BIG Brother's North-East finalist was re-united with his family today on his release from the confines of the reality tv show house.

But 23-year-old Liam McGough's home-coming to County Durham may be delayed for a few days due to contractual commitments in the wake of the climax of the latest Channel 4 series.

The tree surgeon, from Lanchester, north-west Durham, was the first of the final trio to be evicted on Friday's live show.

He was narrowly beaten in the viewers' vote by Staffordshire twins, Sam and Amanda Marchant, who ended well behind the eventual clear winner, 20-year-old Brian Belo, a data clerk, from Essex.

Despite finishing third, the former pupil of St Bede's School, in Lanchester, emerged from the Big Brother house £100,000 better off, having won the lump sum in a 'spot' prize vote by fellow contestants earlier in the series.

At the time, in June, he pledged to use the money to help his 28-year-old brother, Dominic, with his university fees, and to buy parents Joe and Christine a car.

On his release from the house, on Friday, he told presenter, Davina McCall he felt "embarrassed" to have won the cash, but said he had, "a mixture of emotions", at the time.

"I thought everyone was going to give me a kicking.

"I felt embarrassed and I didn't feel like I deserved it.

"No-one likes a show-off."

During the post-show party, which ran into the early hours of today he was re-united with his family.

Mr McGough senior, who was preparing to return home to Lanchester, said his son seemed as full of life as ever.

"He's bouncing at the minute and he's looking forward to coming home, but he has contractual commitments to fulfil over the next few days."

He can be seen in the series review, Big Brother's Little Brother: The Reunion, on Channel 4, tomorrow (SUN), at 12.50pm.