Davina admits she wants Charley to stay

Big Brother host Davina McCall has been criticised for telling an eviction crowd to "Keep Charley in".

McCall, 39, ordered the crowd to stop their hostile chants against controversial Charley during Friday night's live show, which saw Billi Bhatti being booted from the house.

BB fan James Adams told the Daily Star: "Davina came on stage and said to the crowds: 'Let's change the chant to Keep Charley in'. Then she said: 'Keep her in because she's entertaining'. We had all been chanting 'Get Charley out' every time her name was mentioned so we were a bit shocked.

"Some of the crowd changed tactics and did what she asked and others didn't. Then it became a battle of the boos and Davina laughed: 'I like that'. When the show went live everyone started chanting 'Get Charley out' once again. And the next time Davina came on stage she was a bit more stern and said she didn't want to hear 'Get Charley out' chants any more.

"She said: 'Charley's not up for eviction this week and if you keep chanting her name you will be giving her the attention she wants.' It was like being at school. Davina was the headmistress who had told everyone off."

Evicted housemate Emily Parr claimed that producers were fixing the show to keep Charley in the house this week. However, a spokeswoman has insisted that Davina's comments at the eviction were not unusual.

She explained: "At every Big Brother live show Davina has always exchanged humourous banter with the crowd and has always encouraged them to be positive about all the housemates. With a live audience it's up to them what they say."