[Red Moon]

BB NAMES LEAKED

A TOP secret list naming the new Big Brother housemates was leaked yesterday – just 24 hours before the show starts.

A “whistleblower” posted a message on a showbiz website and within minutes of the names being revealed, the site went into meltdown.

TV bosses had desperately been trying to keep the identities of the wannabes under wraps.

However, the “whistleblower”, claiming he had close links with Channel 4 and Endemol UK, decided to throw the programme into chaos.

Not only did he claim to have the full list of the official housemates, he also bragged he had the names of “extras” being lined up as surprise new contestants later in the series, as well as stand-ins in case anyone walks or falls ill.

When the Daily Star called C4 bosses last night about the list, they refused to say whether it was real or not.

A show spokeswoman said: “Any speculation regarding this year’s set of
housemates for Big Brother is just that – speculation.

“We urge viewers to tune into our launch show tomorrow night to find who just who is going into the house this summer.”

Last year C4 suffered a major setback when, two weeks before the show went on air, a list was leaked to the media naming all of the wannabes.

It meant fans saw pictures of Welsh beauty Imogen Thomas, 24, Tourette’s sufferer Pete Bennett, 24, and bonkers Shahbaz Chaudhry, 38, days before the show began.

An insider said: “It ruined the surprise element. No one could believe that someone had done the dirty on us.”

So this year TV bosses took extra steps to guard identities.

Only a very small team of people working on the show were privy to those in the running for the final line-up and those being put on stand-by.

Producers also kept auditionees on tenter hooks until last Friday when they were finally told if they had made the official list or not.

This was to keep everyone guessing and to stop anyone blabbing that they were going into the house.

Rumours have been circulating for the past month about who had made the final 50 contenders – including a sexy nympho secretary, a gay couple, a teen with an ASBO and a hunky bisexual football fan.

Last night a show source said: “If even half the names on the leaked list are true it is a major blow for everyone.

“The producers honestly thought no-one would get the names this time around.

“The office is like Fort Knox. If there’s a spy in the camp there will be a major witch hunt to track him or her down.”

Source: Daily Star