Danyl Johnson’s mum has come out in his defence, rubbishing claims that her son has been bullying other contestants. Marie Burgess says that she knows her son would never be a bully, because he was bullied himself when he was younger.

She told new! magazine: “Danyl is not a bully. Danyl and his fellow contestants all live in a bubble where everything inside the house is magnified and everything outside can be very distorted.

“He was very badly bullied in primary school. There were two boys in particular who really picked on him, called him names and told the other kids not to play with him.

“Danyl was so upset and it broke my heart seeing him like that. So having been a victim of bullying, he would never become one himself.”

Marie admitted that Danyl did have a small spat with Stacey, but denied that it was the major incident which had been reported in the press.

She added: “I couldn’t believe it. They are four very strong, very powerful and confident women – how would Danyl be able to say anything to them?

“Danyl told me if anything, it was actually the other way round.”