HE has kept the nation amused with his wisecracks and jokes, but on Friday Jonny Regan's on-screen antics will come to an end.

The firefighter, who has set female hearts fluttering across the country, will walk out of the Big Brother house - for the first time in nine weeks - to be greeted by the flashing bulbs of the Press and the screams of hundreds of fans.

Whether he turns out to be a winner or a loser, the 29-year-old's life may never be the same.

Jonny, of Trimdon Station, County Durham, has had his every move scrutinised since he put his regular job on hold to star in one of television's most successful reality game shows.

The experience of being under the country's watchful eye can be so extreme that Big Brother chiefs employ a psychologist to help the evictees cope with their new-found fame.

But Jonny's family believe the firefighter will keep his feet firmly on the ground when he returns home to the region.

A part-time singer with North-East band Reagan, many critics believed he was using Big Brother in order to further his singing career.

But Jonny has failed to entertain housemates with a single song. Instead, he has preferred to keep them amused with his schoolboy antics.

Bets are already being placed on whether any of the housemates will make it in the world of showbiz after the series ends.

Meanwhile Jonny, a firefighter based at Peterlee fire station, has other things to look forward to.

He has just bought the house he shares with his parents in Trimdon Station.

Jonny is planning to set up home there with his biggest fan, his girlfriend, Joanne Lwellyn, of Hartlepool.

Joanne and seven close family members will travel by train to London on Friday to see Jonny.

They will be the only ones allowed to greet him when he comes out of the house at Elstree studios, in Hertfordshire.

But his colleagues on the Blue Watch at Peterlee fire station have been asked by the show's organisers to stand, in uniform, in the crowd outside the house and wait for him to make his exit.

Fire chiefs have even rearranged the Blue Watch shift to fit in with the Big Brother plans - the watch was due to be working on Friday night.

Until last week, Jonny was firm favourite to scoop the £70,000 prize money. But in the past week his popularity has waned.

According to the betting chain Ladbrokes, Kate is in the lead, followed by Alex at 2-1, Jade at 4-1 then Jonny at 8-1.

Jonny's mother, Margaret Regan, said: "I know I'm his mum and I'm not impartial, but I really think Jonny should win because he has been a shoulder to cry on for all the other housemates the whole time.

"The only person who has been there for him has been Kate.

"I think he deserves to win, but we will take whatever comes on Friday."

Members of the County Durham and Darlington fire brigade benevolent fund will also be there wearing Jonny T-shirts.

Fire brigade spokesman Dave Turnbull said: "We are absolutely delighted that Jonny has got this far.

"We would like to think that Jonny will win. He is a popular member of the brigade and has always been held in high esteem.

"We wanted to be there to show our support."