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Dennis McHugh at Foxy Bingo
Having been thrown out of the Big Brother house for unacceptable behaviour, Dennis McHugh tells Foxy what lifes been like since he escaped the public vote.
How have things been since you were removed from the Big Brother house for spitting at housemate Mohammed?
Im back home at the moment waiting for Mohammed to come out of The House to see whats going to happen. Hopefully then Ill get a chance to apologise to him. I really hope Big Brother and Channel 4 give me that because it was all drink fuelled. And Id obviously like to clear up the whole Did he or did he not spit thing. I know it was disgusting, what I did, and Im not condoning it, nor am I going to try and justify it in any way, but I never actually spat.
How did it feel being asked to leave The House?
It was awful. It was also my birthday that day and I never even knew. Everybody was going, Oh, Happy Birthday when I left and I was like, No, thats not till next week. Wed actually got a week behind ourselves because there werent regular evictions.
How did you feel about missing your eviction chat with Davina?
I was so disappointed. Id tried for three years to get on Big Brother. Its something Ive always wanted to do and I totally mucked it up.
How have the public been with you since?
People have spat at me in the street, but mostly people are being really supportive and nice. Im not justifying anything because it was pretty disgusting anyway, but it was the first time that Big Brother had actually given us all our alcohol. It was usually rationed but this time there were 45 cans of beer and three bottles of white wine. We were just pissed. And I honestly did it to diffuse the situation. Some people have even posted on sites that if I hadnt done that there might have been a physical fight.
You know when you get really anxious and nervous and just react, thats what I did. Also, if somebody spits in your face you would think they would retaliate or wipe their face. I mean he never even wiped his face and then someone had to ask him to wash his face two hours later.
What happened after Big Brother called you to the Diary Room?
I was put out the back for 12 hours while Endemol [Big Brothers production company] and Channel 4 worked out what to do with me. I think that maybe Endemol wanted to keep me in but Channel 4 wanted to get me out. It was pretty grim. One minute youre in there and its fabulous, and the next minute its like, bang, youre out. It was like Oh my god, what did I do? It all happened so quickly. Since then Ive been drowning my sorrows in fake tan. Im staring at a bottle now.
What colour are you aiming for?
Ive got about five coats on just now. I just want to be a different person. Im just trying to disguise myself with fake tan. Im thinking I want to pack that bottle, get a flight to London, go to The House and be like, Right, put me back in now, look at the camera properly, get this sorted out, speak to Mohammed in the Diary Room and get me back in The House. I want to start a big campaign where I go out naked and walk down the street with a billboard on me saying, Put Dennis back in. Please put Dennis back in.
Im not being big-headed but I do think I could have done really well, had this not happened. Its so out of character for me. Im not that sort of person. Ive never been in a fight in my life, Im usually just happy go lucky.
What are youre hoping to do next?
Im teaching kids to dance right now, on different council estates in Edinburgh. Eventually I want to have my own studio and teach. But Im definitely going to try to get more work through my agent. I cant really go for that yet though, because everybody thinks I spit in peoples faces.
So until this whole thing comes to a head, Im in limbo. Maybe I should get a pole out and start limbo dancing. Theres not much else I can do.
Have you been watching Big Brother every day?
Im totally addicted because Ive got to keep supporting my friends. I have to keep supporting Dale, Rebecca, Kat and Luke. And everybody else, Im not really bothered about. Im still in touch with Jen, and Sylvias been a rock as well.
Has anyone called the incident racist?
No, no one has said anything like that, which is really good because it wasnt. One of my best friends in life is Kinga from Big Brother 6. Without her I probably wouldnt have an agent. Shes been really supportive.
What about the press? What have they said that hasnt been true?
When I came out, I couldnt go home as the press were outside my mums house every day. So I stayed at my friends and just kept phoning my mum. When I found out it was the Daily Record, I thought, Im not giving them my story. I wanted to get an apology out there as quick as possible, though, so I gave an interview to the Sun. I thought everyone reads the Sun, right?
The next day the Record ran a headline saying I wouldnt apologise for less than a grand. I was like, Oh P-off. Wha-ever! Im not in it for the money. Last week I did a charity do, and Im involved in the Help a Child appeal on Radio 4. Im just not like that.
I think its just the way papers do things to try and get a story. But all this stuff has now led my mum to have a breakdown.
She already suffers from manic depression but usually takes tablets and has been fine for about nine years. We discussed the whole Big Brother before I did it, but since I was removed from the house for what I did, its really got to her. Shes lost so much weight. Were with her every day now, trying to keep her out of hospital. Theyve upped her medication, but obviously when youre depressed and suffering anxiety, youre just petrified.
People just dont know what theyre doing to other people. I mean, Im quite strong, so Ill get through it, but shes not good at all. Its horrible.
Thats why I would just love people to recognise that Im an actual human being whos made a mistake.
Are the press still interested?
Its kind of died down but I think it will all come back again when Mohammed comes out of the house. Nobody will be turning Big Brother on, thinking Im going to watch Mohammed before that time, because its like watching paint dry. All he does is eat, sleep and fart - thats it, basically. Im not going to say, Oh my god, I love Mohammed, just because I want to apologise.
Do you feel like Big Brother dealt with this situation correctly?
Yeah, I do. Id never disrespect them because I think theyre fabulous. I mean theres speculation on whether it was just me that should have been removed and if they could have intervened quicker. The thing thats annoying me is that I just want to go back in, more than anything.
And if they dont let you back in?
My life will be over. Ill start drinking the fake tan! If they dont put me back in, I will start drinking it by the litre, by the gallon.
Do you think youll start a campaign then?
I was thinking I could stand outside with something around my face and let everyone spit on me for charity. I think that would be fabulous, to raise some money for charity out of all this.
How will you find Mohammed or go about apologising when he does come out?
I dont know. I guess I will have to speak to my agent and ask them to try and help me get the apology out there. I dont even know if Ive been cut from the wrap party. I spoke to Big Brother this morning and theyre saying nothing.
So who would you like to see win?
Rebecca, Dale or Kat.
What about the police investigation?
Theyre looking into whether it was common assault. I just said no comment throughout the whole interview. Its all on TV anyway, so why would I comment? There are no hidey-holes in that house so theyve got all the facts. Basically they need to speak to Mohammed when he comes out of the house. But when you think that Nadia from BB5 went on to win after punching someone in the face, it makes you realise its all about last years Big Brother and the need to make an example of people now. Then again, I did do something wrong, something Ill regret for the rest of my life.
