All this "hoo-har" over a bunch of 16 year olds dressing up and staying in a house for a month, I'm telling you all you're insane. Well maybe a little bit…

Mills has already done most of the background but I'll help a little with my own experience (quickly explaining the back story). I was sitting at home, almost dead on the sofa when I saw an advert for the new series, pleading with us to get in touch, so naturally I though hey I'll give it a go. About 2months later I got a phone call asking me to come to Manchester, so I though, why not it'll be a giggle. I got to Manchester and it was full of people, literally packed, and they're all watching the second series on the TV. So anyway I get a form to fill in and there's only one seat, (so I give it to my mum) and I lean against this "wall" which to my surprise if u put any pressure on, turns into a door. I fell through the partition with 300 people laughing at me and the 3 producers staring at me and I'm like "hi…I'm here for that'll teach 'em" Anyway as you probably can guess I got in despite all that.

All done and dusted, interviews, getting there and saying goodbye done, we got into our uniforms for the "school photo", but I can't do button flies, so needless to say during matron's ruthless inspection a few of the buttons come undone and matron "helps me out" by doing them for me, let me say the comment "Ooo matron!!" was not the best thing I could of said…but that was only the start of the fun!!

The first day passed with dramas galore and with us all in high spirits, but it just goes down hill from there. Depression and homesickness kicks in, people leave and people come, but what nobody outside the show can understand is the strength of the people inside it. Yeah you have laughs at people like "Anadigadoobie" and "Gillllllllllllllllllroy!!" but it is those same people that when you're at your lowest pick you up and carry you the rest of the way. Ingram's run (enough said) about killed me in the first week and if it wasn't for lads like Seb, Nate, Scott and Donald I would have gone insane and killed him. Simple things like taking a walk with someone around the fields or just sitting and talking helps you immensely. The people inside the walls no longer become individuals, they don't even become your family, they become you and you become them, because (and I think everybody can vouch for me here) if you don't stick together you don't survive something like that, and Ho almost didn't (massive hand!!) so we all were worried bout him.

CDGS was the best experience of my life, even if it didn't go on telly I don't care, how can you replace the ever so ghetto Nathan, the likely lad Scott, the two London lads Petkov and Gilroy, the annoying scouser…(only joking), I could go on forever. Who else can you share memories with than those who saw Mr. Stanley play with his feet to the Jerry lee Lewis hit?

I love you all, no matter what you were the best people in the world and I wouldn't exchange your for anything, not even Emma Watson (Joe hook a boy up yeah??).

A few thanks (lads only):

• Petkov and Gilllllroy!! – For the walks and talks lads
• Hudson – for being my mother
• Joe – just being the coolest lad on the planet.
• Simon – your sarcasm and wit amazed me, great table duty partner if I ever saw one.
• Nate – just making it the funniest place to be ever.
• Ho – is there anything I don’t need to thank you for??
• Raz – the wicked diablo trick man.
• Scott – The constant contests for that end shower.
• Hedley – I don’t know what to say man; you’re just a great lad when it comes down to it.
• Mills – you cheeky, talkative scouse…sensation, just a brilliant lad at heart.
• Ingram – your killer comments (by killer I mean killed the moment and joke comments)
• Seb and Donald - thank you lads so much, it was you two at the start that kept me in it and it was the constant I love you remarks off camera that kept us so close.