[jos]

My son's 10 years of trauma

The mother of Big Brother contestant Pete Bennett has spoken of his battle since childhood with Tourette Syndrome.

Musician Anne Stephenson said her son was bullied as he struggled to cope with the condition which results in involuntary spasms and swearing.

Today she hit out at critics who claim his inclusion in the reality television show is exploitation.

"It's ridiculous," she said. "Do we want people with Tourette's to be accepted or marginalised?"

Mrs Stephenson said that since Pete was diagnosed at the age of 14 she has paid for specialists to help him with his illness, battled to secure him a place at a boarding school in Kent and watched with pride as he won a place at Brighton University to study music.

She hopes Big Brother will be another step forward for the 24-yearold who now fronts a rock band.

Mrs Stephenson, 46, said Pete's first major episode of the illness had been traumatic for them both.

"The paediatrician looked at him in horror. He was being bullied and someone had stuck a rubber up his nose," she told First magazine.

"He was swearing constantly and pounding his chest with his fist. Suddenly I burst into tears. I tried to hold his hand and said, 'My little Pete, what's wrong?'

"It was as though he had been possessed. He was crying, 'Mum, what's happening to me. I can't stop it.' It was awful."

The diagnosis was distressing for Mrs Stephenson, who was breaking up with Pete's step-father. She had split up with his father when he was a baby.

"My blood went cold," she said. "I asked what it was and how long it would last. The doctor said 'for the rest of his life'. I felt as though Pete had been killed. One minute he was a normal boy, the next his whole life had changed."

Pete was born in Peckham and raised in south-east London.

Mrs Stephenson said he had been shunned by the other children in his neighbourhood and at school.

"One day 400 children had been laughing and jeering at him. He has been through so much," she said. "One day we were out shopping and Pete had a huge spasm. He was thrashing about on the floor, punching himself, and a huge crowd gathered round. They were saying he should be locked up."

The family turned to the Tourette Association for help and Pete was introduced to doctors who could help him understand the condition.

His mother claims Big Brother is the perfect way to help other people understand the illness.

A spokesman for production company Endemol denied it was exploiting Pete, who it said was "chosen solely on the basis of his personality".

Doctors agreed that Pete could help educate others about Tourette's.

The past 20 years have seen a growing recognition among health educationalists that popular television including soaps, hospital dramas and reality shows can be powerful tools for dispelling prejudices.

Pete's illness has done little to hinder his popularity among housemates or with the public. He is the 3/1 favourite with bookies to win the £100,000 prize.

[lily.]

When I first heard about Pete going in, I thought it was an awful idea. But, now I feel more educated about Tourette's, more understanding and I can see how he copes with it. So, now I think it's been a good thing.

He also has the capability to laugh at himself, which puts others at ease around him. Plus, he is basically a really nice bloke. He is always sticking up for the underdog. He has morals and values underneath his jokey character.

[texbex]

yeh he seds the other day when he was talkin 2 richard about the hms he goes wankers and he sed summit about gettin his words into context