Big Brother winner Cameron Stout plans reunion of housemates

Almost 20 years after Cameron Stout became the first (and so far only) Scot to win Big Brother, the series four housemates are planning a reunion.

It could see the former fish trader reunited with fellow contestants like Ray Shah, Steph Coldicott and Jon Tickle in Orkney next year.

He revealed their plans after ITV announced it was relaunching the programme, which was last aired in 2018 by Channel 5.

It will be broadcast on ITV2 in 2023.

The show first aired on Channel 4 in 2000 and for years attracted huge audiences.

An average of 4.2 million viewers tuned in to Big Brother 4, with a peak of 9.5m watching as Mr Stout won the series and a £70,000 jackpot.

The Scot, a 32-year-old fish trader at the time, has since worked as a TV presenter, radio DJ, pantomime actor and teacher. He currently works for BBC Radio Orkney.

Now 51, Mr Stout told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme he would go back into the house if given the chance and said he still keeps in touch with former contestants.

"I would certainly do it again with my housemates, the ones I was in there with," Mr Stout said.

"We were Zooming the night before last and next year being our 20th anniversary we're hoping to have a reunion here in Orkney.

"It's a pleasure to see them in the screen and I'm actually going down to stay with Gos [Herjender Gosal], who was one of my housemates, next week. So I think our year has done better than most in keeping in touch with everyone."

Winner: Cameron Stout; second: Ray; third: Scott; fourth: Steph

Other housemates: Nush, Lisa, Gos, Tania, Jon, Federico, Sissy, Justine, Anouska.

Yet the Scot has reservations about the impact of social media on modern-day reality shows.

"I'm much more willing to give something a try now than I used to be, so if something cropped up there are far fewer reasons to say no nowadays," he said.

"It was a lot different 20 years ago. There was not much in the way of social media in 2003 so I think we were very fortunate to have done it then."

Mr Stout says he donated much of his £70,000 prize, including buying a piano for Kirkwall Baptist Church, while also investing in overseas property.

In recent years, he has been busy helping to set up Orkney's first escape room and a choir, Orkney Rocks!

The radio presenter says he "can't wait" for the new series of Big Brother.

"I'm really, really looking forward to it," the former winner said. "Every year after our household had been there I used to look forward to seeing how they changed the house, the layout of the place, who they chose to go in and it was always really exciting and I've got a similar feeling again.

"When I heard the theme music last night in a little promo, honestly the shivers just went down my spine."

He added: "I think the few years break is going to do it the world of good and I think there's an appetite to see Big Brother back."

Mr Stout was also asked who should host the new ITV show.

He replied: "Don't you think it's time for a Scot? I think we've had an English host, I think it's time for a Scots host."