Big Brother is washing you as Kenneth cleans up his act

Published on Friday 31 July 2009 10:02

HE'S been criticised for never having done a hard day's graft in his life.

But Big Brother star Kenneth Tong, who describes himself as a "self-employed international playboy", got his hands dirty at an Edinburgh garage yesterday when he offered his services for part of the afternoon.

Sporting multi-coloured Dolce & Gabbana shorts, the 24-year-old from Morningside washed and hoovered cars at All Clean Car Wash and Valet Service on Leith's Jane Street Industrial Estate, while being filmed for E4 and Channel 4 programme Big Brother's Little Brother.

Car valeter Ryan Lyall, who has worked at All Clean for more than three years, said: "We were contacted by the producers of Big Brother's Little Brother on Tuesday. They wanted Kenneth to come along and get his hands dirty.

"I was shocked when they phoned, I didn't actually believe it at first – I thought it was a wind-up. They were going to phone round every garage in Edinburgh and they just happened to phone us first, and my boss was happy to do it."

The 21-year-old laughed: "Kenneth was absolutely useless. It was quite funny because he's never worked a day in his life. His heart wasn't in it but he was definitely trying."

Hong Kong-born Kenneth, who went to Fettes and then Edinburgh University to study economics and politics, washed a gold Lexus belonging to All Clean owner Robert Batten before hoovering a black Nissan Navara.

Mr Lyall added: "Kenneth wouldn't even touch the hoover without a pair of rubber gloves on. He's obviously just not used to getting his hands dirty.

"He kept missing bits and my boss Robert was watching that he didn't chip the paintwork on his car.

"The car cost him 27,000 and it's spotless!"

Kenneth, who loves splashing his cash on designer gear, joined the reality TV show earlier this month as one of five new housemates – just minutes before his glamour model girlfriend Karly Ashworth, from Fife, was evicted from the house.

He scaled the garden wall of the Big Brother house less than a week later, telling housemate Marcus Akin: "I came in as a legend and I will go out as one".

Mr Lyall said: "Karly came to the garage, too. She was sitting in a car laughing at Kenneth!"

A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said the footage, which followed "a day in the life of Kenneth and Karly", will air on Big Brother's Little Brother before Monday. But does Mr Lyall think that Kenneth could cope with working full-time at the garage? Of course not.

"No way," he smiles.

"He was struggling to do one car. My boss said he certainly wouldn't let him stay here full-time.

"Kenneth is a nice guy but he just has too much money."