Pete Bennett

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pete Bennett

Born Peter Alexander Bennett
March 22, 1982 (1982-03-22) (age 26)
Camberwell, London, UK
Residence Brighton, East Sussex, UK
Known for Big Brother 7, Pete Bennett and the love dogs.
Parents Anne Stephenson, Mark Bennett

Peter Alexander Bennett[1] (born March 22, 1982 in Camberwell, London to Mark Bennett and Anne Stephenson), better known as Pete, was the winner of Big Brother 7.[2] He is a rock n roll singer, formerly with Daddy Fantastic. He lives in Brighton and has Tourette syndrome.[3][4] His characteristic phonic tic is a loud shout of "wankers", and he is also renowned for his catchphrase of "Eezamana!"

Bennett was bullied at school from an early age, and was diagnosed with Tourettes at the age of 14.[5] He was deemed an outcast by fellow children at this time. Bennett's father walked out on his mother when he was very young, and he did not see his father from the age of 14 onwards, although he has always kept in touch. However, in a letter he received on Big Brother, he found out that his father wished to see him again, though this has apparently not yet happened.[6] Pete also has a younger half brother, Alex.

Bennett's Tourettes has been publicised as being aggravated by an addiction to ketamine,[7][8] a dissociative anaesthetic drug generally used in veterinary practice or for pain relief in burns treatment of children. This drug use contributed to his "own personal hell" and led him to "go completely bananas" a year before he entered Big Brother.

Bennett's surname was written as such by his mother on his birth certificate because she was in the belief that she and his father were going to marry. This didn't happen, and Bennett's father left them both and has not been in his son's life much.

Bennett's prized possession is a teddy-bear given to him by Robert Smith, lead singer of band The Cure with whom his mother has played.[citation needed]

Contents

[hide]

[edit] Daddy Fantastic

Prior to entering the Big Brother house, Bennett had been the lead singer with a psychedelic rock band called Daddy Fantastic, during the show's broadcast Daddy Fantastic had three record companies bidding to release their track and a six episode roadtrip style TV series in the pipeline. Bookies were giving 3 to 1 odds on their first release being a number 1 by Christmas. After leaving the BB House Pete left the band to pursue a solo career. Sadly there was never to be a record deal for Pete as a solo artist. Two of his former band members have distanced themselves from Pete, and the entire band made their feelings known in an article in Now Magazine entitled 'Pete's A Fake' in which former best friend Wobbly Bob made a cutting attack on Pete.

[edit] Big Brother

Bennett originally auditioned for Big Brother 5, but didn't get in. He can be seen very briefly in the very first episode of BB5. Pete was the second entrant into the Big Brother house, and made an immediate impression as he tumbled down the stairs.

Bennett was the bookmakers' favourite throughout the duration of the series, and had the shortest odds of any Big Brother housemate at the halfway stage of any series, at 1/8, according to John McCririck on Big Brother's Little Brother. On August 18, 2006, Bennett won Big Brother 7 with 61.2% of the final vote.[9]

Big Brother 7 producers were crtitised for letting a man with such a condition onto the show, saying he was 'vulnerable'. The show has been accused of exploiting Bennett's Tourette's syndrome: the TSA UK "claimed the broadcaster had deliberately cast someone with relatively strong symptoms in order to make him a 'figure of fun'."[10] Some viewers expressed concern that the show had exploited Tourette's, while others felt it was educational.[11]

[edit] After Big Brother

Since winning, he announced that he would give the £100,000 prize to his mother, so that she could pay off her mortgage.[12] Also since winning, he sat on the triumph chair as the winner of the series on Big Brother's Big Mouth, along with the other ex-housemates, whilst being lauded by John McCririck, Paul Morley and Toby Anstis. John McCririck called Bennett 'a hero' for "costing the bookmakers hundreds of thousands of pounds".

Bennett's autobiography "Pete: My Story" was published in hardback in November 2006.[13] Bennett promoted this book release by giving interviews to several newspapers and magazines. On top of this, Bennett went on a book signing tour in book shops across the UK. The book was reissued in paperback in 2007, this time under the title of "My Journey With Tourettes".

Bennett has since received many chatshow offers as well as offers for personal appearances. The Daily Mirror has recently revealed that Bennett left his band Daddy Fantastic after agreeing with a record label that he should go solo.[14] Bennett has written music with songwriter and record producer Guy Chambers.[15] Bennett has also spent some time DJing at London club, Circus.

After leaving the house Bennett continued his highly publicised relationship with fellow contestant Nikki Grahame but ended the relationship after a few weeks. He is now unofficially married to his long-time friend, Gemma "Cherry" Costin. They unofficially married at the Glastonbury Festival in 2007.

Bennett's music career has already begun, with his debut single "Cosmonaut" to be released in March 2008. Bennett has performed a number of gigs across the UK, including the Glastonbury festival.

Bennett was also a guest on The Friday Night Project, wearing the 'Coat of Cash' and later dressing up as a giant question mark for the end-of-show game.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Index of Births, Marriages and Deaths in England and Wales, 1837-1983.
  2. ^ Pete Wins Big Brother 2006 Channel4 Website URL last accessed on October 1 2006.
  3. ^ Big Brother 7. Pete Bennett. Accessed 21 May 2006.
  4. ^ U.tv. Tourette's sufferer Pete 'very brave' Accessed 22 May 2006.
  5. ^ Profile: Big Brother winner Pete Bennett BBC News URL last accessed on August 24 2006.
  6. ^ Big Letdown The Mirror URL last accessed on August 24 2006.
  7. ^ Pete fried mind with drug The Sun URL last accessed on August 24 2006.
  8. ^ Parr, Charlotte. BB's Tourette lad has "fried his mind". Accessed 22 May 2006.
  9. ^ Big Brother - does anyone really still watch it? Yes, one in four of us actually Guardian Unlimited URL last accessed on August 24 2006.
  10. ^ Born, Matt. Tourette's man 'exploited by Big Brother' Accessed 22 May 2006.
  11. ^ Allen, Liam. BB Pete: Exploitation or education? BBC News (August 18, 2006).
  12. ^ Millions tune in for 'Big Brother' finale in Britain Bretibart.com URL last accessed on August 24 2006.
  13. ^ "Pete's BB Book" Amazon.co.uk URL last accessed on January 16 2007.
  14. ^ EXCLUSIVE: PETE TO BAND: S*D OFF SundayMirror.co.uk URL last accessed on September 11 2006.
  15. ^ "Bennett makes most of his 15 minutes" Scotsman URL last accessed on 2006-11-21.

[edit] External links