You ask the questions

Such as: Nasty Nick, does it upset you when people abuse you in public?

"Nasty" Nick Bateman was born in London in 1968. After attending Gordonstoun public school he spent three-and-a-half years travelling the world before taking a job in the City with Willis insurance brokers. He resigned earlier this year after a 10-year stint, planning to spend the summer in California before embarking on a change of career. In July this year he was accepted as one of 10 others into Channel 4's Big Brother house. His attempts at manipulating the other contestants earned him the tag "Nasty" and in the fifth week he was eventually thrown out when he was caught cheating. Since then he has frequented numerous celebrity parties, had his own newspaper column, published a book entitled How to be a Right Bastard (Blake Publishing, £5.99) and a video entitled Nasty Nick Gets Even (Universal Pictures, £12.99). He currently lives with his flatmate in southwest London.

"Nasty" Nick Bateman was born in London in 1968. After attending Gordonstoun public school he spent three-and-a-half years travelling the world before taking a job in the City with Willis insurance brokers. He resigned earlier this year after a 10-year stint, planning to spend the summer in California before embarking on a change of career. In July this year he was accepted as one of 10 others into Channel 4's Big Brother house. His attempts at manipulating the other contestants earned him the tag "Nasty" and in the fifth week he was eventually thrown out when he was caught cheating. Since then he has frequented numerous celebrity parties, had his own newspaper column, published a book entitled How to be a Right Bastard (Blake Publishing, £5.99) and a video entitled Nasty Nick Gets Even (Universal Pictures, £12.99). He currently lives with his flatmate in southwest London.

If you were to release a cover version of a pop song, which one would it be? David Lehmann, London Ralph McTell's "Streets of London". I just think it's a really great song. I like anything from opera through to jazz and pop, rock, country and soul, although I can only listen to jazz when I'm in the mood. I love Nancy Griffiths - she has a great voice, her lyrics are good and when she does a concert she sings like she's really enjoying it. I'm also a big fan of Suggs from Madness. I met him recently, he's a very nice guy. Also Madness were a very influential band when I was growing up.

What did your father say to you about your behaviour when he first saw you after your eviction from the Big Brother house? S Tait, Harrogate Your true family and friends always support you, so therefore they were very happy when I came out. I had missed them and they missed me.

What was the last film you saw? Kylie Trentham, Gloucester The last film I saw was The Cell and I thought it was awful - very trite and too graphic; the only good thing about it was the directing. Jennifer Lopez's character was very bland, there was no substance to it. Snatch was good, maybe a little long but very entertaining. My favourite film of all time is Kind Hearts and Coronets - I like classics because they leave a lot to the imagination. Modern day films tend to go into too much detail and don't work people's imaginations in a way that old films did. It's the same with children's TV; it doesn't leave as much to the imagination. Children a decade ago were more intellectually switched on.

Do you have any religious beliefs? P Lindo, by e-mail No, none at all. I'm not an atheist but I have no religious beliefs. I don't have the time or inclination to go to church.

Does it upset you when people abuse you in public? Are you more sensitive than people may believe? Rees Mallet, Cardiff No, you just have to have a thick skin. I've always had a thick skin. Big Brother was a 24-hour programme but what people saw was just 20 minutes each day and so there were 23 hours and 40 minutes of action that people didn't see. Editors can make anyone look good or bad. There's a lot more going on with me than met the eye of the Big Brother. You can't criticise them for it, but they were a bit over-zealous. I did an interview for The Daily Telegraph recently - I thought they were very unfair about me, but the woman who did it was obviously just a man-hater. Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me.

What is your stand on the recent cannabis debate? E Crawford, Nottingham I think it should be available on the NHS. But I'm not going to tell you if I've ever smoked it or not.

Do you regret cheating in Big Brother? Would you participate in something like it again? F Bailey, Kent No, I don't regret cheating and yes I would definitely do it again.

Can you remember who you were before you went on Big Brother? Colin Rudge, by e-mail No.

If you could make one apology, what would it be, and to whom? Stuart Oakley, by e-mail I've never had to make an apology, so I would apologise to no one.

Who is your best friend? Kelly Strode, Farnborough Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

Of all the celebrities you have met post- Big Brother, who is your favourite? Rosemary Sheldon, Luton Bobby Davro. We had a very nice chat and he gave me some good advice. He's a nice man and he doesn't deserve bad press.

Which historical figure do you most identify with? Liz Curwen, Suffolk The Venerable Bede.

When the current media interest in you has faded, do you think you will have problems getting a "real" job? Tess Mulvey, by e-mail No, I'll still have a job within this arena. I'll possibly be hosting in-depth political interviews. The first person I'd like to do is Chris Evans, or Tara Palmer-Tompkinson or John Cleese. I have a talent for getting people to open up to me, you can see I did it very well on Big Brother.

What are you reading at the moment? Kyle Bing, Cheshire At the moment I'm reading Immortality by Milan Kundera. It's fantastic, all of his books are very emotionally expressive, he's Czech but he writes just as well in French as in English. I also like Robert Ludlum - he's one of the few spy thriller writers who keep you guessing to the very end.

Do you keep in touch with the other Big Brother contestants? Which ones? Tara Leveson, by e-mail Andy, Tom, Sada, Darren and Craig.

Who do you think really deserved to win Big Brother? K Ball, Exeter Me.

What is your greatest fear? Curtis Howland, Plymouth Sea urchins.

Does a public school education really make you superior? T Myler, by e-mail No, but some public schools seem to think they're superior and some people from those schools seem to think they are as well. My school not included.

When did you last cry? Why? M Blewitt, Aberdeen Just over a week ago when I watched It's a Wonderful Life. It's such a beautiful film, it always makes me cry.

Do you really think that you deserve the tag nasty? Louisa Costello, by e-mail The tag nasty was adopted by the tabloids after the evil editing by Big Brother, so on that premise, yes, but in reality, no.

Do you have a motto? What is it? Duncan Buckland, Brighton Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Who is your all-time hero? Terence Graham, London Simon Morgan, a midfielder for Fulham FC who gives 100 per cent every game. Also JFK, he's another of my all-time heroes.

What is your most treasured possession? A Van der Graaf generator. I got mine in a car boot sale. They generate static electricity and make your hair stand on end. I never do it on myself, only other people.

What would have happened in that last few weeks of Big Brother if you hadn't been kicked out? Lisa Corbett, London I would have won. The whole thing was set up to play us off each other and I was the best at it. I got zero votes. If I had been nominated I don't know what would have happened; the mood of the general public changes like the weather in this country.

What makes you cry? Peter Bellard, by e-mail A very painful thing called a cystoscope - doctors press it up into your bladder when they need to examine you.

How would you describe yourself? Kate Lamb, Norwich A man whose heart burns like a fever.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years time? Elaine Ross, London Twenty feet under.

What is your definition of perfect happiness? Marcus Porter, Southend Life. Being surrounded by people, true friends and family and being content with everything I do and everything around me. I'm on the road to feeling like that now.