Munkitty tunkitty, did you, Kiki, and the rest accompany your fat fool throughout the auditions, and do you think you were a help or a hindrance to his application ?

On the first day, he took me, Corky and Bunny Form to the Excel Centre. You can see that on YouTube - it's called "Jonty @ Big Brother Audition 2008" (the person who labelled it meant "2007" but was in too much of a RAGE about what a FOOL Jonty was to worry about getting the year right!).

When we met Phil, one of the producers, and someone from the Psych show, Corky was pointing at them squeaking, "Your job ends today!" in his high-pitched voice and Phil cut him off and said, "What is the point of all this?"

Two days later Jonty came back and had to go into the Diary Room at the Excel Centre. He brought Bear and Kiki with him. I'm glad I wasn't there: apparently when the "BB" voice asked him if there was anything he wanted to ask them, the IDIOT asked what they'd do if they were in court and the judge started bopping along to Boney M on his Ipod! Then they asked again if there was anything else he wanted to ask and he asked what they'd do if the Hendon branch of the Midland bank came hurtling towards them at 300 miles per hour. RAGE! What kind of a question is that? Bear thought it was rather funny, but then he would. I'd have been so embarrassed.

When he came back the next time and met LB464 (Gerry to you and me), LB075 (Kara) and five people who never made it to the show (numbers only were allowed - no names) he brought in me and that great green looney Alien but never showed us to the other morons trying to get on the show. WOUND! He did, however, get us out of the bag to show Phil and the other two producers (Becks and Sharon).

When the three producers came to visit Jonty in his hotel in the Docklands on the first day of his first time in hiding, I was holed up in a great big orange suitcase with FIVE other sods from Jonty's collection. I heard Phil asking if Jonty had his teddies with him (WOUND! I'm not a teddy!) and he said "yes" and asked if Phil wanted to see us again and he said he didn't. RAGE! I also heard him saying to Jonty, "I don't know how you're going to fit in!" Indeed.

Hi jonty do you still see much of anyone from your bb many thakns g.

I can't believe I didn't see this before. Thanks for...well, not actually answering my question, but...just thanks.

Why do you always target the bathroom?

Hello - it's Jonty here. The one I see the most is Carole (I've got a message to ring her in a minute actually). I also see quite a bit of Eugene (2005) and have long chats on the 'phone with Stuart (2001), Glyn (2006), Seany (my year, i.e. 2007), Shanessa, David and Gerry (my year) and have spoken to Shahbaz (2006). Liam (my year) texts from time to time and I went to a nightclub the other day where Charley and the Twins were. Charley was allowed to stay but I got kicked out "for being too loud" (I was drunk)! If that had happened a year ago the press would have had a field day! I suppose a lot of us wash round the same parties and so on so I've run into various people at various points but it's definitely Carole first and Eugene second in terms of actually seeing other Housemates. Oh and Liam from "Celebrity Hijack" and I have chatted briefly on facebook - I let him know he was my favourite on that show, which he was, and he let me know he'd been supporting me in "Upstaged", for which I was very grateful.

Thanks for your question and take care,

Jonty

Splendid work on the Brian Paddick broadcast, if I may say so. I did my very best to vote him in, but once I had used my own polling card none of my disguises worked, not even the false beard and the limp.

Hi, Jonty.

How did you come across Digital Spy? And what is your favourite smiley face?

I love the "" face.

I'd have voted for him too except I don't live in London.

My dear fellow, have you ever paused to consider what it would sound like to smash your bathroom up? Hmm? Have you? The crashing and the ceramic ringing and the metal shower-curtain-pole singing and the tinkle-tinkle of the glass? The water everywhere; the smell of the lavender mixing with the monkey's woooooound treatment mixing with the ozone of the electricity that's being released from the shower? The mirror cracked from side to side? Can you imagine that class of music from smashing up a drawing room? Or a bedroom - yawn! If you're not yet ready to step up to black-belt smashing like MEEEEEE, might I suggest you begin with something white-belt, like setting light to your own aunty's travel pass? Or be a real wimp and set light to your own dustbin. I did that as a protest when this teacher got sacked from school for being too lazy... and then I did it again to protest about his re-instatement. Any excuse!

