THIS is the moment Bolton's Nichola Holt was overwhelmingly voted out by Big Brother viewers.

The 29-year-old textile artist of Turton Road, Bradshaw, was axed from the Channel Four fly-on-the-wall documentary by the viewers who opted to give her the push, ahead of fellow contestant Liverpool builder Craig.

The two had been selected by the remaining contestants to be evicted from the show which monitors the activities of a group of young people confined in a house.

The person who survives the longest stands to win a bumper £70,000 cash first prize.

Nichola emerged from the cocoon of the house after five weeks inside, and was met by the news that a circus had offered her the chance to train with them for six weeks.

Nichola was the fourth contestant to be given the chop by viewers, the day after "Nasty Nick" Bateman was evicted by the programme makers for cheating.

She received 72 per cent of the votes last night and greeted the news with a delighted scream of "yes", before asking "is there anyone out there waiting for me?" A group of her family and friends were waiting for her in the Channel Four studio close to the Big Brother house.

She left the house wearing a typically outrageous outfit to the cheers of waiting crowds. Nichola even signed autographs as she walked into the studio.

She said: "It has been a very hard week. I was ready to leave the house."

And on the controversial decision to evict Nick, she said: "We all put him on a pedestal. It was quite a shock because I really respected the guy I thought he was."

Television viewers were told Nichola, who also works as a barmaid at The Flag pub in Bromley Cross, had "filled the house with the most amazing art", and that the most requested hit on the website had been her naked clay painting antics.

She was reunited on screen with Caroline O'Shea -- who was axed from the house the previous week -- and then told the Zippo Academy of Circus Arts wanted her to join them at the end of September for six weeks giving her the opportunity to train in circus skills.

A friend of Nichola, Alison Leather, 25, from Great Lever, met the Big Brother star on a public art programme with circus group, Artizane. She said: "I've been following Big Brother closely and I was rooting for Nichola. I knew she had auditioned but the first I knew about her being on was when I read it in the paper.

"I think she will do really well from it. She's always wanted to be famous.

"She's really creative and she's got loads of energy. When she gets an idea she's off in her own little world. She's brilliant." Nichola may face a tough time when she eventually comes back to Bolton after she painted the women-folk of the town as wearing stilettoes and shell suits.

But Alison defended her, saying: "People took her too seriously at the beginning with her comments about Bolton. They take everything too literally. She wouldn't have meant it.

"Everyone in the house said she's got a fiery temper but I think she's just a determined person. I think in a situation like that, which must put you under a lot of strain, you are going to go off occasionally unless you have got no passion.

"She's not someone who holds grudges.

"I think she will enjoy all the attention. She should get a lot of money anyway but I think just the fact she's famous will be enough for her.

"She will definitely make something out of the experience and use it to her advantage.

"I'm sure it will spark interest from theatre companies in the costumes she makes."