'Nasty Nick' to be replaced

Leaving in disgrace: Nick leaves the site on Thursday

A new contestant will replace disqualified Big Brother housemate "Nasty Nick" Bateman at the weekend, Channel 4 has confirmed.

The announcement comes as Nick prepares to be interviewed on live television over his attempts to manipulate the voyeuristic gameshow's nomination process.

Darren challenges Nick

Nick was evicted on Thursday for "persistent infringement" of the show's rules, which forbid the housemates talking about nominations or voting tactically.

A statement issued by Channel 4 said the new contestant would arrive "at some point over the coming weekend", and his or her identity would be disclosed as soon as they entered the studio compound.

Ten contestants moved into a specially-constructed house in east London last month, watched 24 hours a day by cameras but with no access to the outside world.

Latest odds to win

13/8 Anna

15/8 Darren

7/2 Melanie

11/2 Thomas

9/1 Craig

11/1 Nichola

Source: William Hill

Each week the contestants nominate two of their number for eviction, with viewers voting on which one should go. When three housemates remain, viewers will vote for a winner.

The programme's rules state that if someone voluntarily leaves or is disqualified, they must be replaced.

Significant disadvantage

But a spokesman said the contestant would be at a significant disadvantage in the race to win the show's £70,000 prize.

"He or she will have to break into an extremely cosy group with very strong bonds," he said.

Nick leaves the house

"Secondly, the public will not be as sympathetic to an outsider who has joined the project 35 days in."

The replacement will have to sign a confidentiality agreement promising not to discuss any events from the outside world, and the existing housemates will not be allowed to ask questions about recent events.

He or she will also be unable to nominate a housemate for eviction for a week - and they will also be ineligible for eviction themselves.

"Big Brother will be watching and listening at all times," the spokesman added.

Kangaroo court

Nick, 32, was disqualified after a kangaroo court-style showdown with his six fellow housemates: Craig, Nichola, Mel, Darren, Thomas and Anna.

Father-of-three Darren and Liverpudlian builder Craig found scraps of paper on which he had written fellow contestants' names as part of his plan to win the show's £70,000 prize.

Tight security surrounds the show's house

Craig and Nichola are waiting to see which one of them will be voted out by viewers on Friday night.

Craig's sister Beverley, 31, called her brother a "national hero".

"I am so proud, Nick is an ex-public schoolboy with all that expensive education and Craig wiped the floor with him," she said from her home in Seaforth, Merseyside.

"We are all so proud of him."

Nick will be quizzed by Davina McCall in an extended one-hour special on Friday recalling the "remarkable" events leading to Nick's departure and giving him the chance to explain his actions.

His devious behaviour turned him into a cult figure, and programme bosses booked dozens of hotel rooms around the south of England in an attempt to keep Nick's location secret on Thursday night.

Friday morning saw his eviction plastered all over the press - with rival TV stations also giving the show plenty of coverage.

The Times described it as "the most JFK of television moments", while the Daily Telegraph said his exit deprived television of one of its "most dastardly villains".