by Anthea. The girls decided to do it together and Jack seized the opportunity to get a photo of them actually doing some work. Vanessa chatted to Anthea and was convinced that she, rather than Jack, would be going home later that day; she was actually quite looking forward to it. Within an hour, the group began work on their task. The girls merrily sung while they worked; Jack and Keith looked like they didn't know where to start!

At around 5.30pm, Vanessa had gone for a nap while the others sat chatting around the sofa area. Within 45 minutes, Vanessa was up and it was time to display their topiary designs to Big Brother. The group's individual creations all resembled human forms and this is what they were:

Jack's 'Rwandan Woman' represented a woman from Rwanda carrying a baby, some harvested crop in a basket and some water. He explained that it represented what he'd like to see more of in Rwanda i.e. the crop and water element. His delivery was serious almost to the point of insincerity and again it was difficult to tell if Jack genuinely felt that way. However he had given-up his time to go into the house so his commitment to the charity could not really be questioned, (although it must be said that he 'volunteered' primarily because fellow comedian Lenny Henry said that he'd kill Jack if he didn't!!)

Claire's 'My Time Inside' figure represented some of the things that'd got her through in her time in the house. It featured tea bags, playing cards, some Comic Relief pants and a Brookside plaque.

Vanessa's buxom 'Blondes Have More Fun' figure featured a mop head as hair and wore some snazzy leopard skin pyjamas. "A tribute to brassy blondes everywhere," it was reminiscent of Vanessa herself and the title explains what it was all about.

Keith's 'The Guinness Head' had a kind-of James Dean look, featuring a white T-shirt and lapels. In true schoolboy style, below the waist Keith had gone for the 'meat and 2 veg' idea, with a couple Comic Relief noses representing the '2 veg' part! The figure was topped-off with an empty Guinness can.

Anthea's 'Housemate' creation wore a red bikini, a Red Nose and pink rubber gloves holding a cleaning cloth. It was referred to as a 'she' but the gender wasn't obvious!

The group had passed the task and they would later have the opportunity to watch their chosen movie, The Patriot starring Mel Gibson.

At 7.15pm, the group sat around the table to eat the supper prepared by Jack. Vanessa instigated a conversation about what to say (i.e. to the Press) when either she or Jack was kicked out that night. Jack jokingly claimed that, playing on the persona he'd already established, he would have a moan about how terrible it had been living with them all. Vanessa then tried again, specifically stating that she was asking for advice on what to say herself. The optimistic Keith once again challenged Vanessa that it might not be her leaving. Keith had a laugh at Jack's expense saying, "It took you a couple ‘o days to get into it, but you're really funny now; well done!" This raised a laugh with the whole group.

Soon after 9.30pm, four of the contestants were sat around the sofa area awaiting the news on the public eviction vote. Jack then emerged from the bedroom in a brown overcoat and flat cap, pulling his suitcase behind him like a dog on a lead. The others thought it was hilarious and mocked his attire, even though Jack claimed that they were his own real clothes. It was announced that Vanessa would be the second contestant to leave the house but attention was quickly shifted back to Jack. Vanessa consoled the comedian for his 'apparent disappointment' at not being able to leave the house, a premise he was keeping up. Keith
cracked everyone up by half-seriously saying to Jack, "They say 3rd time lucky; I've nominated you twice, I'm 'gonna nominate you again tonight!"

Whilst the girls helped Vanessa with hair, make-up and packing in their bedroom, Jack made his way to the diary room to grill Big Brother. Upon asking when the next eviction was, he was told that it would be in 2 days time. With Anthea and Keith listening at the door outside, he then said inquisitively, "Can...it be me?" Big Brother matter-of-factly replied that nominations were up to Jack's housemates and evictions were up to the viewers. Jack then suggestively inquired, "Can you.... rig it, please?" The concerned, almost-desperate look on Jack's face while he asked Big Brother was an absolute classic, very funny indeed! His request was declined.

At 9.55pm it was time for Vanessa to leave the house. After a 'lap of honour' on the scooter she received hugs and kisses from the group; it seemed as though her previous days antics had been forgotten. She was met at the end of the walkway by her two daughters. When told that the public (who had voted her out!) adored her, she was prompted to give a message for them. Looking a little shaky, Vanessa said, "I hope they don't think I'm a complete nutcase...I'm so relieved but heartbroken to be out...so glad to have raised that money for Comic Relief, but please don't ask me to do something like this next year for God's sake!" She also described her ordeal as dramatic and traumatic.

When Vanessa had gone, the remaining contestants gave each other a pat on the back for surviving that long. Beginning at 11.10pm, they were individually called to the diary room to give their 3rd and final nominations. Half an hour later, they sat down to watch the movie they had earned by successfully completing the 'topiary' task. All of a sudden Keith, obviously pleased with himself, decided to inform everyone that he had "had a poo" that day, for the first time in 4 days. When Claire said that he must have felt better for it he quickly replied, "Yeh... but I'm full of shit!"

Return to this day in brief....