I was a Big Brother star – now I’m a bestselling author and my book’s being made into a film
A TOP Big Brother star has switched telly fame to focus on literary success – and already clocked up a best-selling book.
The reality TV contestant, who finished fourth in the 2016 series, has previously exclusively told The Sun how his child-star husband saved his life.
Now Andy West, 41, has penned the film rights for his debut movie, set in Belfast.
It will capture his novel The Spirit Engineer on the big screen with production company Canderblinks Film tasked with the adaptation.
The eerie tome tells the real life story of William Jackson Crawford a Belfast mechanical engineer who was hell-bent on exposing young medium Kathleen Goligher’s dabbling with the paranormal in the early 20th century.
His interest in the plotline was sparked prior to Andy’s reality TV fame when he worked as a BBC reporter in Belfast.
With the book already a Sunday Times best-seller, winning a HWA Crown award, it has now been released as a paperback before gaining a new lease of life on-screen.
Talking exclusively to The Sun about the plotline, Andy said: “Anti-heroes have gone out of fashion in fiction, generally.
“A lot of people read books wanting to become best friends with the lead character and I understand that. But that’s not what I enjoy in my fiction.
“I want them to show me something I’ve not seen before, I’ve not thought before, that will make me see the world in a different way, and I enjoyed writing it for that reason.”
Telly fame
During his stint on reality TV, Andy came fourth during his Big Brother stint – rarely being nominated for a live eviction.
He only needed to be saved during Annihilation week, where he was given immunity by his other housemates.
On his final day in the house, he told his housemates that the experience was a “crazy, fantastic, surreal twist” in his life.
Later on, he said in the Diary Room: “Thank you for getting me ready for the rest of my life in a funny way.”
He previously told how his secret life on the streets had helped him prepare for life in the Big Brother compound.
Andy slept rough in Belfast for a week for an investigation while working in media – and admitted the rough experience built his resilience.
This was particularly helpful when he was restricted to rations in the Big Brother house and he added: “To be honest , when we going through ‘rations’ in the Big Brother house, it was a walk in the park compared to what I have been through and seen in my life.
“I was happy with the slop and water.”