More than 1,500 people have complained about Big Brother's latest plan to put an evicted housemate back inside the house.

The media watchdog Ofcom has received 1,196 phone calls and e-mails from viewers who are furious they are being asked to pay again to vote out contestants from the show.

Channel 4 has also had about 500 complaints from fans about its decision to give a housemate who has been previously evicted the chance to win the £100,000 prize money.

Nikki Grahame, 24, is the current favourite to go back onto the show. The Times Online e-poll shows that 44 per cent of voters want her back.

A Big Brother spokeswoman defended the stunt, saying all profits from the phone vote were being donated to charity.

She said: “Big Brother always receives a large number of calls from viewers wishing to comment on the programme and this year is no exception.

“As soon as the phone lines opened following Friday night’s show, viewers flooded the voting lines to bring an ex-housemate back in what is proving to be one of the most popular votes this series.

“Almost £150,000 has already been raised for charity from this vote alone.”

Phone lines for the vote close tomorrow and four of the ten previously evicted housemates will move next door to the Big Brother house. After Friday's main eviction the current housemates will choose which one of the four will return to live with them with the chance of winning the prize money.

Last year, Ofcom received 259 complaints over an incident in which Big Brother contestant Kinga Karolczak simulated sex.

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