Advisor ditches Big Brother after late night fracas

Big Brother brawl compels crime expert to ditch Channel Four.

22:13 18 June 2004

Crime consultant David Wilson has resigned from Channel Four after last night's brawl at Big Brother.

Mr Wilson said it would be 'inappropriate' for him to continue.

Police were called on Thursday night after a fracas broke out when Emma Greenwood and Michelle Bass returned to the Big Brother house.

Their pseudo-eviction had kept them out of the house for five days.

The fight compelled Channel Four to pull its live video feed at around 01:30 BST.

Hertfordshire Police moved quickly after receiving calls from viewers.

Academic criminologist Wilson said the police probe meant he could no longer be associated with the show.

He said he had advised against the reintroduction of the two women, as conflict was extremely likely in such circumstances.

"When I realised that advice hadn't been listened to, it was at that point I thought I should go," he said.

Outside the house, the pair watched the other contestants inside the house from a specially constructed bedsit.

The voyeurs rejoined their colleagues with grudges and gripes from words said behind their, and other's, backs.

The other housemates were shocked to see Emma and Michelle again - having been convinced they had left the house for good and so lost any chance of winning the prize fund.

Victor Ebuwa and Jason Cowen took their return particularly badly.

After a fair amount to booze tensions frayed in the early hours of this morning.

Emma explained the incident later. "He's [Victor] f*****g called me racist," she said, adding that she had seen him manipulate other housemates in the past.

"I've seen it with my own f*****g eyes," she said.

"I would not start a f*****g fight for no reason. Let me just say, he's been bad mouthing me . . . He just pushed me. He started it - he poured wine over me. If Big Brother wants me to go, I'll stand my f*****g ground."

Big Brother producers decided to postpone Friday's eviction to quell any threat of further violence.