Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
... BIG BROTHER
Big Brother narrator Marcus Bentley and fans have been reliving the hit reality series through re-runs over the past fortnight. ordie Marcus, 52, says: “I still oose bumps over the show. It’s n such a big part of my life and h a big part of British culture.” Here, Marcus shares his most memorable moments from the how, which ran on Channel 4 10, then on Channel 5 until 2018. purred into actress Rula Lenska’s hands. “That cat scene will follow me to the end of my days,” Rula, 72, said.
And it’s a memorable moment for Marcus, even if he found it horrifying. Marcus says: “George Galloway as a cat was so disturbing. That’s it. What more can I say?”
The broadcaster, 58, broke down on the first celeb series in 2001. “Here was this amazingly intelligent woman… having this meltdown because she couldn’t quite compute what was going on,” says Marcus.
The former cardiac nurse, 39, had a sexual encounter with Anthony Hutton, 38.
Marcus recalls: “She is another favourite, she was fantastic. After that hot-tub scene, the next day she’s in there and turns to the camera and goes, ‘I’m pregnant’. And then the credits rolled.”
Poor Glyn, who wasn’t so wise. The Welsh former lifeguard, 32, rocked up to the Big Brother house in just shorts.
Marcus laughs: “He was a favourite with fans for learning how to wash his clothes and boil an egg.”
American actress Tiffany, 38, thought David Gest had died in the house.
Marcus says: “It just so happened when Angie Bowie gets relayed the news [of ex-husband David’s death], David Gest is just having a lie down. So she tells Tiffany Pollard, ‘David’s dead’. And Tiffany says, ‘Oh my God’ and then sees him in bed, then she tells the house he’s dead.”
Gest died later that year aged 62.
Alison, 45, took a tumble when she was trying to see the security guards outside the house by jumping on a garden table.
Marcus recalls Alison fondly, saying: “She was just so fun.”
Alison has had a few falls since while working for ITV’S This Morning.
There were many BB romances but Marcus’s favourite is Josie and John.
He recalls: “One of my favourite contestants was Josie Gibson. She was so funny, a natural girl-next-door.
“She fell for surfer dude John James and it was nice while it lasted!”
A year later, John, 34, dumped her and returned to Australia – but the 35-yearold is having the last laugh, as a successful presenter on This Morning.