Debating whether to watch Big Brother this year? Well, now you have the perfect excuse.

20-year-old Thomas Atkinson, from Carlisle, entered the Big Brother UK house as part of the latest series of the popular reality television show. 

The amputee football star had a key role in the England Amputee FA's fourth-placed finish at the European Amputee Football Federation Euro 2024 over the summer, something his grandad predicted long ago.

"I've got 26 appearances for England and it's one of my proudest things about life," Atkinson said in his first interview for the hit TV show. 

"When I was a little kid I was actually bit by a shark, but I'm a blatant liar as well because I actually didn't.

"I was just born without my left hand and my left foot which I think is really boring.

"I always say there is nothing I can't do, apart from shoelaces, shoelaces are the death of me.

"I hate the idea of somebody beating me."

Defying medical predictions that he would not be able to walk, he recently captained his Portsmouth team to a 3-2 win over Everton in the FA Disability Cup Final.

Atkinson saved the penalty that helped them secure the victory and was named man of the match.

"We walked into it probably the underdogs and then to come out as winners was absolutely incredible, and the way we've done it, wasn't easy," he told the BBC.

He now plays for Legia Warsaw, one of the biggest teams in Poland.

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He said it was his grandfather who predicted his success when he was just nine.

"When my grandad was on his deathbed he was speaking to my dad and he was saying that one day I'm going to represent England," Mr Atkinson said.

"At this point I'd literally just been called up to train with the England junior team at nine-years-old and he made that prediction that I was going to go represent England."