Thanks Wonkeydonkey and Electra! I really appreciate the support. It's quite nice mucking about with this and not focussing on the depressing thought of the election result. Carole and I had had a secret deal - she'd tell her troops (she's Left List) to put Ken second and I'd do the same with LibDems I knew. Neither of us were big Ken fans but we both felt he'd be a darn sight better than BJ. Not that I've got anything against him personally but I don't really think he understands exactly what he's taken on. Brian would have been a fantastic Mayor. I was really touched when they asked me to do that party election podcast. Carole and I were at Love Music Hate Racism and they were going to get us to speak on stage but then... didn't. That was a shame. The point I'd have made there was the same one I made to a group of 18-19-year-olds there. One said, "I don't know anyone planning on voting for the BNP". I said, "No, but I'll tell you what you DO know - plenty of people who are going to sit in the armchair on 1st May and not vote and they'll let the nazis have a seat". And here we are: one of the 25 GLA members (Richard Barnbrook) is a nazi and the Mayor (BJ) is a Tory with no experience of running anything. Even if he does have fantastic hair, as Gerry and I agreed on the 'phone the other day. Well you can fancy someone and still not want them to be Mayor!

Greetings! They're all good faces, aren't they? There's a face missing, so there is. There should be a furious monkey's face seething away at us from our computer screens! That would fill me with delight... and fear! I came across DS when I'd recently left The House and googled my name to see what people were saying about me (paranoid person that I am!) and a lot of the times the answer would be on one of these forums. I wasn't able to log in and post myself for a while, though, as I didn't have an e-mail address. In fact at the point of leaving "BB" I'd never had the Internet at home before so I've had to learn a lot in the last few months. Some HMs are frightened to post here (Gerry told me that, for instance) or look because they know that a lot of the response on DS to each of us is so negative but there are plenty of really nice positive people as well as this thread proves. Anyway it's not usually me posting - it's Munkitty Tunkitty and he can give as good as he gets!

The best to you,

Jonty

Interesting. Thanks for answering, Jonty.

Another question, Jonty...

After all the HalfWay Housemates had visited the house, who did you think would be selected to join the main house?
And who did you think would vote for you to go into the house out of the offical housemates?
What was your reaction when David and Kara-Louise were chosen?
What did you think was going to happen to yourself, Amy and Shanessa when you hadn't been picked?
And which eviction were you dreading the most out of the times you were nominated?

Oh, sigh, I suppose if all good liberals had held their noses and put Ken first and Brian second, we would still have Ken instead of Boris. But one can't always think like that.

On the other hand, Boris is not like the old-style tories. Anyone remember Sir Horace Cutler, who wanted (if I remember rightly) to ban live music in Greater London?

No worries. You've got me thinking now. I think I like because it reminds me of one of my favourite Mr. Men, Mr. Happy (although my absolute favourite is, of course, Mr. Mischief!). So I'll disappear from DS for this evening as Munkitty Tunkitty's on his way back but I shall wish you all a very good evening.

Goodbye, Jonty.

I used to LOVE Mr. Men. I think my favourite was the one that tickled everyone....what was his name? Mr. Tickle?

You brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. Munkitty Tunkitty for Poet Laureate! I hope your talent is appreciated, but somehow I doubt it.

HI Jonty .Thanks for writing back?
Is there anyone from your bb that oyu have not seen since the end of bb8
august 2007. or is there a hm you not heard from since the end of bb7 many thanks g

I was 100% sure David was going. He was the only one of us where you could tell the Old Team liked him. They kept calling over the garden wall for him and through the door and stuff until "BB" told them to stop shouting. I think we all knew that.The second person wasn't obvious. I dodn't get the impression there was an obvious second. I was right.

