I was on Celebrity Big Brother & had furious row with now-jailed Stephen Bear – I knew he was trouble, says James Whale

A FURIOUS food fight sparked an evacuation of the Celebrity Big Brother house when Stephen Bear pushed housemate James Whale too far.

TV and radio legend James, 72, insists he knew the reality star was “trouble” years before he was jailed for sex offences.

Bear is currently in prison for recording and leaking a sex tape of his ex Georgia Harrison without consent.

Now James has lifted the lid on what it was like to live with Bear back in 2016 in an exclusive interview with The Sun.

“He was there to win and to get everyone going,” said James.

“He convinced me what he was doing in there was all a bit of an act and he intended to continue it on the outside.

“But knowing now what he went on to do… I could see it coming.

“Bear was trouble – both inside and outside of the House.”

James famously tipped a jar of coffee granules over Bear’s head as he bravely stood up to the now-disgraced TV star on the show.

Bear and his accomplice Heavy D – who died in 2020 – were winding up James by touching his head, laughing loudly and making faces behind his back.

Refusing to take it lying down, James kicked off a food fight, which eventually led to a pan of bacon catching fire and the housemates being evacuated to the garden.

“He was notorious then and now,” says James, who’s relaunching his TalkTV show on Saturday at 7pm.

“They were standing behind me taking the p*** and it was annoying me.

“I’ve always been one of those people who, if someone wants to bully you, I wouldn’t complain – I would just turn round and slap them.

“I was just about to turn around and smack him, but thought better of it.

“Instead I picked up my tin of ground coffee and tipped it all over his head.”

Bear went on to ultimately win the series before his career ended in disgrace last year.

James added: “I didn’t see or hear of him again until he ended up on the news.”

James ended up staying for 23 days, narrowly missing out on a place in the final of Channel 5’s show in 2016.

The terminally-ill presenter, who was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2020, is planning to deliver his outspoken opinions about Big Brother when he relaunches his TalkTV show on Saturday.

“I will probably be very rude about Big Brother on my show this Saturday,” admits James.

“Stay tuned.”

James Whale Unleashed is on TalkTV every Saturday from 7pm.