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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Opik 'will not be on Big Brother' | Opik 'will not be on Big Brother' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Lembit Opik has dismissed reports he is to star in the next series of Celebrity Big Brother as "absolute nonsense". | Lembit Opik has dismissed reports he is to star in the next series of Celebrity Big Brother as "absolute nonsense". |
| The Lib Dem MP told the BBC there was "no truth in it whatsoever" and his campaign team suggested the Sun story had been "mischief-making". | The Lib Dem MP told the BBC there was "no truth in it whatsoever" and his campaign team suggested the Sun story had been "mischief-making". |
| The former housing spokesman recently quit the party's front bench to focus on succeeding president Simon Hughes. | |
| He is currently campaigning around the country ahead of the party membership vote on 7 November. | He is currently campaigning around the country ahead of the party membership vote on 7 November. |
| 'Never keen' | 'Never keen' |
| A report in The Sun newspaper said Mr Opik, who has appeared on The All Star Talent Show, All-Star Mr and Mrs and Celebrity Weakest Link, would follow in the footsteps of Respect MP George Galloway by taking part in Celebrity Big Brother next January. | A report in The Sun newspaper said Mr Opik, who has appeared on The All Star Talent Show, All-Star Mr and Mrs and Celebrity Weakest Link, would follow in the footsteps of Respect MP George Galloway by taking part in Celebrity Big Brother next January. |
| But Mr Opik refuted the story, saying: "Absolute nonsense. There is no truth in it whatsoever." | But Mr Opik refuted the story, saying: "Absolute nonsense. There is no truth in it whatsoever." |
| The 43-year-old has retained a high media profile after dating ITV weather girl Sian Lloyd for four years before they split up after a brief engagement. All his energies are going into his presidential campaign Richard CleinOpik's campaign spokesman | The 43-year-old has retained a high media profile after dating ITV weather girl Sian Lloyd for four years before they split up after a brief engagement. All his energies are going into his presidential campaign Richard CleinOpik's campaign spokesman |
| He later proposed to Cheeky Girls singer Gabriela Irima, although their engagement was called off in July. | He later proposed to Cheeky Girls singer Gabriela Irima, although their engagement was called off in July. |
| Recently Mr Opik has focused on projecting a more serious image to help his bid to become Lib Dem president, having failed in his initial bid in 2004. | Recently Mr Opik has focused on projecting a more serious image to help his bid to become Lib Dem president, having failed in his initial bid in 2004. |
| He quit the front bench last month to put more time into his campaign against rivals Baroness Scott and Chandila Fernando. | He quit the front bench last month to put more time into his campaign against rivals Baroness Scott and Chandila Fernando. |
| Mr Opik said he had "politely declined" the programme's makers on several previous occasions and had not changed his mind this time. | Mr Opik said he had "politely declined" the programme's makers on several previous occasions and had not changed his mind this time. |
| Galloway experience | Galloway experience |
| Mr Galloway was the first MP to take part in Celebrity Big Brother in January 2006, in which he imitated a cat while he purred and pretended to lick cream from actress Rula Lenska's hands before donating money raised from his appearance to charity. | Mr Galloway was the first MP to take part in Celebrity Big Brother in January 2006, in which he imitated a cat while he purred and pretended to lick cream from actress Rula Lenska's hands before donating money raised from his appearance to charity. |
| Spokesman Richard Clein said that the last thing Mr Opik would want to do, should he win the Lib Dem presidency, would be to appear soon after on the Channel 4 show. | Spokesman Richard Clein said that the last thing Mr Opik would want to do, should he win the Lib Dem presidency, would be to appear soon after on the Channel 4 show. |
| "All his energies are going into his presidential campaign which is going really well," Mr Clein said. "I think this is mischief-making, I don't know by who, but it's certainly mischief-making." | "All his energies are going into his presidential campaign which is going really well," Mr Clein said. "I think this is mischief-making, I don't know by who, but it's certainly mischief-making." |
| Opik recently said the popularity of his Facebook group indicated his campaign was going better than his rivals for the presidency. | Opik recently said the popularity of his Facebook group indicated his campaign was going better than his rivals for the presidency. |
| However, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne has expressed his backing for Baroness Scott, saying: "I'm backing Ros for a very simple reason - she's the right person for president." | However, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne has expressed his backing for Baroness Scott, saying: "I'm backing Ros for a very simple reason - she's the right person for president." |
| Mr Fernando has promised to update the party's image, saying he is a "strong believer in the power of the broadcast media" to alter its fortunes. | Mr Fernando has promised to update the party's image, saying he is a "strong believer in the power of the broadcast media" to alter its fortunes. |