Four face Big Brother vote

Craig, Thomas, Darren and Anna have a nervous week

Anna, Craig, Darren and Thomas are the latest contestants to face eviction from Channel 4's Big Brother household.

Darren received three votes from his fellow housemates, with Craig, Anna and Thomas tying with two votes apiece.

Viewers now have four people to choose from when they vote on who will be kicked out of the surveillance gameshow on Friday.

Only flirtatious Melanie - a 26-year-old sales executive from London - escapes the vote, along with newcomer Claire, who only entered the house on Saturday and cannot be thrown out this week.

Melanie escapes nomination this week

The six contestants are sealed off from the outside world in a specially-constructed house in Bow, east London, with cameras and microphones monitoring their every move.

One is voted out each week until three remain, then viewers will vote for a winner, who receives £70,000.

A Big Brother spokesman said: "They exploded when they found out, jumping around and laughing. They really over-reacted."

However, as Melanie had escaped, she was made to cook the evening meal.

Who voted for who

Anna: Craig and Thomas

Craig: Darren and Anna

Darren: Thomas and Melanie

Melanie: Craig and Darren

Thomas: Anna and Darren

Ladbrokes has made Darren favourite to be evicted at 3-1, with Craig at 6-1.

Anna remains favourite to win the £70,000, at 2-1.

New arrival

This week has seen Craig befriend Claire - a 25-year-old Buckinghamshire florist - as she settles into the house.

TV viewers have seen her tell the housemates about her breast enlargement operation, while internet fans gawped on Tuesday as she and Craig jumped into bed together.

They hurled clothes in the air to give the impression they were in the throes of passion - but remained fully clothed during the prank.

Now you see them... Craig and Claire get friendly

"They appeared to be playing a bit of a game for the camera," said a spokeswoman, who added Claire suggested the stunt.

Until now, only Melanie and evicted housemate Andrew have shared a kiss, although Thomas' attraction to Melanie has been clear to viewers.

At the weekend, the quiet Ulsterman admitted that he was attracted to her after a series of massages.

But life has not been so pleasant for evicted contestant Nichola Holt, who had been told not to go home by her parents after a Sunday newspaper ran allegations about her sex life.

Claire has spent her week settling in with the housemates

"Nasty" Nick Bateman - ejected for trying to influence the housemates' choice of nominations - has signed a deal with The Sun newspaper, which had called for his eviction.

On Monday the former stockbroker complained that he was living in fear and would be considered unemployable in the City.

But on Tuesday he appeared in a cowboy hat with a cigar, next to the caption "I'm the new JR" - a reference to the Dallas storyline 20 years ago which also had UK TV viewers hooked.