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James · 08-02-2008, 11:27 PM

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Exclsuive: John Loughton Q&A

This week we had a chance to catch up with 20-year-old Celebrity Hijack Big Brother winner and Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, John Loughton, MSYP.

By Richard Mooney

John Laughton

So John how does it feel to be a Big Brother winner?

Well its been a wee bit crazy to be honest with you. Its been a hundred miles an hour since I got out the house. But it is good to touch base and be back in Scotland.

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How did you feel when you were picked for Big Brother?

There was a special format this year that wanted 12 talented young people. So they approached me and at first I actually said no. I wasn’t really up for it, but I thought about the whole point of Big Brother this time and how it was about showcasing young people positively. And I thought you know that’s what I’m about, that’s what young people are about and that’s what the SYP’s about. So I thought, why not?

What was your most memorable moment in the house?

I’m sure everyone else would quite gladly answer that question for me (laughs). I suppose the whole experience is quite a memory for me. I’ll never forget that first night with Matt Lucas and having to say things like I wrote the Sound of Music, say I had a cramp, or to shout random things like cake. But I think at the end of the day the whole thing was very memorable.

Now that you have this plethora of media attention and £50,000 to boot, what are you going to do?

I’m just going to continue to enjoy the moment and just try and get the most out of it. I’m still getting a lot of press and media opportunities coming up so I’m going to continue to use these to try and raise the awareness of young people in Scotland through this as well. I’m hoping to get some kind of normality back; getting back to the Youth Parliament, getting my head down and just getting back to work again.

Me going to Big Brother was about giving what the SYP a voice, making it heard and making it much more recognised. I now hope that it will encourage much more young people to get involved in the Youth Parliament. I see what I done as part of my job anyway.

Were you glad to get out of the house?

Three and a half weeks was a very long time. When the doors opened and the dust settled it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Has it been difficult to adjust back to the normality of your own life since you’ve gotten out?

The first day in particularly was weird. Just walking down Oxford Street in London was hectic with hundreds of people, no exaggeration here, running up to me and asking for autographs, photos and for me to speak to their mums or daughters on their mobiles!

I was getting things for free in shops and discounts here and there; everyone was just so nice to me. Then getting back to Scotland the next day where there was a welcome party with big banners at the airport. I spoke in parliament the second I got back and I had a formal welcome back party, people have been stopping me on the streets in Edinburgh to congratulate me. So yeah, its just been absolute havoc.

Is there anyone in the house you’re going to keep in contact with?

There are a number of people I’ll actively try and keep in contact with. I’m actually going down to see Anthony in the next week or so. But I’ll keep in touch with Latoya, Jade and little Liam as well.

People are calling you the ‘Big Brother Braveheart’ How does that feel?

I actually didn’t realise I was being called the Big Brother Braveheart. It’s a connection to Scotland and when I’m doing anything I am representing Scotland and I’m very proud to be Scottish so anything I can do to better represent Scotland I will gladly lend my name to.

Are you still driving for a change in attitude towards red haired people?

Off course, why not? Gingers for justices, that’s what I say.

Do you think things maybe different for you now in the Scottish Youth Parliament and your local area?

I’m not sure about the SYP. I’d like to think everyone will just continue to see me as the Chair and as John. Locally it’s a wee bit different. I’ve got kids running up to me and asking for autographs, but I’m sure that over time things will soon settle and I can start to walk around the streets normally again.

What are your plans for the rest of 2008?

I am going to continue to chair the SYP, but other than I’m not really sure what’s going on. It’s the most exciting time of my life and the opportunities are endless so I’ll just wait and see what happens. I could go back to University, pursue a career, but as I said at this stage I’m not quite sure and I think that is a good thing.

So what you going to spend all this cash on?

It’s going to be the largest stretched £50,000 on earth. The first thing I’m doing is giving a lot of it to my mum, I’m sending my grandfather to Germany and I bought my self a watch…how selfish of me.

We’re also doing a project in the SYP with young people from Malawi and funding has always been a problem with that, so I might put some money towards that as well.

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