Reporter Jessica Boulton has told how she was able to get up close and personal with this year's Big Brother housemates after travelling to London to cover the programme's finale.

Jessica, who writes for the Hull Daily Mail, was dispatched by her newspaper to follow the fortunes of local contestant Dan Bryan.

And after joining dozens of national newspaper journalists for the midnight press conference last Friday, she found herself enjoying a drink and a gossip with some of the housemates.

Jessica said: "The press conference went really well and was good fun to do.

"I have been writing about Dan for the past ten weeks so it was nice to meet him and he was very good.

"I had one question and then it went to the nationals. I put my hand up but wasn't allowed to speak and then the press officer said the last question would be from the News of the World.

"But Dan had seen me sat at front and had noticed that I kept getting overlooked, so he gave me a wink and then said that he would like to take a few more questions just from the Hull Daily Mail.

"He was so sweet. I think he is quite loyal to Hull and he said it was nice to see someone local."

However that wasn't to be her last encounter with Dan, when the following evening she bumped into some of the housemates in the hotel bar while she was with Hull Daily Mail columnist Gill Adams - who is also Dan's flatmate.

Jessica said: "I met Ahmed, Vanessa, Marco, Emma and the final four: Dan, Shell, Nadia and Jason.

"We sat and had drink in bar and had a good chat - although not in a reporting capacity as they've signed contracts with the nationals.

"Despite watching the programme for 10 weeks, I saw a new side to every housemate - but especially Dan, who I now know is a warm, generous person who deserves to go on to bigger and better things.

"He may be out of the house - but he will get my vote any time."

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