‘for the first time in my life, i was one of the lads’

He’s loud, proud and, in the words of the larger-than-life Bolton native, “unapologetically himself”. The nation took iconic Celebrity Big Brother winner David Potts to their hearts this year – from his flamboyance and volume to his trademark outbursts of “slay” and those eye-popping outfits with teeny-tiny shorts, of course, never trousers. The former Ibiza Weekender star had quite the journey in the CBB house and, during our exclusive photoshoot, he tells new more exciting things are to come.

Here, the 30-year-old reality star invites us into his modern Bolton flat and opens up about his experiences in CBB, double dating with Fern Britton, why he’s considering getting those pins of his insured, and how he’d love to do Strictly – but only with his pal, Nikita…

Hi, David! Are you still on cloud nine after your win?

I’m on cloud 10! I’m just so happy and the support’s been amazing. I’m slaying. I had a little pamper session to celebrate, had a nice meal and a haircut – I needed that haircut badly!

What have fans’ reactions been like when you’ve been out and about?

Pretty crazy. I walked into Tesco the other day and this group of women started screaming. Literally, I just went in for some cereal and caused a total uproar.

What was your favourite moment in the Celebrity Big Brother house?

I loved the entire experience, but the police task where I was a bad cop was my favourite day. I got so into it. When I wasn’t a bad cop, doing the paperwork, I was so bored. When Big Brother told me I was on a secret mission, I flipped!

And the toughest aspect?

The beds – they were so small. Fish finger beds. Eating gruel. Other than that, I loved it. I thrive in a social setting. I was just enjoying myself.

Everyone’s fascinated with the CBB house. Was there anything that surprised you?

I couldn’t believe how big it was. The bedroom’s the same size as my entire apartment. There are little hatches where they put stuff in and we grab it, which was cool.

Who made you laugh the most?

Me and Bradley Riches had a special connection – we were on the same wavelength. Equally, I loved Nikita Kuzmin, Colson Smith, Zeze Millz, Fern Britton, Marisha Wallace… I loved ’em all! But I did have a boy gang. For the first time in my life, I was one of the lads.

Is there a CBB WhatsApp group and what do you talk about?