I wasn't sure who, if anyone, would vote for me. I sort of wouldn't have been surprised if nobody had. When Carole voted for me I didn't faint with surprise - we'd had a really good chat. Ziggy surprised me a bit more although he'd gone out of his way to be nice as soon as I'd met him, which I was delighted by and astonished by as well - before I went in, Zigggy's was the name a friend of mine mentioned asn someone who'd absolutely hate me. Shows you can't make predictions. The one who really surprised me, though, was Tracey - we'd hardly said a word to each other during my visit. She, Chanelle and Brian were the only three I didn't feel I'd really got to know in there and of those three particularly her (Brian and Chanelle were laughing with - at? - me by the end and Tracey just wasn't in evidence). (I've since found out that Chanelle would have voted for me to go in.) The only person I thought might just have voted for me who didn't was Gerry. I could tell he was desperate to have history chats and stuff with him while I was in there. He seemed lonely and clingy and really nice - not the confident person who'd wiped the floor with me, Kara and the other five in the auditions. However I probably spoilt it by sitting on the floor and farting and laughing while he was talking. I hadn't done that in the auditions and he was really shocked although the Twins said it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen in their lives (little knowing they were about to see it 300 more times!). I would have been OK with two others going in if it hadn't been for the fact that me and Kara got three votes each, so Amy and Shaness were clearly out and David (obviously!) was definitely in so it came dow to a last-second choice between me and Kara. I couldn't believe I'd done that well - I'd got ahead of two far more obvious "BB"-type HMs... and lost by a whisker. Of all the 150,000 people in the country to audition to get into the "BB" house, I'd come the very, very closest... and then lost. And that was it. I'd given my job up. I just packed. Amy and I were calm. Shanessa was crying and crying. I offered her some aromatherapy. I took it as read the three of us were about to be booted out. I was no longer on guard or playing gamesas I was sure we were out - it was then I revealed to Amy that I'd met Gerry and Karabefore and that they'd seemed very different and that we'd all been pretending not to know each other. She understood better than I how big the whole thing was, even after a few days. I said to Amy I'd see her in the pub later but she understood better than I how big the whole thing is, even after a frew days. She said we'd probably have to speak to the Press and there'd be a crowd and everything. Because Shanessa has problems with claustrophobia and so on and was getting a bit distraught, "BB" summoned her into the Diary Room to say that the "BB" experience had not yet ended but that she mustn't tell me or Amy. She came straight out and told me and Amy. When Ziggy came through we couldn't believe it. The others told him I fancied him and he was really nice about it!

I didn't totally believe the one where Shanessa, David, Tracey and Kara were up - I thought it was really the HWHmates who'd just been let into the Big House, i.e. Ziggy, me, Liam and Amy so I got my eviction costume on. When that didn't happen, I thought "BB has kept me in here against the public's wishes. They've probably got whatever amusement they want out of me now - now the public have got their claws into me I'll be out". I assumed the reception I got outside would be horrendous! Having had two wonderful weeks I'd have to face the music for how I'd behaved. When Davina called Amy's name out I couldn't believe it. I waited for the "...and..." but it never came. It took until well into the next day for it to sink in - I was still on "Big Brother"; somebody in the country actually liked me!

By the way, I like Mr. Tickle too!

The best,

Jonty

I don't remember him. He sounds... difficult!

Unfortunately if we'd put Ken first and Brian second, the result would have been exactly the same. In most elections there are "if only"s but actually the margin here was quite large and, with the way the votes are counted, that would have counted the same way as I understand it. A friend asked what I thought about compulsory voting. I'm totally opposed as it's against the principals of frredom of the individual. I also said that that STILL wouldn't have altered it - Boris would have got in anyway. What would have been different, however, is that the BNP wouldn't have had a seat. What's better: freedom from having to listen to a fascist who's on a council that represents Londoners or the freedom not to get out of your armchair and vote if you an't be bothered? These issues are difficult. I have to support the right to snooze all day in the armchair and not take any interest in the elections, however much I'd discourage someone from so doing.

