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Big Brother’s Joe Quaranta’s secret reality TV past revealed… he used to star on Tenerife Uncovered
BIG Brother contestant Joe Quaranta has already enjoyed telly fame after starring on defunct Sky One reality show Tenerife Uncovered.
The 55-year-old featured on the programme, broadcast in 1999, due to his ownership of Bobby's Bar, an infamous nightspot in the Veronicas area of the island.
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In the show, viewers saw him cheating in an egg and spoon race using a secret stash of superglue, and giving a hilarious running commentary after a coach load of bar workers had a scrape with a truck on a narrow lane.
Joe - who was known as 'Mahogany Joe' due to his deep tan - also appeared on a 2005 BBC Three documentary called Tenerfie EastEnders.
Bobby's is now shut down, but was an iconic location throughout the late eighties and nineties.
It eventually shut down in the early 00s after violence and trouble between warring gangsters spilled on to the street.
Gangster Dave Courtney recalled how he saw a "Cornish skinhead" get kicked in to a coma by a "Moroccan roid head" outside the club, writing about the fight and the aftermath in his autobiography.
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Last night Joe made his return to TV screens when he entered the Big Brother house.
Ahead of his big entrance, he crowed that he looks good for his age and has a much younger wife.
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He left school at the tender age of just 14, and grew up as part of a large Italian family in South London.
But while he’s sure to be up for some fun in the house, it won’t extend to womanising – he’s settled down with a girlfriend 26 years his junior.
Before the launch, Joe said: “I want to do Big Brother to show that the oldies can do well too – bring it on!”
Former housemate Chelsea Singh was pleased to see him enter, as was fellow Spanish bar owner Wayne Lineker.
Chelsea tweeted: "He's an old old pal of mine from Tenerife!! Legend used to own Bobbys Bar I played there 20yrs ago!
"See Jo a old pal of mine used to own Bobbys Bar he's a f*****g Legend I played there ages ago 20 yrs ago! @bbuk He's my winner he's a Nutter.
"Trust me you don't wanna play games with Joe unless you are thick or stupid! Lol joe will tell you like it is 100% aaaave it!
"Now that Joe has gone in the house there is only one winner! Come on Joe! Aaaaave it!! This is gonna be great TV @bobbyjoetenerif @bbuk."
Wayne said: "This man though !! Spent 10 years of my life with him as a partner in Bobbys Tenerife. Absolute hero of a man @bobbyjoetenerif #BBJoe ❤️"
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