[Mrluvaluva]

From The Metro

Short-lived Big Brother contestant David Parnaby was booted out of the house on Friday night, having spent just a week on the show. His stay as a 'halfway housemate' with four other late arrivals was the subject of some confusion for fans who didn't seem to know if they were up for the eviction vote or not. Pagan David lives in Ayr and works as a freelance stylist.

What have you been up to since you were evicted?
Trying to sort out my life, trying to get some styling work. I work in retail but also do freelance styling, which I want to pursue as my career. I was a glorified window dresser but I don’t think I can go back to my job – they don’t take well to people doing things like Big Brother.

When did the producers ask you to be a housemate?
I was supposed to be an original housemate but they changed their minds and used me as a standby. When I got in, maybe I didn’t follow the storylines the production team was looking for or I’d have lasted a bit longer. You didn’t see much of me on the show. There were lots of things we all did that never get shown. They’ve got 14 hours of footage to get through and make storylines out of it to interest the public. Before I went in, I had a concept of what the housemates were like – but when I met them, they were totally different.

What did the producers want you to do?
Have a relationship with Gerry and be a total bitch to everybody. I didn’t expect to like most people but I did.

Did you watch the programme before you went in?
Some of it. I didn’t watch as much as I wish I had.

Who was the most different to how they seem on the programme?
Everyone – because the show just focuses on Ziggy, Liam and Brian. It doesn’t show how funny Gerry is; it shows him as being quite boring. Carole doesn’t just clean the house – she has a laugh too, she’s filthy-minded and has got a lot to say.

What were you hoping to get out of it? Late housemates usually only last five minutes.
I knew I wouldn’t win. If I had been in from the start, I’d have been in it to win it but I just went in for the experience of being a Big Brother housemate. I just wanted to show that people might be different but they can still get on. I’m pagan and work in fashion and everyone assumes I’m gay. I have experimented but I haven’t chosen to be that way. Everyone in that house was from different walks of life but we all still got on.

Viewers didn’t seem to understand what was going on with the new arrivals. Do you feel you’ve been messed around?
Yes. One of the care team, not an exec, told me on Saturday that they pick the contestants they want to promote. The new housemates didn’t have a fair chance – we were just there as extras really.

What reaction were you hoping to get from the viewers? People just seem to be making comments about your weight on websites.
Yeah, I’ve had people coming up to me, saying: ‘You’re not as fat in real life.’ I’ve worked hard to lose two stone (13kg) and I think the public are being quite cruel about that. A lot of me is muscle – it’s not just fat.

You auditioned for ages to be on the programme but just lasted a week. Was it worth it?
It’s been good to make new friends but it’s caused trouble with my family and friends. They’ve been chased by some journalists. I don’t expect to be a celebrity, I just want to get on with normal life and get more styling work.

Do you do spells?
Paganism is a term to describe non-monotheistic religions. I follow the old Celtic ways and worship a male and female god. We do spells as part of the religion. It’s the worship of mother nature. I do spells but I don’t disclose the ones I’ve done because it weakens them.

What’s been your most profound supernatural experience?
I have supernatural experiences almost every day. The most profound ones are through astral projection. I put myself in a trance in a wood before doing Big Brother. I can’t tell you what I saw because it’s personal.

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