Housemates get American challenge

The Big Brother housemates have been set a shopping task celebrating America in honour of the swearing-in of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States.

Obama will be inaugurated at 5pm British time and the celebrities in the Big Brother house are marking the event with four US-related tasks.

La Toya and Ben must become cowboys and ride a bucking bronco in their rodeo challenge.

Terry and Ulrika will enjoy a bout of competitive consumption as they take part in a pie-eating contest.

Tommy joins the Major Leagues and has to hit balls pitched into the garden by Big Brother in his baseball challenge.

Coolio and Verne will enact the classic journey of the US counter-culture and get on the road as American bikers taking a trip on the legendary Route 66.

The group must successfully pass three of the four challenges to win a luxury shopping budget of £5 per housemate per day.

If they fail two or more of the challenges they will be restricted to a basic budget of just £1 each per day.