Claire makes Big Brother debut

Craig introduces Claire to her new housemate

The replacement member of the Big Brother game show has entered the house for the first time.

Claire Strutton, a florist from Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, joined the remaining five contestants inside the house at 1945BST on Saturday.

Even if you hate me, we've got Chinese food

Claire Strutton

She replaces "Nasty" Nicholas Bateman, who was evicted on Thursday for breaking the rules of the game.

The contestants in the gameshow are under constant public surveillance with a £70,000 prize for the housemate who survives the 10-week challenge.

Claire, wearing a white top and trousers, with shoulder-length brown hair, was given a guided tour of the house by the remaining contestants Anna, Craig, Darren, Mel and Tom.

She brought a bag full of food and cigarettes for the remaining contestants.

"Even if you hate me, we've got Chinese food," Claire told her new housemates.

They then sat down to share a meal and toast the new arrival.

Little brother

Claire was on the original shortlist of 30 possible contestants for the show.

Her sudden involvement in the hit show meant she has not had the chance to see her baby brother who was born on Saturday afternoon.

"I'm really looking forward to being part of Big Brother - I know it will be a great laugh and an experience I will never forget," she said.

"I'm a bit sad that I still haven't met my little baby brother who was born this afternoon but this is a great opportunity and I will see him when I get out."

Claire Strutton: Exchanges little brother for Big Brother

She has been forbidden by the show's organisers to discuss anything she has learnt about the show during its first five weeks.

Big Brother spokesman James Herring thinks Claire has a hard task ahead of her.

"We believe that she will be at a significant disadvantage," he said.

"Firstly, she is entering an extremely tight group who have built up very strong bonds over 36 days.

"Secondly, the public will see this person joining the project half way through and won't see them as so deserving to win."

To give her a chance, Claire will be given a week's amnesty in which she cannot be evicted or nominate anyone else for removal from the house.

On Friday Nichola became the fourth person to be evicted from the house after polling almost two-thirds of the public vote.

"Nasty" Nick: Forced to leave after breaking the rules

She follows writer Sada, marketing manager Andrew and blonde Brummie Caroline as the fourth participant to leave since the five men and five women were sealed off from the outside world.

Nicholas Bateman was evicted by the show's producers after it was discovered he had been attempting to manipulate the voting on the show by deceiving his house-mates - strictly against the show's rules.