Watch out for a shadowy figure running into the Celebrity Big Brother house late one night to kidnap Nadia Sawalha – that’ll be her husband Mark Adderley.
Every night Mark sits at home watching the telly, horrified at the day’s events in what’s fast becoming the nastiest house in Britain.
He’s torn between rescuing his wife and willing her to victory. If only to rub the noses of her obnoxious opponents in it.
Marks says: “Half of me wants me to swoop in and scoop her up as I can see she is not happy.
“Your natural instinct is to protect the one you love. You want to drag them out and repair them. Then the competitive side of you wants her to win.”
Poisonous rows constantly echo around the house. And as well as vitriol dripping off the walls, audiences have been shocked by racist language, sexist remarks and homophobic slurs.
But all of this has helped this series of the Channel Five show become a ratings hit.
Despite it all, TV producer Mark, 44, knows Mirror food columnist Nadia, 50, won’t just walk out.
“She is a fighter and won’t quit now she has got this far,” he says.
“She’s competitive like me, but you can see in her eyes she’s not in a good place. That’s the one element that breaks my heart. She’s had some fun but it won’t be anywhere near the experience she was hoping for.
“It’s usually such a funny show. But this series is bonkers - it’s amazing to watch as long as you’re not married to a contestant.
"Nadia agreed to go on because she wanted to buy a fantasy-land new kitchen with her fee. But having seen her so upset I’d rather we lived on takeaways.
“The producer in me can see what a fabulous success the show is.
"Everyone we know is gripped. But from a husband’s point of view, every night is an appointment with a heart attack. It’s been painful to watch.
Channel 5 / Eroteme Rows: Katie Hopkins and Nadia Sawalha
“If she had known it was going to be this extreme I don’t think she’d have done it.
"She’s such a family person so it must be her worst nightmare to be trapped with people who just want to row all day. I’m so proud she is keeping it together.”
At the centre of it all is Nadia’s arch-rival, reality show bigmouth Katie Hopkins. It’s the constant clashes between the two which Mark finds hardest to watch.
“She steadfastly refuses to be controlled by the mini-Hitler in there, Katie Hopkins,” he says. “It’s a power struggle between the two of them.
“Katie reminds me of a head girl who used to dupe people with kindness. Katie is gagging for Nadia to bite with her constant sniping. And lot of people are saying why doesn’t she have a go back.
“Nadia is having to put her fist in her mouth to stop herself ripping Katie’s head off, as she knows that’s what everyone wants to see.
“If she does go at Katie Hopkins, Oh My God. Everyone will need to wear 3D glasses!
“The irony is, if she was watching herself on TV she would be shouting, ‘Nadia, go for it!’ She just cannot abide fakes or frauds or who manipulate people. She can’t abide two-facedness.
“She is a non-confrontational person but if she feels someone is being taken advantage she will blow and give Katie as good as she gets. In a way I want her to do it because she will be remarkable.
“The Nadia versus Katie situation is like a boil waiting to be lanced. The sooner it is, the better for the British public.”
Nadia starred in EastEnders as Annie Palmer for two years until 1999, won Celebrity Masterchef in 2006 and is a regular Loose Women presenter.
She and Mark became a couple in late 2001 and married a year later, announcing to their guests during the service that she was four months pregnant.
The couple live with their two daughters in South London. Nadia’s parents, Jordanian-born actor dad Nadim, and mum Bobbie live next door.
Happy: Nadia and family
Her sisters are Absolutely Fabulous star Julia Sawalha, 46, and Dina, 52.
Mark is doing his best to protect their children from the worst parts of the CBB experience.
He records the show each night and plays only suitable excerpts to Maddie, 12, and Kiki-Bee, seven.
“I’ve been monitoring the TV for the girls so they only see the nicer, fun bits,” he says.
“I fast-forwarded through it the other night as I didn’t want them to see the fury in Nadia’s eyes. And I haven’t let them see their mum cry, even though they are tears of frustration.
“Kiki Bee says, ‘I really want Mummy to win’, but then she realises that means she will be staying in for longer and she changes her mind!”
Nadia is often seen with Kiki Bee’s toy mouse, which she gave her mum to keep her company in the house.
And she has taken on something of a mummy role in the CBB house, even standing up for unpopular, attention-seeking celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.
WENN Maternal figure: Perez talks to Nadia and Keith about Ken on 'Celebrity Big Brother'
Mark says: “She is getting a lot of flack for supporting Perez. Don’t get me wrong – Perez is a nutter – but Nadia has been trying to help him calm his behaviour. She has a maternal instinct and always sticks up for the underdog.”
Not that Mark is ecstatic at the thought of her new pal popping round.
“She is more than welcome to invite Perez over to have dinner when it’s finished – but I will be out that night!” he says. “He is not my cup of tea.”
Food expert Nadia has been whipping up tasty meals for her housemates but instead of stocking the freezer before she left she emailed Mark a long list of what to cook for the girls.
“She didn’t leave anything in the house apart from dog food,” he says with laugh.
Happy couple: Nadia Sawalha with partner Mark
“I’ve cooked quite a lot of the meals and the girls say my spaghetti’s better so I’m winning a few brownie points.
“But what I am seeing from her absence is how she coordinates the household and the kids so smoothly. I have nothing but respect for her.”
Mark insists his wife has the mettle to see it through to the likely bitter end.
“After everything she has been through in her life, this is a minor blip on the radar,” he says. “She can get through this. She is made of meaty stuff.
“When I see her it will be a very emotional moment as I know how deeply this is affecting her. But I’ve booked two or three days off work to give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when she gets out!
“We desperately want her back at home – but on the other hand we also want her to beat Katie Hopkins!”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-...dia-sawalhas-5020278