BB FANS

By Beth Neil, The Evening Chronicle

Reality TV has made ordinary people famous for 15 minutes or more, but what happens when the cameras stop filming?

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Jayne McLoughlin was happily working as a car park attendant at the Great North Run last month. But as soon as they spotted her, most people forgot about parking their motors and became more interested in giving her a wave.

It's been like this ever since 39-year-old Jayne and husband Dave, 42, appeared on Channel 4's Wife Swap just over a year ago.

Dave can't pop to the corner shop without people coming up to him to shake his hand. Jayne gets recognised by both home and away fans when she's stewarding at St James' Park. Eight-year-old Rhys was chuffed to bits when someone called his name and waved during a family holiday to Butlins at Minehead. Daughter Leanne, 11, has revelled in the McLoughin's fifteen minutes of fame.

"We haven't had anyone being nasty at all," smiles Jayne. "Everyone has given us a really good reaction. We get people coming up even now and telling us how much they enjoyed the show. They say it was the best one ever. It's so strange that people remember us after all this time."

The programme, which saw Jayne travel to Wales to move in with Dave's brother Jason, and Jason's wife Nicola pack her bags to stay with Dave in Jarrow, proved a huge hit in the popular series.

Viewers saw that although Jayne and Dave didn't have the swanky house, the money and lavish lifestyle enjoyed by Nicola and Jason, their's was the happier home by far.

"Jason didn't spend any time with the children because he was never at home," recalls Jayne. "And when he did get home he'd go straight to his games room. I couldn't believe it.

"When Nicola realised how much happier we were she started to think maybe she'd married the wrong brother. We certainly weren't jealous of anything they had and I was relieved to get back home in the end."

A couple of months after the programme went out Dave noticed a young man on the Metro smiling at him. As the man got up to get off he went to shake Dave's hand and thanked him for the show. "You need this more than me," he told Dave.

It wasn't until the man had gone that Dave realised he'd pressed a tenner into his palm.

"He was very shocked," laughs Jayne. "Did we really come across as being that poor? We took the kids out to Shields for the day with the money and had a really nice day."

The two couples have never really had much to do with each other and little has changed since the programme aired. Jayne says they simply don't have anything in common. Nicola is more interested in life's material perks while Jayne values family life above anything else.

"We're just so different," says Jayne. "Jason pops up to see us every now and then but we don't really have much contact with Nicola. They might live in a big house, but I like mine better. Nicola's taste was a bit tacky to be honest."

While Jayne admits she found the constant filming more than a little intrusive at times, she has no regrets about taking part. Dave, who was unemployed before the show, now works full time at Morrisons. They both credit Wife Swap with changing Dave's life.

"I think he'd struggled to get work because people were put off by his tattoos," explains Jayne. "But the programme showed him as a real person and a nice person. A month after Wife Swap, he was offered the job at Morrisons.

"It's been brilliant for Dave because he's got a purpose in life now. And we're an even happier couple for that. On the whole it's made us stronger. I'm definitely pleased we did it."

The McLoughins might be surprised that 12 months after their spell on the box the great British public still recognise them. But that's nothing compared with the attention Ed Devlin receives three years after his brush with fame.

Kitchen hand and burger vendor Ed was selected by Channel 4's Faking It to spend a month being trained up as a Master Chef by the legendary Gordon Ramsay.

Viewers saw Ed, from Brunswick Village, swap fast food for posh nosh as he attempted to convince a panel of expert culinary judges he was a genuine head chef.

Despite a string of disasters during the build-up to the big day and Ed's reluctance to shout and bawl at his staff a la Ramsay, the shy 32-year-old pulled it off, fooling all three experts. The show scooped Best Factual TV Moment at a BBC television award ceremony in 2001.

"I've only watched the programme once," he admits now. "I enjoyed it but it's hard watching yourself on screen. I thought: `God, do I really look like that? Is my voice really that irritating?'

"I find it incredible that people still recognise me. Everyone's been great and says how much they loved the programme."

Ed was on the receiving end of plenty of tongue lashings from Gordon Ramsay, but bears him no grudges.

"He's actually a very likeable guy. I didn't get to know him very well but what I did know, I liked. Mind you, I think you could spend 20 years with Gordon and still not know him any better.

"He's very inspiring to be around. Out of the kitchen he's quiet and shy. But once he steps inside the kitchen, he comes alive. His enthusiasm is infectious and he has this fantastic ability to raise people above the merely exceptional to verging on the sublime. It's a gift."

After the show Gordon invited Ed to come along to his London restaurant for a slap-up meal. But Ed has never taken him up on his offer, preferring to stay in the North East with partner Martine.

"I missed home," he says. "There were a couple of times I felt like jacking it in. When Gordon was shouting at me I thought I didn't need all this. I hate people being rude to me."

Today Ed still works full time at Gateshead Council kitchens, washing dishes and clearing plates. Occasionally he's allowed to make the odd sandwich. But the shifts suit laid back Ed who harbours no secret ambitions to follow Ramsay into the catering industry.

"It hasn't changed me at all," he says. "I think I'm more appreciative of good food now. I know the effort and the science that goes into making an expensive meal. But I'm happy with my life. I like the shift routine I have - I know exactly when I start and when I finish.

"I never wanted to be famous. But, then again, it's always great that people still want to stop and talk about the show. I don't regret doing it."

You'd be forgiven for thinking regret would be one of the first things Jackie and Steve McNally felt (after shock, distress and anger) when they returned to their Newcastle home two years ago to find the outside painted black and white.

Sons Emmett and Kieron, now 13 and nine, won the chance to leave their mark on the family home after their parents agreed to take part in an ITV programme.

Home Alone, hosted by Ulrika Jonsson, gave children a blank cheque and a team of builders and let them loose to do whatever they wanted to the house.

But, surprisingly, dad Steve, 44, says he and Jackie, 41, don't regret a minute. In fact, they haven't even bothered to paint over the huge black and white stripes.

"It was for the boys really," says Steve. "They enjoyed it so much it was worth it. When we first saw the house we were in total shock. We've painted over the huge number one and the name, but apart from that, the outside of the house is exactly the same. At first we thought it was horrendous, but we kind of got used to it and quite like it now.

"A lot of the stuff inside doesn't work anymore, like the moose's head anti-smoking device. And the cane bathroom literally fell to pieces. But we've kept a lot for novelty value." After the show the McNallys received a flood of fan letters congratulating them on the entertaining show. The notes were simply addressed `The Black and White House, Newcastle.'

"We couldn't believe it," laughs Steve. "We got recognised in the street quite a bit which, of course, the boys were thrilled about. It's settled down now, but we still get the odd person coming up to us in town."

And Ulrika? The McNallys have nothing but praise for the Swedish presenter.

"She was wonderful," says Steve. "We expected her to be a bit starry, but she was great with the kids, playing football with them in the street. Very down to earth and normal. "I suppose one day when we come to sell the house we'll have to paint over the stripes. But for now, it's staying put."