I was really glad when Jade finished fourth. Not that I had anything against Jade, it was just that the Mirror (in its perverse way), the Star, and the Sun (in a big about-turn from its "Get the Pig Out" days) all campaigned for Jade to win in the final week and let's face it, those papers have the biggest circulations.

But people were not swayed.

I avoid buying the Sun (I think every copy comes with little microbes attached that kill a few brain cells, and the cumulative effect can be quite nasty) but I have read the BB articles on line, and, yes, there have been some naughty goings on in the house, but, that said, they are exaggerated, and they are the only bits the Sun seemed to find worth reporting.

I read the Star once or twice during BB (note: read, not bought!) and I thought that it was so sex-obsessed that even innocent japes were given a sexual spin.

And as for the Mirror, I really think that Jonny and Kate probably have grounds to sue them for libel. The Mirror's obsession about Kate boiling knickers early on in the show was more obsessive than Alex's problem with Jonny pee-ing in the shower! And the constant name-calling of housemates, especially Jonny was disgraceful. First it was "cheating weasel" because he got his foot on the line in the basketball task. Then it was "sex mad molester" because he tried to pick Kate off the floor when they were both absolutely plastered, under her shoulders, and her body was so loose due to the drink, she slipped through and he ended up at one point pulling her up by the boobs. There was no evidence to suggest that it was any more than a drunken accident, but as any journalist will tell you, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Still, the Mirror's "anti-Big Brother" stance was so transparent that I don't suppose anyone took a blind bit of notice.

Oh and then there were the Polls. Weren't they all wrong in the final week! The only "poll" which correctly picked a winner were the bookies' odds (the Sun lied that Jade was favourite -- she wasn't it was Kate right through the last week). Even they got second all wrong, as Paddy Power had Jonny odds on to be out first on the last day.

Once the last night TV coverage started, I got the feeling from the crowds outside that it was going to be Kate and Jonny's night. It suddenly became clear that they were the fans' favourites. TV and newpaper polls reflect back what they say to the people and the sort of people that watch that program/read that newpaper. That's why a RI:SE poll and GMTV poll taken on the same morning gave totally different results.

I am also coming to a conclusion about why so many "celebs" backed Alex on BBLB. Could it be that, as a model, and therefore in a glamourous job, these "celebs", consciously or otherwise, saw Alex as one of their own.

Back to the result. Perhaps the people got sick of being told who to vote for, saw through the hypocrisy of all the tabloids over Jade. Perhaps they found that, whatever Alex's qualities (and I'll leave that to others) it got a bit boring hearing celebs as different as Tara Hyphen Poshbird, Nina Wadia, and even Kathy Burke give no other valid reason than they fancied him.

And perhaps the constant accusations levelled at Kate and Jonny of performing to the cameras, perhaps people thought: So what, it's funny! Particularly when C4/E4 kept showing Alex doing just that (That's the Way I Like It), and Jade espousing her own qualities non-stop for the cameras in the last week.

So, the people ignored the hype, and thought for themselves. It restores my faith, as they say!

Now if only the record-buying public could be persuaded to ignore the hype and buy for the music, or is that too much to expect??