Pamela Anderson turns Big Bro housemates into VIPs

The new Big Brother housemates found themselves facing their first task of the series within minutes of entering the house on Friday night after Baywatch actress Pamela Anderson arrved on the scene.

Having been greeted with enthusiasm by the housemates she proceeded to choose five - Tom, Faye, Tashie, Heaven and Louise - for VIP status, issuing them with special wristbands and escorting them to a separate area of the house.

While the other housemates were then forced to snack on warm beer and crisps, the others enjoyed a spot of luxury with champagne and canapes.

They were then faced with the task of impressing Pamela by telling stories and sharing jokes - with holistic healer Heaven eventually chosen as the most entertaining housemate.

As a result, the holistic healer has spent Saturday dressed in a golden swimsuit and gold cloak - which she has been told she must wear until further notice, and which she has also been told has 'magical powers'. However it has not yet been made clear what these might be.

Meanwhile an audience of just 2.6m tuned in to watch the 14 new arrivals enter the Big Brother house as the series got underway on Channel 5 on Friday night.

The figure is down considerably from the launch night of the 2010 series - the last one on Channel 4 - which was watched by 4.6m viewers, and from the start of Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5 last month, which captured an audience of just over five million.