Jonathan leaves Big Brother - July 3 2007
Jonathan Durden has left the Big Brother house after learning his grandmother has died.

The millionaire, 49, was apparently called into the Diary Room and told the sad news, before saying tearful goodbyes to his fellow housemates and leaving just after midnight.

A Big Brother spokeswoman said: "Jonathan left the house in the early hours of the morning and it was due to personal circumstances."

The other housemates were in shock after the media mogul walked out.

Liam said: "It will be mental waking up to him not being here. He was one of the biggest parts of this."

Jonathan is the second housemate to quit, after Lesley walked out after spending only a week and a half in the house.

The spokeswoman confirmed that because Jonathan was still a housemate at the time of making nominations on Monday, his nominations for eviction will still count.

The housemates will learn their fate when nominations are announced during Big Brother's Little Brother.


Jonathan ’leaving in the morning’ - June 27 2007
There was shock news in the BB house as Jonathan told his fellow contestants that he would be leaving the show.

He announced his imminent departure to the gathered group in the living room, explaining that he entered BB to learn something about himself and that "the journey was now complete".

Emerging from the Diary Room, he said: "I’m leaving because I’m very happy? I couldn’t understand why I’m here.

"I’ve left everything up in the air to get in this thing but I couldn’t understand how I could be so reckless."

The media mogul explained to the shocked bunch that following a chat with Brian this morning he had worked out that he was looking for constant recognition because of low-self esteem.

The 49-year-old, who postponed his wedding to join BB, then said his two weeks in front of the cameras had taught him that he was "alright now".

Brian was upset to learn that he had triggered the surprise decision. He started crying and confessed that he didn’t feel that good himself when he first entered the house.

Carole couldn’t hold back the tears either, as Charley summed up tactfully: "This is so depressing!"