Hundreds of people pushing and shoving each other out of the way, shouts and screams filling the air, teenagers frantically squeezing through the crowd…

No, I’m not describing the scene of a national disaster, or even a World Cup final, but the spectacle seen in Folkestone last December when Chanelle opened the new Bouverie Place HMV store.

You could be forgiven for wondering who I’m talking about, but to explain, Chanelle Hayes was once on Big Brother. Not to be confused with Chantelle Houghton, the non-celeb who won Celebrity Big Brother, 19-year-old Chanelle, whose likes include “jokes and star signs” and whose life philosophy is “Fighting is for scruffs”, was in the house for eight weeks before being voted out and then laughing all the way to the bank.

Although one up (or is it one down) from the personality booked to turn on Folkestone’s Christmas lights a few days previously, namely Mr Greedy, it’s staggering to see just what constitutes a celebrity these days. (See a certain ITV reality show for more evidence on this theme…)

Other information on this amazing star who considered Folkestone worthy of her attention includes the student’s obsession with Victoria Beckham and her ambition which is: “I would either like to be famous and rich… or a speech therapist in Spain.”

This then is the role model for whom the screaming teenagers had waited for so long in the cold. Add James and Ali, local radio DJs and surely it was an occasion for the star-struck.
I’m not saying I wouldn’t like to meet certain well-known people – if it had been someone who was actually famous for something other than being in a reality TV show, I might have been slightly more interested, but it was truly amazing to see the hype, and the entourage, surrounding this one, slightly bemused-looking teenager, and I’m very ashamed to admit I was there at all, although it was strictly for research purposes and I can honestly say that I NEVER watch Big Brother.