Jo

On Monday Jo gave an interview to GMTV that made for painful viewing. So much so, that the Duchess of York chose to get involved. I myself found it so uncomfortable that I can't even be bothered to youtube it. If you really want to, go find it yourself. I could only watch it for a minute.

Whether she really was that nervous, that distressed, is hard to say. If she meant it, then she is clearly quite seriously out of control. If she was acting it, then it is worrying that she feels obliged to go that far. She was still spouting obvious nonsense, but pitiful nonsense it certainly was.

It's also worth bearing in mind that her agent died the day before. So, all in all, it was hardly surprising that she was in such a state.

Well, whatever you think of her, and I think her behaviour in the house was often very nasty indeed, it's also worth recalling that it was pretty clear very early on that she had what we laymen call "issues". Remember when she got in there, and she wouldn't take her coat off for a couple of hours?

I also wrote a post right quite early on in the show, suggesting that she looked seriously depressed. If an amateur like me can spot this, how come the psychologists working on the show didn't? We had this all through the summer. Remember Shahbaz? How on earth did he ever get through the vetting process?

As you know, Big Brother takes housemates' mental health very seriously.

Yeah, right.

Comments

[Kate]

Everything about Jo struck me as relatively unstable when she entered that house. The panic attacks, nervous behaviour and depression were evident of something big beneath the surface. She should never have been allowed to take part in something like this but by the same token we all need to take responsibility for our own mental well being and if she knew she had a problem, why exarcebate it? Watching that interview on gmtv made me physically ill - it was one of the most distressing things i've ever watched. I also hardly think the death of her agent helped! Poor poor girl.

[Dave]

You are an utter disgrace both to the public and to the area of Romford. l come from Romford myself, and what you have done is to bring Romford into disrespect. The quicker you go, the better it will be. No matter how many tears you cry, you should go back to the gutter where you belong. The sooner you leave this country the better!!!

[john]

I just want to say that after all that went on in there only they know what did. After all that I'd love to have Jo live with me xx.

[lisa]

And everyone branded those girls bullies, Dave!! You have just said nearly the exact same thing that Danielle said about Shilpa. What's the difference?
I really do feel sorry for Jo and the others and it's because of people saying nasty small-minded things like that that make me ashamed of my country. They all made mistakes and apologised, can we please get over it?

[Bel]

All the little scribblers scampered across hills and dales with that story. There was some merit in exploring the Goody one's bullying but all the hacks and their editors copied each other and they all missed the mark in Jo's case.

Jo's story is do with the dangers of conformity and tacitly condoning a bully. That is a story played out in nearly every organisation and deserves discussion. All the clues were there! Her sister and former band-mate had spoken of her victimisation in school. A victim is vulnerable to becoming a bully or a punk (or 'bitch).

As a survivor of bullying, I can spot a victim a mile away. I've even got a tad of compassion for Goody. Shilpa outclassed her and Goody was distraught when she realised it. A direct hit had been scored on her greatest vulnerability - her repressed self-hatred.