EDP24
18 August 2005 07:05
Craig Coates last set foot in Cromer around 14 weeks ago. On the day he returned, the 20-year-old hairdresser spoke of his plans to move to London in a bid to pursue a very different career.
Craig's proud parents Johnny and Yvette had hung a large banner on the front of their Cromer home reading "Welcome Home Craig, What a Housemate", alongside balloons and a warm family welcome.
Immediate relatives and close friends had been invited to share in champagne and a buffet prepared by Johnny to mark Craig's return - and the EDP was also asked along.
"I've had no sleep the last few days, but it has been brilliant," said Craig.
"It's been weird, but it feels normal.
"I am glad I have done it and I would do it all again, lots of times."
Craig said he particularly enjoyed the tasks which house- mates were asked to complete by Big Brother, his particular favourite being when he was asked to 'give birth' to baby Britney.
His fellow housemates left him mostly unimpressed. "They are all-right people, but I don't want to speak to most of them," he said.
But he does hold out hopes of staying friends with two former contestants.
"Me, Saskia and Maxwell are toying with the idea of living together in London," explained Craig.
"They are really nice people."
And of his most publicised on-screen friendship with eventual winner Anthony, Craig said the future was "touch and go".
Craig said his future depended on what offers came in, but he was looking at television and media work, possibly presenting - and there had already been a couple of approaches.
Whatever the case, it appears certain he will not pursue his hairdressing business Saint Hair in Sheringham.
"It is not the road I want to go down. I am considering selling the business," he said.
Since his eviction from the house on the final Wednesday of the competition and confirmation that he had taken fifth place, Craig has been involved in various interviews and photoshoots with the media, including Radio 1 and Now magazine.
He "really enjoyed" the Now shoot, partly because it was "cheesy", including a set of pictures in which he was wearing pyjamas to reflect his typical attire in the house.
The other thing he has done since leaving the house has been to read some of the media coverage of his time under Big Brother's gaze.
Although much of that coverage has been negative, Craig said he was "not really surprised" and knew he would be an individual people "would love to hate".
But he has not watched any of the show recordings, saying instead that he would do that in a few weeks' time, when he could enjoy it more.
Although Craig has the appearance of being somewhat over-confident, at least he has his feet on the ground to some extent.
He admitted he did not know what the coming year would bring and added: "It's so unpredictable."
It will be interesting to see if Craig is still in London after a year, or if he has returned to the gentler pace of life that Norfolk has to offer.