Music won't be banned under Boris but you will be banned from having anything to eat or drink (even a packet of crisps or a can of Coke) very soon. I don't know if he'll ban water - I hope not as people will pass out in the summer.

The best to you,

Jonty

I'm glad you appreciated it. I put in my CV to be poet laureate and they said I wasn't human enough. RAGE! I then sent off to be the Governor of the Bank of England. I gave them two referees, a 'phone number, said whether I was married or single - THE WORKS! What do these people want? Foam? WOOOOOOUND!

I've never ever met Jonathan (he's banned from seeing "BB" people, apparently!) or "Pauline" (who was not, of course, a real HM - I wasn't allowed to tell the Old Team what I knew about her, however much they asked). I've only met Nicky twice and haven't really had the chance to speak to her sanely when I'm sober. The one that's most surprising is Ziggy, who was practically my next-door neighbour for a number of months after the show (we lived about ten minutes' walk from each other) and who still lives not very far away and yet whom I've never once seen since I left. Carole did an RTE programme with him in the Republic of Ireland and I was trying to organise that party in November of last year and so wanted to contact as many people as I could. Carole said she had his number but he didn't want it given out. I said that was fine, she could pass the information onto him herself. I left it at that and that's been it.

Apart from that I've seen everybody and some frequently, including people who weren't even in the same series. People such as Cameron and Glyn, who live so far away that I've never physically met them, are really friendly keeping in touch using the Internet or the 'phone. I think that's inevitable. Stuart (2001) was saying that - we've shared this crazy world together that no-one else can understand and there's no-one to guide you though the aftermath.

The best to you,

Jonty

Hi jonty...
When was the last time oyu was in conact with Tracey?
Please can you name the last time you was in conact with your bb 8 hms Eg whe nwas the lasttime you saw brian?

Hi Jonty,

I am curious about your spending time with Carole. You might be aware of the negative reputation she has on DSpy. I must admit that, after watching her behavior for 94 days in BB8, the thought of spending time in Carole's company fills me with anxiety. Is she a completely different person away from the BB house? My impression of you is quite positive, and I'm surprised that Carole is the housemate you see the most.

It must be interesting for BB producers trying to predict which HMs will get on well with each other in the House and which ones will stay friends afterwards. I wonder how often their predictions (if they make them) are completely wrong. There have been some very unpredictable friendships (and couples) in and out of the House since I've been watching it.

I suppose if you think about any situation where you meet people for the first time in a group, such as at school, college, Uni or whatever, your friends very often end up being the ones you least expect. My two longest standing friendships from my nurse-training days are like that. We three were very different from each other, one outspoken, outgoing, rebellious girl with rather odd dress sense, who never stopped talking; one quiet, creative and studious-bordering-on-nerdy daydreamer; and one very affectionate, girly girl who was into clothes, make-up, boys and parties. (I'm not saying which one I was!) We all had different interests and backgrounds, but ended up sharing a flat - and a few adventures - together for three years, and 30-odd years later we're still really good mates even though we all live in different continents now.

Blackrock, I'm not at all surprised that Jonty and Carole are friends. She was always very supportive of him in the House. I didn't like Carole much either - sometimes she was so infuriating that I felt like throwing things at the television. Come to that, I have friends who sometimes infuriate me so much I feel like throwing things! I'm sure we can all think of examples among our own friends. But they're still our friends and we love them even when we don't like them every minute of the day.

As to how HMs are perceived by 'us', I'm pretty sure that being in the House brings out the worst, and the best, and the downright surprising (even to themselves) parts of their personalities, and so it's almost inevitable that most of them are different outside to how they are in there. How many times have you liked or disliked a Housemate while they were in the House, only to change your opinion completely a few days or weeks or months later?