Pete Bennett
Encyclopedia
Peter "Pete" Alexander Bennett (born 22 March 1982) is an English
singer, author and media personality
, who won the reality television series Big Brother 7 in 2006. He has Tourette's syndrome. He currently splits his time between Brighton
and London.
claimed "the broadcaster had deliberately cast someone with relatively strong symptoms in order to make him a 'figure of fun'." Some viewers expressed concern that the show had exploited Tourette's, while others felt it was educational and criticised the hypocrisy of TSA UK for wanting the syndrome brought to the public consciousness but complaining when it was. Bennett was nominated for a National Television Award in 2006 for "Most Popular TV Contender", however former Big Brother contestant Nikki Grahame
won the award.
Bennett's autobiography Pete: My Story was published in hardback in November 2006. The book was reissued in paperback in 2007, this time under the title of My Journey With Tourettes.
Bennett was lead singer in a band called Daddy Fantastic, but he quit the band after agreeing with a record label that he should become a solo artist. He wrote music with songwriter and record producer Guy Chambers
, but failed to gain commercial success with any releases. Bennett went on to form another band, Pete Bennett And The Love Dogs; they have played at Glastonbury 2007 and venues such as IndigO2 (The O2
) London and The Cavern Club in Liverpool. The Daily Mirror reported in 2009 that Bennett had earned £
1.5 million since appearing on Big Brother.
He currently performs with his band Pete Bennett & The Love Dogs. He frequently uploads videos on his YouTube channel MyArseForHire featuring the band, along with other events. But, according to Pete on Big Brother's Bit On The Side, they're "not Pete Bennett & The Love Dogs anymore, it's just Pete Bennett. And I'm not a singer anymore, I'm a comedian."
at the age of 14 and as a result he missed much school time. He gained A* in GCSE Art
while attending a pupil outreach centre, Briset Centre in Eltham, South East London. It was around this time that Bennett began taking an interest in music, two years later he entered a competition organised by BT
called 'Get Out There' in which his entry reached second place.
Bennett dated Big Brother 7 contestant Nikki Grahame
. The duo's romance began in the last week of Big Brother. However in September 2006 Grahame announced that Bennett had made the decision to end their relationship, just over a month after it began. He subsequently began dating his friend Cherry - real name Gemma Costin - whom he described as his soulmate. Bennett and Costin married in February 2010, which featured on the Living programme Four Weddings
; they are now obtaining a divorce. He has indicated that he has experimented with fetishism
and drugs, saying he was addicted to ketamine
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer, author and media personality
Infotainment
Infotainment is "information-based media content or programming that also includes entertainment content in an effort to enhance popularity with audiences and consumers." It is a neologistic portmanteau of information and entertainment, referring to a type of media which provides a combination of...
, who won the reality television series Big Brother 7 in 2006. He has Tourette's syndrome. He currently splits his time between Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and London.
Media career
After unsuccessfully auditioning for the 5th series of Big Brother in 2004 (as seen in Vanessa Nimmo from Big Brother 5's tape on launch night), Bennett was selected as one of the original housemates for the 7th series in 2006. He was the bookmakers' favourite throughout and eventually won with 61.2% of the final vote. The show has been accused of exploiting Bennett's Tourette's syndrome: The TSA UKTourette Syndrome Association
The Tourette Syndrome Association , based in Bayside, New York, United States, is a non-profit voluntary organization and the only national health-related organization serving people with Tourette syndrome. It was founded in 1972 by five couples, parents of children with Tourette syndrome...
claimed "the broadcaster had deliberately cast someone with relatively strong symptoms in order to make him a 'figure of fun'." Some viewers expressed concern that the show had exploited Tourette's, while others felt it was educational and criticised the hypocrisy of TSA UK for wanting the syndrome brought to the public consciousness but complaining when it was. Bennett was nominated for a National Television Award in 2006 for "Most Popular TV Contender", however former Big Brother contestant Nikki Grahame
Nikki Grahame
Nicola Rachele-Beth Grahame is an English model, columnist and television personality, who rose to fame in the UK when she was chosen to be a housemate on Big Brother 7 in 2006...
won the award.
Bennett's autobiography Pete: My Story was published in hardback in November 2006. The book was reissued in paperback in 2007, this time under the title of My Journey With Tourettes.
Bennett was lead singer in a band called Daddy Fantastic, but he quit the band after agreeing with a record label that he should become a solo artist. He wrote music with songwriter and record producer Guy Chambers
Guy Chambers
Guy Chambers is an English songwriter and record producer, perhaps best known for his long partnership with Robbie Williams.- Biography :...
, but failed to gain commercial success with any releases. Bennett went on to form another band, Pete Bennett And The Love Dogs; they have played at Glastonbury 2007 and venues such as IndigO2 (The O2
The O2 (London)
The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants...
) London and The Cavern Club in Liverpool. The Daily Mirror reported in 2009 that Bennett had earned £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1.5 million since appearing on Big Brother.
He currently performs with his band Pete Bennett & The Love Dogs. He frequently uploads videos on his YouTube channel MyArseForHire featuring the band, along with other events. But, according to Pete on Big Brother's Bit On The Side, they're "not Pete Bennett & The Love Dogs anymore, it's just Pete Bennett. And I'm not a singer anymore, I'm a comedian."
Personal life
Bennett's father walked out on his mother when he was young, and he did not see his father from the age of 14 onwards, although they kept in touch. Bennett was bullied at school from an early age. He was diagnosed with Tourette syndromeTourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome is an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by multiple physical tics and at least one vocal tic; these tics characteristically wax and wane...
at the age of 14 and as a result he missed much school time. He gained A* in GCSE Art
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
while attending a pupil outreach centre, Briset Centre in Eltham, South East London. It was around this time that Bennett began taking an interest in music, two years later he entered a competition organised by BT
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
called 'Get Out There' in which his entry reached second place.
Bennett dated Big Brother 7 contestant Nikki Grahame
Nikki Grahame
Nicola Rachele-Beth Grahame is an English model, columnist and television personality, who rose to fame in the UK when she was chosen to be a housemate on Big Brother 7 in 2006...
. The duo's romance began in the last week of Big Brother. However in September 2006 Grahame announced that Bennett had made the decision to end their relationship, just over a month after it began. He subsequently began dating his friend Cherry - real name Gemma Costin - whom he described as his soulmate. Bennett and Costin married in February 2010, which featured on the Living programme Four Weddings
Four Weddings
Four Weddings is a programme shown on the UK channel, Sky Living. The first series was aired in 2009 with a second series in 2010 and a third in 2011....
; they are now obtaining a divorce. He has indicated that he has experimented with fetishism
Fetishism
A fetish is an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a man-made object that has power over others...
and drugs, saying he was addicted to ketamine
Ketamine
Ketamine is a drug used in human and veterinary medicine. Its hydrochloride salt is sold as Ketanest, Ketaset, and Ketalar. Pharmacologically, ketamine is classified as an NMDA receptor antagonist...
.