Sandy talks about Big Brother escape

The 43-year-old Scot had agreed to leave the house at a time that suited the show's producers, after telling everyone he was bored.

But after climbing onto the roof on Wednesday to make an early dash for freedom, he was persuaded to come down by programme producers who then let him walk out the back door of the house.

Speaking after his departure, he denied he was a "quitter" who had prevented someone else taking part in the experience, but he did not see any point in staying.

"I saw a loophole in the set-up and I decided when I got bored it was time to go over the wall. It was the most exciting thing that happened in the house," said Mr Cumming.

Meanwhile, Jade Goody has been banned from nominating any of the other housemates for eviction.

She was punished after discussing her reasons for past nominations with other housemates, something which is banned by the show.

She can, however, still be nominated in next week's round of nominations.

Mr Cumming said he was adamant he would not miss any of his fellow contestants.

"They're called house mates but actually they're not your house mates. They are there for a reason, at the end of the day it's a game show," he said.

His dramatic early departure left show producers with a dilemma of what to do with him.

No preconceptions

Mr Cumming, a personal shopper, was taken to a secret location to meet up with his wife Claire.

A special edition of spin-off show Big Brother's Little Brother was recorded with presenter Dermot O'Leary questioning Mr Cumming on his reasons for leaving.

"I went on to the show with no preconceptions. I did what I feel was right and left when I felt it was right to leave," he said.

"I actually don't think you're under pressure. You have got to have some kind of stimulation and it got to the stage, if there's no stimulation then something gives. I know I was not getting anything out of it."

The show's bosses now face the option of whether or not to replace him.

Trainee barrister Sunita Sharma, 25, was the first British contestant to voluntarily leave the show when she walked out of the house nearly two weeks ago to be replaced by Sophie Pritchard.

Cup fever

Mr Cumming's departure was not the only big event of Wednesday morning, with the housemates allowed to watch 25 minutes of the England v Nigeria World Cup match.

The girls had earned one minute per "keepy-up" in a task, kicking a ball in the air without letting it touch the ground.

After 25 minutes of the tense but unentertaining match, the screen went blank and the tired-looking contestants returned to bed.

Meanwhile, contestants Jonny Regan and Lee Davey were coming to terms with being nominated for eviction.

Official bookmaker Ladbrokes makes Lee the 1-4 favourite to be evicted on Friday with Jonny at 11-4.

Spencer Smith remains the favourite to win the competition at 11/10, although Alex Sibley's odds have narrowed from 50/1 to 7/1, according to bookmakers William Hill.