BB FANS

Jun 1 2006

By Catherine Hendrick, Birmingham Mail

BRUMMIE Big Brother contestant Dawn Blake has revealed in an explosive interview with the Mail how she has filed a complaint at the city's Steelhouse Lane police station against the programme's makers.

Dawn has accused the production company behind the hit programme, Endemol, of holding her in the Big Brother house "against her will" and of running a "smear campaign" against her because she refused to bully other housemates.

The 38-year-old fitness instructor, from Aston, was sensationally kicked off the show last week after Big Brother accused her of cheating by using a secret code - something which she denies.

The fitness instructor has now vowed to stay on hunger strike until the show's producers hand over tapes and documents relating to her time in the house.

The yoga teacher explained: "I've sought legal advice but it's highly unlikely I'll be able to afford to take Big Brother to court for holding me against my will after I requested to leave and for defamation for saying I didn't wash and cheated. This is the only way I feel I can show people what really went on.

Dawn, who was unable to change her clothes because she was denied access to her suitcase by Big Brother, claimed the show was edited to make her look bad.

"I castigated Big Brother the whole of the time I was there for putting people in the house who were vulnerable but none of that was shown. I did shower and I complained to them repeatedly that the medication and creams I needed for my eczema were in my suitcase but they didn't show that either so I was smeared by their production team as a smelly cheat.

"I've decided to go on hunger strike until I get all the unedited footage and documentation I've requested so people can see the truth and I can clear my name. I will do it until I pass out."

Dawn has also called for Big Brother to be axed because she believes the show is putting peoples' health at risk.

She told the Mail: "Some of the people in the house shouldn't have been allowed in. They're too unstable and need proper help and treatment not bullying." Dawn's revelations follow furious criticism of the show by mental health chiefs. Mental health charity Mind is planning to issue a formal protest to telly watchdog Ofcom demanding the show stops exploiting vulnerable people.

Big Brother's production company Endemol has hit back at the criticism however.

Spokeswoman Zoe Cartell said: "We will deal with Dawn directly regarding her requests.

"All housemates have the right to leave the house on request. They are aware that can take time to happen because certain arrangements have to be made.

"This is the seventh year Big Brother has been on air. The welfare of the housemates is of the utmost importance to us."

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said:" We can confirm that a woman from Birmingham has made an allegation in connection with her involvement with a TV programme. Having noted the circumstances the woman was advised that no obvious criminal offences had been discerned."

Despite her protest Dawn told the Mail she didn't regret joining Big Brother.

"I wanted to raise the profile of my campaign and I think I've done that. But now I want to clear my name."

Dawn, who went into the house to raise awareness of her campaign against cowboys in the fitness industry, believes the show has gone too far.

"You had people in the house threatening to commit suicide," she added. "Shabaz even asked me to kill him at one point. Lea was so worried she hid all the knives under her bed to keep them out of the way.

"I was frightened for Shabaz. At the end we thought he was going to harm everybody. He told us he was going to take us all out one by one then commit suicide.

"Nikki shouldn't be in there either. She's not stable and it's really upsetting to watch. She's suffered from anorexia. One night she woke up screaming and crying, she was hysterical and she didn't even know why.

"Lea's really fragile too and has admitted she's been depressed."

Lea was so worried she hid all the knives under her bed to keep them out of the way.

"I was frightened for Shabaz. At the end we thought he was going to harm everybody. He told us he was going to take us all out one by one then commit suicide.

"Nikki shouldn't be in there either. She's not stable and it's really upsetting to watch. She's suffered from anorexia. One night she woke up screaming and crying, she was hysterical and she didn't even know why.