BRIAN Belo might have all sorts of opportunities awaiting him after winning the latest Big Brother - but he is still an Essex man through and through.

The 20-year-old former data entry clerk came straight back into his mum's house, in Ampers End, Basildon, after winning the reality show two weeks ago.

Since then, Brian has spent a lot of time living it up in London, but talking exclusively to the Echo, he insisted he had no intention of moving to the capital.

He said: "I don't think I'll ever leave Basildon, to be honest. I went to a flash club up London on the Sunday when I came out.

"They gave me a free bottle of £400 champagne and it was all right, but I just kept thinking I would rather be in Bas Vegas.

"I love it in Basildon. What you see is what you get with people around here."

Brian has only been out in Festival Leisure Park once since that final Big Brother eviction night.

He went for a meal with a friend at Nando's chicken restaurant, then was "well pleased" when the manager of nearby Frankie and Benny's offered him a free drink.

He added: "We went over there, then the manager from Chicago's offered me and my mate a free bottle of champagne and beers all night if we sat in his place.

"That's what it has been like. We stayed for a while, but in the end I had to leave.

"It was a bit overwhelming how many people came up to me. Mind you, I like meeting them all and it's nice to be liked.

"Three months ago I could walk around Bas Vegas and no one knew me. I couldn't pull a girl to save my life. Now wherever I go, everyone is interested."

Brian's only plan to date for the £100,000 he won on the show is to buy a car - his very first.

He said: "I really want a Fiesta ST, but I have to learn to drive first, so I'm going to have to pay for driving lessons too."

His favourite celebrity moment since leaving the Big Brother house was being interviewed by Chris Moyles on the BBC's Radio 1 breakfast show.

Brian says he has no immediate plans to go into acting or presenting, but did not dismiss the notion of television work in the future.

He said: "I'm just trying to keep both feet on the ground. I know I haven't really got any talent, so I'll just see how it goes.

"I want to make the most of all this and if I end up back working in data entry, that's all right with me."

Brian won the nation's affection through his nice-guy persona.

He managed to stay friends with all the housemates and never bitched about anyone behind their back.

He said: "It's weird what people lost it over. There was even an argument about cheddar cheese.

"I suppose that's what being in there does to you, but I kept thinking my mates back home would slap me around the face if I lost my rag over something like that.

"I made a lot of good friends in there. I'll definitely keep in touch with Liam, as he was my best mate. Then there are the twins and I'll stay friends with Ziggy and Chanelle too.

"Carole wants to come out with me one night in Bas Vegas."

Brian fell for one of the twins, Amanda Marchant, 19, during the show, but it has been widely rumoured since she just wants to be friends. However, Brian remains hopeful romance could yet blossom.

He said: "My friends keep telling me I should stay single and make the most of my new-found fame, but I do like her. I'll have to see.

"I keep telling people I'm single, but not single."

All in all, Brian has no regrets about his brush with fame.

He said: "I've always been a massive fan of Big Brother, so going on there was amazing.

"I wouldn't take back any of my time in there, but it's nice to be back home again in Basildon."

BACK TO HIS OLD COLLEGE...
BRIAN has taken time out to visit his old college in Southend. The Big Brother winner is a former student on South East Essex College's BND Moving Image media course.

He visited the Luker Road college to meet the students and pass on what he had learned during his time in the Big Brother house. He praised the college and the way staff looked after him while he was a student, declaring the new college building "pukka".

"It's weird, because I did a spoof of Big Brother for my final major project!"

Brian was also interviewed for the college magazine, Dave, in the college's new TV studio, with first-year media students asking the questions.

He said: "I was a big fan of the magazine and one of the first students who helped promote it in the beginning, so it's nice to be featured in it."

He also visited an induction session for new students and urged youngsters to stay the distance in their courses.